Places which have nothing but cubes and sealed-off workers do miss some of the "creative" or "interactive" benefits of open, collaborative workspaces.
At the same time, places that strictly "open"...do indeed inhibit certain types of focused work. Isolation definitely helps progress in particular problems. There are examples throughout this thread of that.
I think the best work environments/attitudes are those that encourage a blend: the last few companies I've worked at have had open, collaborative workspaces, but at the same time really encouraged folks to go find their own nook (in the building or somewhere else entirely) when they needed to focus. The concept of "desk hours" or "continuous availability" was basically nonexistent.
It's all about balance. If your workspace lacks that in any aspect, you'll have something to complain about.
Places which have nothing but cubes and sealed-off workers do miss some of the "creative" or "interactive" benefits of open, collaborative workspaces.
At the same time, places that strictly "open"...do indeed inhibit certain types of focused work. Isolation definitely helps progress in particular problems. There are examples throughout this thread of that.
I think the best work environments/attitudes are those that encourage a blend: the last few companies I've worked at have had open, collaborative workspaces, but at the same time really encouraged folks to go find their own nook (in the building or somewhere else entirely) when they needed to focus. The concept of "desk hours" or "continuous availability" was basically nonexistent.
It's all about balance. If your workspace lacks that in any aspect, you'll have something to complain about.