Disturbing Office Trend

[Mattymatt]

I caught this on CNN.com and it absolutely pissed me off: http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/07/living/cnn10-better-by-design/index.html?frame=1&hpt=hp_c2. Apparently, workplaces are moving more towards "open, collaborative" work environments. Whoever came up with this idea is a moron! If I had to work in this open environment, I would probably and absolutely meltdown. This is neither aspie friendly nor disability friendly. At least, you have some VERY small amount of private space in a cube. This takes any privacy retreat and shreds it - I thought workplaces were supposedly moving towards more disability friendly policies. Who even says collaboration produces better results? In my opinion, too much of it stymies the whole process and slows it down. Ever try to force consensus on disagreeing people?

 

[King_Oni]

The rise of these kind of environments back in college and university already caused me to drop out.

I'm really not someone for open collaborative environments or teamwork. It's not that I wouldn't want to give it a try, but as with any job, you will be up for review and failing to perform will cause problems. That's my main issue I have. I can't function optimal in these settings.. meltdowns might be another one, though I rarely have those as such. I think I would worry more over not being able to deliver a certain quality (most likely a quality someone hires me for in the first place).

It's interesting though, there are a lot of things they try on a workplace and some, even while the alternative has proven to be more productive, just don't implement well. Whereas others... employees remain ignorant over it. I remember something about working less hours a day and that actually boosted productivity in offices, yet this hasn't been implemented everywhere either. Sometimes I think the people who think up these things live within a very conservative mind

 

[Mattymatt]

Yes, unfortunately for the conservative minds. There are studies that show that employees who work from home are happier, more productive, and are more likely to stay. However, management is really stodgy and reluctant to allow it.

 

[Berianireth]

I sort of like the idea of collaborating with just a few people, like I do at my work usually. I would hate having regular office-wide collaboration meetings or anything along those lines because I can't stand being flooded with everyone's ideas at once. That would completely void my interests of meaning and fun and I'd never know when to say anything. I think I prefer a balance between working closely with a few people and sharing ideas and having my alone time and complete autonomy. It really seems like everyone should have it that way to me... I can't imagine NTs wanting to feel like part of a hive. People are too competitive to feel that way.

 

[Ereth]

Yes, unfortunately for the conservative minds. There are studies that show that employees who work from home are happier, more productive, and are more likely to stay. However, management is really stodgy and reluctant to allow it.

Which studies? I'd like to read them.

 

[Mattymatt]

I don't have them right handy, sorry.

 

[Rudy Schmidt]

I always hated this forced socialization, too. Schools are particularly bad for it. I was in a physics class last year that made me stand out like a sore thumb.

"State your name and your major!"

Everyone said their name, and they were all there as part of the Radiology program.Then it got to me. For one thing, I didn't HAVE a major, because I don't know what I want to do yet, so I was the only person who was there VOLUNTARILY. Then, just to make matters worse, I'm a Welshman who only moved to the US a few years ago, so as soon as I open my mouth, my accent makes me stand out even more.

Instant odd-one-out.

 

[Andrew206]

This would not be my ideal work environment. One where I can work alone would be.

 

[Judge]

I remember this coming up with management back in the mid 90s. It never materialized, and everyone remained in their cubes and management within their windowed offices. A silly idea...IMO whether one is Aspie or NT.

 

[2aspirin]

It failed in schools in the 70s. It will fail in many workplaces. Hate open work places. I have an office with a door I close at work.

Sometimes I just plain leave and work at home. If they decide that does not work for them, I guess they will tell me. But I am really productive. If they are looking for me, they call my phone. I just come and go. It probably bothers some people for weird rule-based reasons, that I do this. I finally told a colleague after 8 yrs that I am aspie and he was like "oh thank god you know." I have never told my direct boss but I am guessing it might be super obvious. Or maybe not if someone thinks of certain clichés of aspie, since some think it must come with extreme social awkwardness in every situation, when, in fact, I can handle myself very well (and with decent humor punchlines) too in many business settings or when public speaking. But let me near a "water cooler" discussion and people seem stunned by my failed contributions or over contributions.

 

[Anon88]

Omg just reading this practically gave me an anxiety attack. I have noticed though during several of the job interviews and tours I've taken of building this year that everyone seems to be moving towards Google-like open open environments which I hate I took a tour of Dropbox and I felt like I was at Google. The place I work at now is the same. Luckily I work graveyard when no one is around. At least my old job had cubicles. Better than no privacy at all.

