Bring back private offices
Calls to “bring back private offices” have reopened debates about how knowledge workers should work: alone at home, in quiet enclosed offices, or in noisy open-plan spaces. Many contributors argue that open offices undermine focus, exclude people with sensory sensitivities, and mainly serve cost-cutting or managerial status, while remote work or private rooms better support deep work and health—though some miss informal in‑person collaboration and city life. Overall, preferences are highly situational, but there’s broad skepticism that traditional private offices will return at scale, and strong support for remote or flexible setups that let individuals choose their environment.
WFH vs. Office Preferences
- Many participants say they now strongly prefer permanent WFH and would need very strong incentives to return.
- Others enjoy going to an office but want it to be optional and well-designed (private offices, good spaces, no pointless mandates).
- Several argue the core issue is not layout but giving people choice and trusting them to manage themselves.
Private Offices vs. Open Plan
- Private offices (or small shared offices) are widely described as the most productive and pleasant: quiet, customizable, good for deep work, but still allowing ad‑hoc collaboration.
- Open-plan offices are called noisy, distracting, and “torture” for many, especially as people age or have sensory sensitivities.
- High‑walled cubicles are seen as clearly better than open plan but still inferior to true private offices.
Cost, Space, and Geography
- Some say WFH is financially superior: saved commuting costs, fewer cars, and the option to live outside expensive cores.
- Others note that in high‑rent cities, upgrading to a larger apartment for dual home offices can be very expensive.
- Debate over cities vs suburbs vs small towns: cities praised for amenities and walkability; suburbs criticized as isolating; small towns described as viable if they have good connectivity and basic services.
Productivity, Focus, and Neurodiversity
- Many describe needing noise‑cancelling headphones, white/brown noise, or music to survive open offices; some still cannot filter chewing, chatter, or random noises (often linked to misophonia, ADHD, autism).
- People report vastly higher output in quiet environments (home or private offices) and note that “serendipitous” interruptions often just destroy focus.
Collaboration, Culture, and Management Motives
- Some recall great office cultures with “caves and commons” layouts and frequent in‑person whiteboarding.
- Others say modern open offices plus heavy PM/manager layers turn collaboration into politics and performance theater.
- Several argue RTO and open plans are driven more by real‑estate, status, and control than by productivity.
Health and Safety
- COVID risk is cited as a major ongoing reason to avoid offices; others downplay it as similar to flu, leading to conflict.
Alternative Models and Experiments
- Ideas mentioned: 24/7 or “night owl” coworking spaces, quiet vs loud rooms, reservable private “pods,” and simply using home as one’s private office.