CEO has the same desk as everybody else. But we also know to never book a certain conference room where he hangs out all day.
That's me. See the image below. Since I am almost always away from my desk, this is how I remind everyone / greet everyone.
http://imgur.com/a/4GzPl (redacted my cell #)
EDIT: I experimented with the (almost universally approved of) ATH-M50Xs but found I had to use a much louder volume to cancel out the noise, which causing ringing, so using NC is pretty much saving my hearing. Not sure how I could work here without them.
Where did you get your statistics on that one?
Edit: Then again, I was pulling a lot of engineering weight and was the one with headphones on all day...
what? headphones = NOT NOW! if you need something, email
The whole point of headphones is to not be disturbed. How does that indicate to you that i want you to suddenly disturb me by touching me unexpectedly.
I think the more open the place, the better. We are social animals. If people choose solitude, it's likely for wrong reasons. (Not saying that there aren't ever reasons for that, (almost) everybody needs some privacy every now and then.)
But yeah, all people must also think of others, people who don't do that are likely making work a bad experience.
Can you imagine paying everyone in San Francisco enough salary so they can afford a 2nd bedroom? Don't be silly.
And yes, working from home without a home office with a door is not the same as having a private office. People have roommates and kids and spouses and all sorts of things that are even worse than coworkers when it comes to focus.
Social is a big spectrum. Keep to your end of it and there won't be any problem.
Also, often the problem I'm working on requires focus. For example, how much talking has occurred during ANY math test you have ever taken?
This test was oral by the way, but took about an hour (or more?), professor and protocol person. Sure there was writing but also a lot of talking.
I think constraining our industry on solitude is also a reason for the low diversity.
* Desk area is for getting work done. Everyone agrees on this.
* We have "phone rooms" for small discussions. But we limit those usually to 1:1s or discussing office politics.
* Try to limit all discussions at the desk area to 5 people or less.
* If someone sighs loudly as they put on their headphones when you're having a discussion right behind them, then that is their signal to you to keep talking loudly, as their noise-canceling headphones will eliminate any trace of your conversation.
* You can usually carry a conversation at your desk at any volume, because other engineers will let you know if you're being too loud. Engineers tend to be extroverted and won't hesitate to let you know if you're bothering them.
* When someone first sits at their desk, it's polite to immediately engage them in a 30-minute conversation about their weekend or what they did last night. It eases their transition into work.
* A person working without headphones on, signifies that it's ok to tap them on the shoulder to ask them a question.
* A person working WITH headphones on, signifies that it's ok to tap them on the shoulder to ask them a question.
* If someone usually works off in quiet parts of the building, one should always remind them "you're never at your desk" with an accusatory tone.