Open Season
I don’t like ‘open plan’ offices. Open plan living areas, sure. Open homes, no problem. But I’m not convinced that open plan offices are a great idea.
I understand that the intention is that they promote an open and collaborative working atmosphere, and all those other management-sounding new-age catch-phrases. But I don’t think they had my office in mind. I sit next to a partially deaf bloke who talks like he’s running an auction. When he’s on personal phone calls it’s like listening to a combination of a Pavarotti and the commentary on the Trackside horse racing channel. Don’t even start with me about the guy who has decided he wants a 6 cubic metre skip for renovation waste. There have been several long calls to bin hire places, just to get quotes.
Not only does one have to be privy to the conversations of those around you, but the chest-high barriers used as wall substitutes can lead to odd situations. Recently one of my co-workers was trying to get hold of our manager, whose desk was currently lying vacant. It being a relatively important call, the co-worker decided to call him on his cell phone. From across the office I heard a gruff “Hello? Well, stand up and have a look. I’m over here, I’ll come and see you soon. Maybe you should look around before calling next time.” A more summary dismissal I have rarely heard. And the entire office had heard it too.
I think possibly the worst thing about open plan offices is the tendency of people to wander over and lean on the handily-placed divider and have a yarn. I don’t mean a bit of mindless water-cooler talk (which also frustrates me) but a real gossip. Especially for those poor souls located on the way to the photocopier or the printer, they get it the worst. People will click ‘Print’ on a 200+ page document, and then immediately get up to go and get it from the printer. Then, when — to their surprise — it hasn’t printed yet, they will lean and talk at the nearest pair of working ears.
January 4th, 2008 at 8:20 am
My favourite over the office dividers is the Jack-in-the-Box : You stand up, the person you’re looking for is on the phone, so you sit back down.
A few minutes later from somewhere in the office you hear the clunk of a phone handset being put back down, so you stand up - but oops, nope they are still on the phone, so sit back down.
Rinse and repeat.
January 4th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I hear James isn’t in an orifice this summer…
Where Could He Be?
January 4th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
hehe Gem…. I can just imagine you doing that…
The thought is hilarious, could probably almost get a whack-a-mole style game going on….
Every hour or something someone takes a turn to swing some great big giant soft hammer-like device, and every time Gem or some other office hooligan bobs their head over the divider, they are fair game for a bop on the head
Said great big giant soft hammer-like device could also be used to take out Will’s frustrations on the water-cooler gossiping crowd with a swift thud to the side of the head every time they let their mouth get away from them
You know its a great idea
January 5th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Can you pick out the stereotypes, as featured on The Office?
January 6th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Pete, I like the whack-a-mole idea… could definitely spice up the workplace! Plus it would be a good way to relieve stress as well! Are these soft hammer-like devices available anywhere? Maybe we should go into business making them!
Mike: Even though I do have a similar number of people, I don’t have all the stereotypes that The Office has. I don’t even have a David Brent-esque character, more’s the pity eh? I assume you were talking about the original and good British version, as opposed to the American version.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Well I was talking about the Brittish one, but let me for a moment defend the American one…
Contrary to popular opinion, it is not terrible. True the first season of the American Office was terrible, I straight rip-off of the first two seasons of the Brittish one. But stick with it, the second and third series are excellent. Truly great sitcom stuff.
Now it’s not like the British one, as Americans can’t do Brittish humour. It comes into it’s own, goes it’s own direction, and is brilliant television. Unfortunately the first series turned many people off, but it really is terrific in those second and third seasons. Don’t watch it expecting it to be like the British or a continuation of that as it’s not. It’s its own show. Well worth watching. Great stories, fantastic characters.
Michael Scott is not David Brent, he’s Michael Scott. Dwight is not Gareth, he’s Dwight. And they’re great characters.
Anyway, that’s my rant….
January 8th, 2008 at 5:57 am
Hehehe whack-a-mole Pete ?
January 8th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Wow mike, you need to get out more… But fair enough, it seems I judged it prematurely. If I get the time I’ll have to give the second and third seasons a go.
Insightful comment as always GeM.
January 8th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
*raspberry*
January 10th, 2008 at 12:16 am
yes GeM… whack a mole… like you, stand… and then WHACK!!
January 10th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Yeah. It would be great. There’d have to be sound effects too. Just to add that extra something.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Busted!
But oh so true.