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  3. Noisy Work Environments?

Noisy Work Environments?

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  • F Offline
    F Offline
    FredWi
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

    Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK J H V C 27 Replies Last reply
    0
    • F FredWi

      Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

      Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
      Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
      Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      we have to separate parts in our office. One for the QA and support team and the other for developers. The people from the QA call our rooms the 'monastery'... I never see normal development places that where noisy. It seems to me too much...

      I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is (V).

      "It never ceases to amaze me that a spacecraft launched in 1977 can be fixed remotely from Earth." ― Brian Cox

      M 1 Reply Last reply
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      • F FredWi

        Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

        J Offline
        J Offline
        Johnny J
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Unfortunately it IS normal (at least in my part of the world. I hate having to share office with the other developers, because they all have their irritating behaviours; tapping fingers, listening to music, talking on the phone, moaning and groaning (yes, I have a collegue like that X| ), irritating ring signals and signals signalling incoming email going off every 30 seconds. Some people don't care, but I agree with you. I can't work in a noisy environment either. I would prefer a private office so I can surf pr0n work in peace. But in a company with a sizeable amount of developers, I guees that is too costly... :sigh:

        Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
        Anonymous
        -----
        Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience
        Greg King
        -----
        I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.
        Lily Tomlin, Actress

        S S 2 Replies Last reply
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        • F FredWi

          Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

          H Offline
          H Offline
          hairy_hats
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          I currently have three people engaged in a semi-shouted Facetime conversation just over the partition wall. I might as well sit back and relax until they have stopped because of all the distraction it causes... :rolleyes:

          Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • F FredWi

            Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

            V Offline
            V Offline
            vonb
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Well, I am here on one floor with ca. 100 colleagues (no cubicles). After 6 years got used to the noise.. The cellphone stuff is disturbing..

            The signature is in building process.. Please wait...

            W 1 Reply Last reply
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            • F FredWi

              Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

              C Offline
              C Offline
              Chris Losinger
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              three words: noise-cancelling headphones it's mostly quiet where i work, but there are times when conversations can get loud. but, the earbuds take care of things nicely.

              image processing toolkits | batch image processing

              G F 2 Replies Last reply
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              • F FredWi

                Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                T Offline
                T Offline
                Tim Carmichael
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                Noise distraction is relative. i grew up in a family with 9 children; I learned to be alone in a room full of people. It doesn't bother me to have others making noise around me. Also, I lived next to an airbase where jets were scrambled all times of the day and night over our house. We learned to ignore it. So, in that light, do you like your job enough to learn to ignore the noise or are you going to change positions? Tim

                L S 2 Replies Last reply
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                • H hairy_hats

                  I currently have three people engaged in a semi-shouted Facetime conversation just over the partition wall. I might as well sit back and relax until they have stopped because of all the distraction it causes... :rolleyes:

                  Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
                  Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
                  Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Last summer the office next to ours decided to renovate. For a month I worked from home, only came to important meetings a few times...

                  I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is (V).

                  "It never ceases to amaze me that a spacecraft launched in 1977 can be fixed remotely from Earth." ― Brian Cox

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • F FredWi

                    Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                    S Offline
                    S Offline
                    S Houghtelin
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    FredWi wrote:

                    How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment?

                    You did talk to your manager about this, right?

                    FredWi wrote:

                    Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity?

                    They all do, it's just that not all of them do it correctly.

                    FredWi wrote:

                    Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                    Or maybe you’re in the wrong line of work. You could try contracting from home or look for smaller companies. Sure they may not pay as well but I'd rather maintain my sanity and get paid less than be stressed and hate my job to get a higher salary. Sure, you're always going to have the incessant yappers, insensitive boors but they are like dog bombs on the lawn, sometimes you step in it but you learn to look for and avoid the bombs. I wear headphones sometimes, I've also learned to deal with the nuisance when it happens. If it gets bad I take a break and walk away for a few minutes.

                    It was broke, so I fixed it.

                    H M 2 Replies Last reply
                    0
                    • F FredWi

                      Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                      S Offline
                      S Offline
                      SkysTheLimit
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      At my company they are very conscious of how distracting a noisy environment is. They strive to maintain an atmosphere conducive to concentration. I was even once frowned upon for taking a stroll down a passage that I could have avoided :sigh: But I must admit that I can get a lot more done (without as many mistakes) in a quiet environment. Either that or get to have a nice long uninterrupted sleep ;)

                      1 Reply Last reply
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                      • C Chris Losinger

                        three words: noise-cancelling headphones it's mostly quiet where i work, but there are times when conversations can get loud. but, the earbuds take care of things nicely.

                        image processing toolkits | batch image processing

                        G Offline
                        G Offline
                        GuyThiebaut
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        What would you recommend with regards to noise cancelling headphones?

                        “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                        ― Christopher Hitchens

                        C K S 3 Replies Last reply
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                        • S S Houghtelin

                          FredWi wrote:

                          How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment?

                          You did talk to your manager about this, right?

                          FredWi wrote:

                          Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity?

                          They all do, it's just that not all of them do it correctly.

