Re: Cubicle Sweet Cubicle (was: Workplace Discrimination)

[Jim Grey <jimgrey -at- IQUEST -dot- NET>]

W. Michaels (wm -at- TELEPORT -dot- COM) and David Somers bantered about office space:
>>Of course, the other kind of discrimination is the workplace itself. I do
>>not work in open plan. Period. I've done it a few times, and never again...
>Ditto here!
>I have turned down jobs that sat me in the depths of cubicle hell.
>My new home office is quiet and only two cats distract me if I
>absent-mindedly leave the door open. I can't think in a noisy beige
>workspace.
>>Give me a nice office
>>with one or two other people, a fast 'puter, a nice non-click keyboard, the
>>hydroponic plant set, and a nearby caffeine source.
>My only alteration to the above Dream Job: add a door to that office
>to keep out hallway chat.

While I know exactly where you guys are coming from, I'd like to say: Man, I
WISH I could always be so choosy.

I left a job with a truly wonderful office.  I was its first occupant, so
everything was new and shiny.  It was huge.  The furniture, locally made,
was ergonomically correct.  I had complete privacy and plenty of work
surface.  I had the latest computer equipment.  I had a five-foot tree
growing in one corner!  And lithos on the wall!  I could listen to voice
mail on speaker without everyone else knowing my business!  But that job was
eating my BRAIN.

But the rest of that job was hell.  Now I have a job that suits me a HECK of
a lot better -- but I share an office, I'm surrounded by generic beige
furniture, I have a worn-out chair, and I have significantly less space in
which to work.  I have an older, less-capable computer.  (The one really
good thing is my 17th-floor view of Indianapolis.)  But I'm happier, despite
having a lesser office.

My first job in this field put me squarely in Cube Hell.  My cube came from
leftovers in the warehouse; each panel was a different color.  The
environment was noisy.  I had an ancient, ugly desk with a surface that
bowed downward in the middle.  To put my keyboard at an acceptable height, I
"acquired" from the warehouse a battered typist's table and had one of the
Facilities guys nail boards onto the end to replace two missing legs. Until
the company started to go belly-up, and despite deplorable office
conditions, I was very happy with that job.  I had a great deal of autonomy,
and the engineers respected me enough to make sure that I was part of all
the product development discussions.  On several occasions, they implemented
design improvements that I suggested.  WOW!!!

Peace,
jim
--
jim grey          |beebeebumbleandthestingersmottthehoopleraycharlessingers
jimgrey -at- iquest -dot- net|lonniemackandtwangin'eddiehere'smyringwe'regoingsteadyta
--
http://www.iquest.net/~jimgrey/ -- a tiny voice needlessly saying little.