Open Offices Are Factory Farms
And they aren’t going away anytime soon
Before I got into tech as a career, I got a degree in agricultural economics. I mainly specialized in “niche” agriculture: small farms, organic, farmer’s markets, and community supported agriculture programs. As an idealistic 20 year old, I hoped we’d move more towards these as a way to feed America, for the sake of people, the environment, and animals. A decade later, these are still niche. “Factory” farms are still the majority share of American agriculture. I expect open offices to remain the dominant office type for the same reasons.
Get together any group of tech workers and it’s almost certain you’ll find an open office hater. There has been plenty written about why they suck, just like there has been plenty written about why stuffing thousands of chickens into a tiny barn is bad. But here we are. The downsides simply aren’t enough to out-compete the economic benefits of fitting lots of animals or people in a tiny crowded space.
Sure, some people might suffer, but some most people at least do OK. And the industry is happy to leave the sufferers in the dust. I am one of them — I have chronic migraines, so an open office is just about designed to torment me. I am thinking of leaving tech entirely just to get away from them.
So you want a job that doesn’t subject you to this? Get in line, you’re competing with a lot of other people. Some of them suffer from disorders that the open office exacerbates, others just don’t do well in them. The competition for non-open office jobs and remote jobs is intense. Non open-offices are more expensive. Remote jobs require sea changes in office management that most companies suck at.
Non open-offices are more expensive, but most tech companies could afford it. But give workers better conditions and cut into profits? Most won’t.
And yes, there are better open offices out there. There are the boiler room types where you barely even get elbow room, and there are the ones with ample private quiet spaces. I guess these are the equivalent of the “free range” chickens that have a tiny door to the outside and a tiny lawn but still mostly live in crowded conditions. Farmers do this because it’s profitable, it also allows them more control over their chickens. A lot of them even claim the chickens like it better.
Know what sucks? Having worse working conditions as your career “advances.” I could fit four of the desks I was given as a senior dev into the cubicle I had as a junior dev a decade ago. Yeah, that’s with room for chairs. And it’s pretty luxury compared to some open offices where people don’t even get desks. For me as an introvert, most open office setups provide me all the negatives and none of the positives from being around other people. I felt constantly interrupted but also socially isolated. People ate lunch at their desks with their headphones on.
You can have positive social interactions without open offices. You can have lunch together. You can have a coffee space. You do not need an open office for that.
It’s also a problem that goes beyond the tech industry. I know copywriters and other workers who work in open offices. I’m not sure what the answer is, but I think some of it may unfortunately lie in lawsuits. Aren’t open offices discrimination against people with many disabilities? I’ve also heard my share of private info that I shouldn’t have heard. That’s inevitable when the head factory farmers think even HR should be relegated to a desk on the floor and there aren’t enough meeting rooms.
Also anything that improves worker rights, including unions, could make a difference. I know a significant number of tech workers think they’re treated well and unions are bad, but they’re ignoring that things are getting worse. Yes, this is a factory farm situation, but unlike chickens, we can speak up and fight against it.
