Open Plan offices never really worked did they.....

Gloomendoom

That is definitely one of the better things about an office to yourself. You get to choose the temperature you want, not what some bod from IT wants.

victor2

Gloomendoom wrote: »

That is definitely one of the better things about an office to yourself. You get to choose the temperature you want, not what some bod from IT wants.

We were always open to bribes though...:rotfl:

Kittycat1981

I have worked in an open office for many years (again- local authorities dont like paying for walls!) My last open plan office was ok, only 8 of us in there and each had a desk with our own set of draws and personalised items around us (photos etc)

I am now in an office from hell. Its a small office that fits in 8 people, only 3 desktop computers- everyone is expected to hot desk (apart from manager who occupies one of the desktops) the rest of the team have laptops (i am still waiting for mine) - some days this is a struggle because i only have the option to use one of the desktop PC's.

The office is shared across a few services, people constantly in and out, it gets very loud in there too. I can hardly ear myself think some days.

The office is a mess, cables everywhere (for people to connect their laptops to the internet) - wifi is rubbish in the building and really unstable. People leave dirty cups on the desks and food wrappers. No storage for any of your belongings.

One tiny heater in the room so its constantly freezing in the morning and by later afternoon its roasting if the sun has been out and beaming into the office from 2pm ish.

I hate it, thankfully for me, this post is not for long.

warehouse

I can wear headphones in my open office and listen to music/radio. Bliss.

Deep_In_Debt

I work in an open plan office and have done for a long time. I'm currently in a long term temp role and my desk is in front of 2 small meeting rooms that sit 2 people in each room. If I'm not at my desk when a meeting takes place with more than 2 people then my chair goes. So annoying! I have to knock on the door and ask for my chair back....it's obvious it belongs to someone as there is a computer at the desk, my handbag, and either scarf or coat on the back of the chair.

I feel like I'm being timed every time I go to the loo as everyone watches me when I leave and watches me when I come back. Weird place though.

Anatidaephobia

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Having temped for many years, I have to say that 99% of the utter rubbish stuffed in desk drawers is completely unnecessary to man nor beast. And I don't know about you, but I know what my children look like, so don't need photos of them strewn about the place.

When the OH moved office buildings with the rest of his team, there were people having panic attacks as they had to finally sort out and pack up years of accumulated detritus. He picked up his three pens, a notepad and a calculator and was done. Others were still packing a week later. I know what I prefer.

My drawers are virtually empty. Three notepads, two pens, some post it notes, all of which is used every day, plus a bottle of diluting juice, that's about it Nothing remotely personal and certainly no photos!

I used to sit next to someone who was always complaining that the desks weren't big enough and she had no space, she always ended up taking up half of my desk as well. It was no surprise she had no space considering her desk was taken up by an assortment of box files, notepads, stationary, and random rubbish which she never actually used!

skintpaul

One place I was at had wooden floors, echo-ey acoustics, shouty staff, and a drinks cabinet right next to my desk!

normally that last bit would be good... but in an office??

moneyistooshorttomention

Gloomendoom wrote: »

They have been around a lot longer than that.

That photo is an extreme example - but makes the point perfectly that it feels like you are working in a factory, instead of an office, in some of these open-plan offices.

It certainly took a lot of ingenuity to deal with the "factory feel" sometimes...

Yep...I also used to hate the other peoples food smells/the people who felt too hot (but you had to politely NOT point out that the reason was because they were wearing several "overcoats" of being too fat). It was rarely the normal-size people who complained it was too hot - so either they were opening windows on the rest of us or we had to wear jackets indoors to keep them happy!

moneyistooshorttomention

Fireflyaway wrote: »

I work in an open office and we have to hot desk too! Despite hot desking, people still seem to claim the same desk when they can and then you feel uncomfortable about sitting in it. One desk and keyboard is covered in skin flakes as the person who usually sits there has a skin condition ( not his fault but not nice for others either) Another has mouldy half full coffee mugs. I hate to think what their homes are like. Fortunately I can work from home at times!

They tried to push us in the direction of hot-desking latterly and some of us were in a position that we had to "lay claim" to a desk and deliberately keep our stuff there/etc/etc as a way to get management to back-pedal and accept that we were keeping our own desks. It was uncomfortable when you had to ask someone to move from "your" desk - ie because management had deemed it to be a communal hot desk (people did accept this though - as there were other desks they could use instead).

It did work eventually and management stopped trying that particular one;):)

The basic way to get management to revert to accepting everyone has their own individual desk is to make a big issue of "But MY computer screen and chair were set at exactly the right height for me - and they've been altered" and insist on your own keyboard and mouse being re-connected any time someone has disconnected them etc (which management have to do - or they would be committing a health and safety breach).

zaxdog

My office is open plan and we have a lot of:

I'm too cold
I'm too hot
Who nicked my stapler?
Endless gossip
Smelly food (though that can be me too)
A fridge in the kitchen that was so bad I actually threw up after cleaning it on Friday :eek:
My big bottom desk drawer is crammed with herbal tea bags, honey pot, tin of soup/cup a soups, oatcakes, wine gums, painkillers, small sewing kit, anti-histamines, mouthwash, hand lotion and a spare top.

My excuses are: I work in a wholesale environment that is pretty frantic, have been known to have to help sew the guys uniforms when they tear, work six days a week and with extra hours and the need to head out for a pint after work I like a supply of food and a fresh top :-)