                          FredWi wrote:

                          Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                          Or maybe you’re in the wrong line of work. You could try contracting from home or look for smaller companies. Sure they may not pay as well but I'd rather maintain my sanity and get paid less than be stressed and hate my job to get a higher salary. Sure, you're always going to have the incessant yappers, insensitive boors but they are like dog bombs on the lawn, sometimes you step in it but you learn to look for and avoid the bombs. I wear headphones sometimes, I've also learned to deal with the nuisance when it happens. If it gets bad I take a break and walk away for a few minutes.

                          It was broke, so I fixed it.

                          H Offline
                          H Offline
                          hairy_hats
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          S Houghtelin wrote:

                          look for smaller companies

                          There's no guarantee that a small company will provide a quiet work environment...sadly.

                          S 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • G GuyThiebaut

                            What would you recommend with regards to noise cancelling headphones?

                            “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                            ― Christopher Hitchens

                            C Offline
                            C Offline
                            Chris Losinger
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            it's really hard to say. i had good luck with Shure for many many years. but their current models just don't fit my ears correctly (and actually hurt). so now i'm using some from Klipsh, which feel better but don't sound quite as good as the Shures (though they were 1/2 the price). i try not to spend more than $100 on a pair. buy some and try them. you can usually return them if they suck.

                            image processing toolkits | batch image processing

                            1 Reply Last reply
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                            • G GuyThiebaut

                              What would you recommend with regards to noise cancelling headphones?

                              “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                              ― Christopher Hitchens

                              K Offline
                              K Offline
                              kmoorevs
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              They are pricey, but I got the Bose QC15s last year and highly recommend them. You realize they work as soon as you flip the switch. The only problem with them is that I don't always hear my deskphone or cell phone ring with music playing. I suppose you could use them only for the noise cancelling feature without music.

                              "Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • T Tim Carmichael

                                Noise distraction is relative. i grew up in a family with 9 children; I learned to be alone in a room full of people. It doesn't bother me to have others making noise around me. Also, I lived next to an airbase where jets were scrambled all times of the day and night over our house. We learned to ignore it. So, in that light, do you like your job enough to learn to ignore the noise or are you going to change positions? Tim

                                L Offline
                                L Offline
                                Lost User
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                Tim Carmichael wrote:

                                So, in that light, do you like your job enough to learn to ignore the noise or are you going to change positions?

                                Normal people do not ignore sound, due to evolution. People ignoring the sound of a lion (or the fire alarm) are less prone to survive and reproduce. ..I live in a cold and wet place. Turn your heating down and learn to code at the same temperature as your fridge. Some type o' problem, same solution.

                                Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

                                S 1 Reply Last reply
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                                • F FredWi

                                  Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                                  S Offline
                                  S Offline
                                  Simon_Whale
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  I think you need to find ways to remove the distraction. For me I either turn my hearing aid off or put headphones on and listen to music on a low volume.

                                  Every day, thousands of innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help end the violence EAT BACON

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • F FredWi

                                    Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                                    S Offline
                                    S Offline
                                    Shelby Robertson
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    We are moving from offices to a noisy mess. Because of collaberation being cheap and needing more space.

                                    CPallini wrote:

                                    You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him. :Smile:

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                                    • H hairy_hats

                                      S Houghtelin wrote:

                                      look for smaller companies

                                      There's no guarantee that a small company will provide a quiet work environment...sadly.

                                      S Offline
                                      S Offline
                                      S Houghtelin
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      Smaller companies sometimes will let you work from home if you can show that they will save money by letting you do so. Also managers are generally more accessable than at the large cube farms. Not all small companies are ideal work places, I've been there. I've also worked at the multi-nationals as well, "We're sorry, manager X is not available as they are overseas right now..." and the "...our policy does not allow for insert request here. Now get on with your work" The company I'm at now is a privately held compaany of about 200 employees. It doen't pay the best but the environment and my job satisfaction far outweigh the 4-5 grand extra I could make.

                                      It was broke, so I fixed it.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • F FredWi

                                        Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                                        0 Offline
                                        0 Offline
                                        0bx
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        We recently moved our office into a co-working space with a advertising company, which isn't the most 'developer friendly' environment but it could be worse. Using closed headphones, work well and if that's not enough you can try active noise cancelling; but that's not ideal if you have to take phone calls (but then again, if you have to take a lot of calls you can't achieve deep concentration anyway). Dealing with noisy environments is not really the main problem; if you're in a mixed work environment it can be difficult to explain to other people why 'you' need headphones. Depends on the company culture.

                                        .

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                                        • F FredWi

                                          Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment? Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?

                                          R Offline
                                          R Offline
                                          Roger Wright
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          It's been a long time since I worked as a developer, but I've seen both noisy and quiet environments, even working for a single company. At General Dynamics, for instance, I spent a few years working in a trailer with semi-private cubicles for us. The a shift in priorities moved us to the factory floor, where we worked 20' from CNC mills and lathes, and we had to wipe machine tool oil off our CRT screens in the morning. Overall, I think the trailer was more productive, but not because it was quieter. Some of those machine tool operators had magnificent mammary protuberances and a proclivity for flirting with the highly paid professionals in suits. Some would find that distracting... :rolleyes:

                                          Will Rogers never met me.

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