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Comment by officelineback | Hacker News Reader

The thing is I like to get my workstation ergonomically perfect for my issues (I have back and shoulder issues) and using a generic table with no extra monitors for my quiet intense work sucks. It should be the other way around...everyone gets a private office, but has an option to join the fray in an open office area.

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If everyone had an open office, then very few would use the open space area. Also, providing offices for everyone is expensive, and it's harder to collect people sitting in different offices than it is when everyone's in an open space. I'm personally against everyone getting an office, but we'll agree to disagree :)

If everyone had an open office, then very few would use the open space area.

Assume you mean private office. Isn't that a pretty compelling argument that the majority don't see big advantages to open plan?

How expensive is it really? Maybe $15k to setup some walls? Let's sAy $30k as you will lose about 1/3rd the floor space.

That's a one time cost. Amortize that out over a 5 year office lease and it is peanuts compared to the productivity gains and lower turnover.

Also once you go with a private or semi private office you won't want to go back. Any employee from there interviewing at places with open offices will probably think how much they will hate it there.

I know the occasional person will pop up with the "I love hearing other people jibber jabber throughout the day!" But 9 out of 10 people I talk with would rather not.

I had this setup at my previous company and it was truly fantastic.

Are you allowed to name names?

I don't see why not: Silicon Labs in Austin. All of the company's office space isn't setup like this, but my floor was.

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