Noisy Work Environments?
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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?
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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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?
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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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?
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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?
You'd never last in my field... Try reprogramming a PLC on the drill floor of a floating oil rig while you have an OIM and company man breathing down your neck about rig downtime, with welding going on 3 feet from you. Or try going out in the desert to service a solar power station with temperatures at 100+ in blinding light. Noise is a welcome background for me, I always know it could be worse :)
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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?
I went for an interview at a supposedly prestigious stock thingy kind of company in New York. The salary range indicated was impressively high and I had passed the telephone interviews with ease, apparently making them so excited to get me in such that the agent said the face to face interview was just a formality. All good so far, except for it being in downtown NY. I won't mention which company it was but one of the recent mayors of NY had the same name and it has it's own cable TV channel. I arrived there at a new, sparkly glass and steel, modern looking building that they said was "purpose built". It was very open and airy, full of escalators, looking more like a shopping mall than an office complex. There were TV screens of all sizes all over the place showing stock info, trend graphs and the latest news, etc. It was full of people going somewhere; hustle & bustle as New Yorkers think only they know how. I was shown into a conference room for the interview - nothing but solid glass walls all around and very expensive designer office chairs. I was to meet with some techie/manager type, get a tour of the developer's area and then meet with the big bosses for the "sign-off" interview. The techie thing went very well although when I asked how the environment was for programmers he was reluctant to talk about it and said I will see on the tour. Then the tour... Apparently programmers need to work in brightly lit, noisy, glass-walled rooms full of large TVs showing stock prices and news, etc. mounted high around the walls. The desks were arranged in long rows side by side (no gaps), each row facing another similar row with the backs of the screen almost touching behind each desk was another desk just two chair widths away facing the other way except for those lucky enough to be up against the glass walls where there was a walkway all around. Each developer, analyst, project manager, whatever, got a desk space 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep with just enough space for a keyboard & mouse, two 20" screens and a telephone. Outside windows were frosted, so no distracting views of the city. There must have been at least 40 people in this one office, all heads down; it reminded me of a scene from the movie 1984 but with more chrome, glass and flashing colours. Everyone looked miserable and didn't make eye contact. I didn't say a word but looked at the techie who just shrugged and looked at the floor mumbling something about it's the same space as "the traders" get. I don't remember the "sign-off" i
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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?
Under normal circumstances, my work environment is pretty quiet - I might put some music on, but generally don't. When Herself gets home though, that all changes with the TV on, and her swearing at whatever miscreant NCSI/CSI/ER has dug up today. Then I climb under headphones and put "neutral" music on to take the edge off it. I've worked in silent-cubicles-but-for-keyboard-clatter - bad, Radio One - very very bad, Music Wars (separate offices with separate boom boxes and different tastes) - bad, classical-music-and-opera - fine until the fat lady sings, and definitely prefer peace and quiet!
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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?
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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.
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Headphones work for some distractions. However, lots of traffic and people with loud voices aren't fixed by headphones, unfortunately. :(
there's always annoyed coughing and anonymous nasty notes !
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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...
Cell phone noise problems? Easy fix! Just join in the conversation, ask to have them repeat what they said, or chime in with advice. They might not stop their jabber, but in they will (at least) avoid your vicinity.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
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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
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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience
Greg King
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I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.
Lily Tomlin, ActressI agree that those things can be annoying, but if that is all you have, then elephant off consider yourself blessed. ;P After 10 years of having my own, private office and working from home a lot, I am now with a new company and sitting in a SW engineering 'hall'. 30 developers in the same room with a mix of open landscape separated into three areas by normal height cubicle walls. My desk is next to a small kitchen with a cappuccino maker that sounds like it should be strapped to the wing of a Jumbo Jet. :sigh: Most of the noise actually come from that little kitchen. Apparently when people are in there laughing and chatting, they think there is an invisible, sound proof cocoon around them. :^) I am trying to adjust, but it is difficult after so many years. Soren
"When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty
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I went for an interview at a supposedly prestigious stock thingy kind of company in New York. The salary range indicated was impressively high and I had passed the telephone interviews with ease, apparently making them so excited to get me in such that the agent said the face to face interview was just a formality. All good so far, except for it being in downtown NY. I won't mention which company it was but one of the recent mayors of NY had the same name and it has it's own cable TV channel. I arrived there at a new, sparkly glass and steel, modern looking building that they said was "purpose built". It was very open and airy, full of escalators, looking more like a shopping mall than an office complex. There were TV screens of all sizes all over the place showing stock info, trend graphs and the latest news, etc. It was full of people going somewhere; hustle & bustle as New Yorkers think only they know how. I was shown into a conference room for the interview - nothing but solid glass walls all around and very expensive designer office chairs. I was to meet with some techie/manager type, get a tour of the developer's area and then meet with the big bosses for the "sign-off" interview. The techie thing went very well although when I asked how the environment was for programmers he was reluctant to talk about it and said I will see on the tour. Then the tour... Apparently programmers need to work in brightly lit, noisy, glass-walled rooms full of large TVs showing stock prices and news, etc. mounted high around the walls. The desks were arranged in long rows side by side (no gaps), each row facing another similar row with the backs of the screen almost touching behind each desk was another desk just two chair widths away facing the other way except for those lucky enough to be up against the glass walls where there was a walkway all around. Each developer, analyst, project manager, whatever, got a desk space 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep with just enough space for a keyboard & mouse, two 20" screens and a telephone. Outside windows were frosted, so no distracting views of the city. There must have been at least 40 people in this one office, all heads down; it reminded me of a scene from the movie 1984 but with more chrome, glass and flashing colours. Everyone looked miserable and didn't make eye contact. I didn't say a word but looked at the techie who just shrugged and looked at the floor mumbling something about it's the same space as "the traders" get. I don't remember the "sign-off" i
Wow. I would have turned that down as well, unless the alternative was selling hotdogs at the stand outside the building. :cool: Rejecting the offer by asking for 50% more was pretty awesome. :thumbsup: Soren Madsen
"When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty
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Cell phone noise problems? Easy fix! Just join in the conversation, ask to have them repeat what they said, or chime in with advice. They might not stop their jabber, but in they will (at least) avoid your vicinity.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
Or as an alternative, have a massive chilli con carne, allow to process, then stand close by and let rip a massive fart at an appropriate moment....
