
CDC Suggests Avoiding Open Plan Offices - mrbbk
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/health/coronavirus-workplace-cdc.html
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making_things
I think open plan offices started to become a thing in the late 90's just
before the first dotcom crash. At least that was the first time I encountered
the concept codified into a formal term that everyone was throwing around.
That, and "management by walking around" (which i think was the pre-cursor to
"stand up meetings".) Anyway, I hated the open-office concept then and I still
hate it now. Its noisy, distracting, invasive...it really made me miss
cubicles. I can't believe it took a worldwide pandemic to get people to
reconsider them...

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techer
I visited banks in the late 80s early 90s and the open office was already
going. Wasn’t a trading floor but they did need to get info from each other.

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blendo
Over the last 3 months I’ve come to believe increasing human urban density is
correlated with increasing viral illness. Over the next tens and hundreds of
years, this bodes poorly for the viability of Tokyo/New York/Mumbai/Seoul and
others.

I’ll offer that only Tokyo may yet survive another couple of hundred years of
widespread, infective zoonotic diseases, as Japan’s astonishingly low
fertility rate might halve or quarter their population by the year 2200.

Curious what others think about long term population trends vis a vis human
health?

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throwawaysea
This is purely my personal opinion, but I’m not sure if one pandemic in 100
years will be enough to influence population trends. But I think if this
happens again, definitely.

I also wanted to add that human health comes in many dimensions. Having lived
for years in a mega city, it’s clear to me that it is bad for my mental and
physical health. There is something spiritually and mentally freeing about
lower density cities and the balance they strike. They also encourage you to
experience the outdoors more. The character of smaller cities - like open air,
outside the shadows of high rises or even mid rises, with ample green spaces,
private homes with backyards, etc. are a massive boon to overall health.

I view overurbanization as a fad that we will ultimately pull back from as we
return to seek the basics and a connection to a simpler existence. Or maybe
that’s just my hope.

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runawaybottle
One can dream.

I never understood why cubicles took on a bad rap. Who doesn’t like their own
room? It’s your own room in the office.

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mc32
I don’t know how the “hip” companies foisted this idea so successfully upon
their workers. Maybe they took advantage of their naïveté and their tendency
for group behavior. But man oh man, did they ever pull a fast one on them. I
mean in the late aughts people dreamt of massive interconnected organic open
offices where they and their bosses shared equal space (and pretend flat
orgs).... ha!

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nightowl_games
The bosses didn't sell it and the workers didn't buy it. There was no
discussion nor choice. It just happened because it was cheaper. It happened
because startup culture couldn't afford it and startup culture is worshipped.

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finphil
Good read. I also believe sanitation companies will continue to be in demand
in foreseeable future.

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technofiend
Although my company is doing right by IT workers and actually requiring
everyone to work from home I'm skeptical this will result in any real change
when we do return to the office. Honestly WeWork is staring to look appealing
if I want a lockable office instead of a cube.

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mixonEPA
The only issue that you comes to mind when it comes to renting out a WeWork is
the cleanliness of the room since it will be in constant rotation of people
throughout the day..

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leonroy
WeWork do private glass cubicles - they get thoroughly cleaned daily.

I had one for a few years, it certainly has a door but the walls are made of
lots of glass panes with nothing to seal the gaps - so you see and hear
everything your neighbours and the occupants of the hallway are doing.

Since most folk take their calls in the corridors they're not actually that
great if peace and quiet is what you're after. Here's an example:
[https://i.imgur.com/Iuj1mo9.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/Iuj1mo9.jpg)

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technofiend
Oh well that's disappointing. Thanks for the heads up.

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Awelton
I used to hate open plan offices. I still do, but now a have a citable excuse.

