Working as a developer in an open plan office
For many, working in an open space is a great way to make communication within the team much easier. However, it is usually a real challenge for developers, making it almost impossible to concentrate on the work to be performed. In this article you will find out what this working concept includes and how you can deal with it better yourself.
Why do companies want open offices?
First and foremost, open plan offices represent significant savings for businesses. There are simply more desks in the open space than in separate rooms. This means companies can rent smaller offices and pay less for electricity and heating.
In addition, the organization of work and communication among employees should be made easier by setting up an open-plan office. Thanks to this working model, department heads also have a better overview of their employees.
Proponents of open plan offices stress that the closed office system leads to staff isolation and negative attitudes towards people from other rooms/offices. In open offices, such problems are less common and employees are easier to integrate.
If you sit in a room with many colleagues, you can learn more quickly how the department works, what problems they face and how they solve them. This work concept gives you the opportunity to learn new things faster and get all the help from colleagues in the office.
Why don't programmers like open space?
The most common arguments against open offices are noise and the lack of privacy. Distractions at work reduce efficiency, promote lack of focus, and increase fatigue. Many employees associate open offices with constant control and thus also with pressure and stress.
Conversations from colleagues, ringing phones, constant movement in the office - all of this naturally makes it difficult to concentrate and complete work tasks. This is particularly strenuous for programmers who have to concentrate a lot when working.
According to a study conducted by Game Developer Magazine in 2013, it takes a programmer 10 to 15 minutes to start editing the code after the break. 1) So if something distracts you and you lose the current "thread", you lose a lot of valuable time to get back to the task.
In addition, the developer's work requires strong left-brain involvement. This is responsible for both the recognition of numbers and the processing of sounds. So when you're in a room where people are constantly talking, it's hard to focus on the code and all the important details. Your distraction can lead to mistakes that cost you a lot of valuable time to fix.
How to deal with open space as a programmer?
If possible, you should try to work in such a way that the most difficult tasks are completed as soon as you arrive at the office. Experts claim that the first few hours are when we are least susceptible to distractions and any outside stimuli. Furthermore, it is generally easier for us to concentrate on our work in the first few hours.
Also, remember to take breaks to get fresh oxygen. Even a short "computer break" can improve your concentration.
Headphones can also be an advantage in open-plan offices. Listening to music at work can not only help you relax, it can also help you become more efficient. This way you won't be distracted by any noise coming from outside. Wearing headphones also discourages colleagues from speaking to you, which in turn makes it easier for you to meet deadlines.
But if you think music could distract you just as much, try something different, like Rainy Mood. The sounds of rain and stormy weather are simulated. "Natural Music" not only allows you to fully concentrate on the activity to be performed, but also has a calming and relaxing effect.