If your neighbours don't listen to The Ramones, turn it up real loud so they can. “We didn't have a positive song until we wrote 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue!'” ― Dee Dee Ramone "The Democrats want my guns and the Republicans want my porno mags and I ain't giving up either" - Joey Ramone
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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.
S Houghtelin wrote:
Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity?
S Houghtelin wrote:
They all do, it's just that not all of them do it correctly.
No, they all DEMAND productivity. Encouraging you to be productive is an entirely different thing.
If your neighbours don't listen to The Ramones, turn it up real loud so they can. “We didn't have a positive song until we wrote 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue!'” ― Dee Dee Ramone "The Democrats want my guns and the Republicans want my porno mags and I ain't giving up either" - Joey Ramone
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Wow. I would have turned that down as well, unless the alternative was selling hotdogs at the stand outside the building. :cool: Rejecting the offer by asking for 50% more was pretty awesome. :thumbsup: Soren Madsen
"When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty
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I went for an interview at a supposedly prestigious stock thingy kind of company in New York. The salary range indicated was impressively high and I had passed the telephone interviews with ease, apparently making them so excited to get me in such that the agent said the face to face interview was just a formality. All good so far, except for it being in downtown NY. I won't mention which company it was but one of the recent mayors of NY had the same name and it has it's own cable TV channel. I arrived there at a new, sparkly glass and steel, modern looking building that they said was "purpose built". It was very open and airy, full of escalators, looking more like a shopping mall than an office complex. There were TV screens of all sizes all over the place showing stock info, trend graphs and the latest news, etc. It was full of people going somewhere; hustle & bustle as New Yorkers think only they know how. I was shown into a conference room for the interview - nothing but solid glass walls all around and very expensive designer office chairs. I was to meet with some techie/manager type, get a tour of the developer's area and then meet with the big bosses for the "sign-off" interview. The techie thing went very well although when I asked how the environment was for programmers he was reluctant to talk about it and said I will see on the tour. Then the tour... Apparently programmers need to work in brightly lit, noisy, glass-walled rooms full of large TVs showing stock prices and news, etc. mounted high around the walls. The desks were arranged in long rows side by side (no gaps), each row facing another similar row with the backs of the screen almost touching behind each desk was another desk just two chair widths away facing the other way except for those lucky enough to be up against the glass walls where there was a walkway all around. Each developer, analyst, project manager, whatever, got a desk space 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep with just enough space for a keyboard & mouse, two 20" screens and a telephone. Outside windows were frosted, so no distracting views of the city. There must have been at least 40 people in this one office, all heads down; it reminded me of a scene from the movie 1984 but with more chrome, glass and flashing colours. Everyone looked miserable and didn't make eye contact. I didn't say a word but looked at the techie who just shrugged and looked at the floor mumbling something about it's the same space as "the traders" get. I don't remember the "sign-off" i
And if they'd agreed to the 50%?
If your neighbours don't listen to The Ramones, turn it up real loud so they can. “We didn't have a positive song until we wrote 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue!'” ― Dee Dee Ramone "The Democrats want my guns and the Republicans want my porno mags and I ain't giving up either" - Joey Ramone
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And if they'd agreed to the 50%?
If your neighbours don't listen to The Ramones, turn it up real loud so they can. “We didn't have a positive song until we wrote 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue!'” ― Dee Dee Ramone "The Democrats want my guns and the Republicans want my porno mags and I ain't giving up either" - Joey Ramone
I hate to think what I would have done. I said the 50% as a joke - I didn't realize the agent would run off and put it forward seriously, she must have been desperate not to lose the commission. I was amazed that they actually came back with a 33% increase! It makes me wonder how bad it could be working there that they thought this was justified.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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I agree that those things can be annoying, but if that is all you have, then elephant off consider yourself blessed. ;P After 10 years of having my own, private office and working from home a lot, I am now with a new company and sitting in a SW engineering 'hall'. 30 developers in the same room with a mix of open landscape separated into three areas by normal height cubicle walls. My desk is next to a small kitchen with a cappuccino maker that sounds like it should be strapped to the wing of a Jumbo Jet. :sigh: Most of the noise actually come from that little kitchen. Apparently when people are in there laughing and chatting, they think there is an invisible, sound proof cocoon around them. :^) I am trying to adjust, but it is difficult after so many years. Soren
"When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty
That explains your CP Username... :laugh:
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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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 -
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, ActressAnd swearing. Don't forget swearing.(You DO use Microsoft right?)
