It seems, more and more companies are pursuing an open office environment versus a cubicle approach. For startups, the open office is almost a standard, but for larger companies that’s certainly not the case.
But behemoth tech companies like Cisco and Hewlett-Packard are slowly but surely removing cubicles.
I’ve always been a fan of open office environments. Throw in some high ceilings to boot, if you don’t mind! You end up fostering a stronger community and team spirit in an open office. And it’s always easier for communication purposes; just scoot over on your Aeron chair to the guy next to you, without bumping into clunky cubicle walls!
Having said that, I still think the closed office is important. There’s nothing more distracting than people on the phone (or in a meeting) in an open office environment. I can’t concentrate on the phone when other people are working around me. I need a closed off space. I know a lot of startups eschew closed offices, but it’s something I’m not quite ready to give up.
The alternative to a permanent closed office for someone, is to have “meeting” or “talking” rooms — closed spaces that can be used on an “as needed” basis. If you’re on the phone all day, shuffling back and forth between your open office space and a closed room won’t be convenient, but for occasional use, it’s a handy way to balance the open office style and the need for privacy.
Ben,
Sylvain Carle had a similar post: http://www.afroginthevalley.com/2007/09/21/thinking-about-office-space.html
You can’t beat open offices for collaborative activities like brainstorming or working through a technical problem with several colleagues.
But sometimes you just need some peace and quiet to bang out a proposal, an article, or some web copy, and an office provides that privacy.