The Open Office Paradox: A Startup Worker’s Tale in Jakarta
From the hustle of traffic jams to the bustle of crowded elevators, there’s no lack of stressors for startup workers in Jakarta. But, surprise, surprise! The real problem might just be your “fancy collaborative” open office.
Ever walked into an open office, awed by the hip decor, only to find everyone plugged into their headphones, oblivious to the world? Well, that’s the paradox of open office spaces. They’re supposed to foster collaboration, but in reality, they often do just the opposite. It’s not because we’ve all turned into antisocial hermits, but because humans, being the adaptable species we are, find ways to work around distractions. And in an open office, distractions are as abundant as many drivers on Jakarta’s roads that caused traffic jams, haha!
Noise, interruptions, and lack of privacy — are just a few of the productivity vampires lurking in the corners of an open office. They sound innocent enough until you’re trying to focus on a complex problem and your colleague decides it’s the perfect time for a loud phone call. The result? More time is spent on regaining focus than on actual work.
Anyway, there’s a trend that’s been gaining momentum in the Jakarta startup scene — Work From Anywhere (WFA). Given my experiences with Jakarta’s daily traffic jams and elevator queues, I count myself fortunate that my employer has adopted the WFA policy. But it’s not just about escaping these everyday stressors; it’s also about increasing productivity. The WFA policy allows us to choose our work environment, helping to minimize disruptions. Working for such a forward-thinking company that values productivity and employee well-being is truly a blessing, isn’t it?
While open offices might look cool on Instagram, they might not be as productive as they seem. So next time you’re stuck in traffic, heading to an open office, remember there’s another way. Perhaps, it’s time we rethought the way we work and embraced the possibilities that WFA offers. After all, as they say, “change is the only constant.”
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This problem with open offices isn’t just happening in Jakarta. Many people also talking about it. For example, Harvard Business Review wrote an article about how open offices affect work. Business News Daily also asked if open offices are dying out. The New York Times said open offices are not good at all. So, we can see that this problem is a big deal. It shows we need to keep thinking about how our offices are set up and how they affect our work.
