Ask HN: Office decision-makers: Why did you chose open space?

4 pointsjosh_fyi1 comment

I'd like answers from the actual decision-makers. Why did you do it, knowing that employee compensation costs far exceed real estate costs, and open-space reduces productivity?

(I'd prefer not to hear from those who suffer from the open-space here, but rather from those who chose it, or who have reliable, direct reports.)

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I was involved in such a decision a few years ago:- We wanted to put up partitions to give team members some privacy and to reduce noise levels, but the building in question relied on natural ventilation rather than A/C, so we couldn't do anything that would obstruct airflow.

There are usually significant considerations in play other than just cost and productivity.

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