I caught this on CNN.com and it absolutely pissed me off: http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/07/living/cnn10-better-by-design/index.html?frame=1&hpt=hp_c2. Apparently, workplaces are moving more towards "open, collaborative" work environments. Whoever came up with this idea is a moron! If I had to work in this open environment, I would probably and absolutely meltdown. This is neither aspie friendly nor disability friendly. At least, you have some VERY small amount of private space in a cube. This takes any privacy retreat and shreds it - I thought workplaces were supposedly moving towards more disability friendly policies. Who even says collaboration produces better results? In my opinion, too much of it stymies the whole process and slows it down. Ever try to force consensus on disagreeing people?

 

[Mattymatt]

Cubicles and this trend are exactly why I'm looking for a decent blue collar gig. I can stand it no more.

 

[Anon88]

That sucks. I've been through several classroom situations like that (high school and college) and I hate when the teachers and professors start doing the "stand up (or even sit down) and introduce yourself" crap. I know they think it helps us get to know each other but for some of us it's a nightmare. It's like hey I didn't take a shower this morning so you could make me sweat buckets by bringing my fears to the surface.

I always hated this forced socialization, too. Schools are particularly bad for it. I was in a physics class last year that made me stand out like a sore thumb.

"State your name and your major!"

Everyone said their name, and they were all there as part of the Radiology program.Then it got to me. For one thing, I didn't HAVE a major, because I don't know what I want to do yet, so I was the only person who was there VOLUNTARILY. Then, just to make matters worse, I'm a Welshman who only moved to the US a few years ago, so as soon as I open my mouth, my accent makes me stand out even more.

Instant odd-one-out.

 

[bentHnau]

That sucks. I've been through several classroom situations like that (high school and college) and I hate when the teachers and professors start doing the "stand up (or even sit down) and introduce yourself" crap.

The other students don't even necessarily care anyways. I certainly never cared what my classmates' names and majors were.

As a university senior, I tried to get out of the senior physics research presentation by taking a senior seminar in the arts and humanities department. First day there, first thing the professor had us do was go around the circle, say our names and describe something "beautiful" we'd seen that day. Barf. I braved my research presentation at the senior physics seminar and never went back to that nonsense.

 

[Judge]

When I look back on all those years working in those cube-laden offices....and even before cubicles. I honestly don't know how I did it. Oh yeah- the money. Survival. But I managed to keep my sanity despite the daily sensory overload.

Could I do it again? I'd rather not try thankyouverymuch!

 

[Ste11aeres]

As such a trend spreads and spreads, I am envisioning open-plan bathrooms.

(How would you like that, open-design proponents?)

 

[Sass]

Sometimes I think that if we don't like something, in terms of our working environment and productivity, as a group of people who are largely disposed to solitude as a preferable state (or at least solitude in our work), that maybe we should just mention that to our employers? I mean, not just one or two of us, but all of us. Seriously, I don't know that an article on CNN is anything to get really worried about, and there's never going to be an understanding of why unless we try to educate people. No-one is going to do it for us, no-one else is responsible for teaching people how to understand us, we have to do it ourselves. If it's true that 'if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person', the whole shebang can get confusing. I find it confusing, and I'm an aspie. Exactly which allowances should be made for us, and which ones should be made for other people? Super confusing.

 

[Structrix]

As such a trend spreads and spreads, I am envisioning open-plan bathrooms.

(How would you like that, open-design proponents?)

Stayed at a youth hostel once in Germany and the shower stalls were open i.e, there were no curtains. Naked women walking all around the bathroom. I was like

 

[bentHnau]

Sometimes I think that if we don't like something, in terms of our working environment and productivity, as a group of people who are largely disposed to solitude as a preferable state (or at least solitude in our work), that maybe we should just mention that to our employers? I mean, not just one or two of us, but all of us

I read the article's comments, in which a number of technically-minded people were similarly horrified by this idea. It was heartening to see that at least several somebodies out there understand that jobs that require a good deal of thinking must be done alone in a quiet room.

 

[Mattymatt]

This is a perfect case of Dilbert and the PHB syndrome, pointy-haired boss. Sometimes I wonder of management simply makes changes for the sake of the change and to justify their jobs. Management may shake things up to show the higher-ups that they are actually doing work.