# What kind of company culture do you prefer?



## leaf in the wind (Mar 28, 2017)

Start-up, corporate, open-concept, cubicles, casual or business dress, etc.? 

It's my second time at a pretty rigid/corporate place and I confirm it's not really my cup of tea.


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## mezzoforte (May 16, 2010)

Very laid back, casual dress. I could probably do cubicles, but open-concept is probably better for me since I would be more likely to push myself to talk to my coworkers. Working from home at least a few days out of the week would give me time to recharge from the social interaction.

Basically I've described the culture of my current job, and previous jobs - small to medium-sized software companies. But one challenge with my current job is that it gets very loud, even with headphones on. A bigger office with somewhere quiet to retreat would be nice.


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## Sekiro (Dec 29, 2019)

I swear open floor plan is the dumbest crap ever invented. It was designed to save on office space and furniture costs with clever marketing about how it encourages collaboration. Some startups did it just for the novelty. What a load of crap. It just distracts workers, prevents concentration, and lowers efficiency. The lowered efficiency doesn't even make up for the cost savings of the office space.


You know why cubicles are great? They shut out outside influences. If your employee needs a desk that means they need a place to:
1) Read.
2) Write.
3) Think.



Those activities aren't usually done with multiple people (conference rooms are for the exceptions, though). Why would you turn an activity that is largely solitary into a collaborative environment? Crazy. Believe it or not most employees enjoy feeling productive like they've accomplished something for the day, it's important to make a space where they can do that.
---


My ideal work environment is remote, but not a lot of people possess the self-discipline to actually work remote.


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## andy1984 (Aug 18, 2006)

a culture where no one speaks and everyone is invisible. we all work in separate castles and we catch passers by to suck their blood.


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## leaf in the wind (Mar 28, 2017)

Sekiro said:


> My ideal work environment is remote, but not a lot of people possess the self-discipline to actually work remote.


It doesn't take more discipline to work remote. It isn't like taking an online college class. You're going to be expected to be "available" on a reliable schedule (e.g. for people to call/IM you, have conference calls with you) and produce a certain level of results. You can be in your underwear most of the time, have a glass of wine, or just not do any work while monitoring communication... but you still have external expectations that keep you from sleeping in till noon or pushing everything till the last possible minute.


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## blue2 (May 20, 2013)

One where I don't have to talk to anyone & they give lots of money.


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

If I could work absolutely anywhere, I'd be happy. I'm completely unemployable. I'm a totally useless person.


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## veron (Apr 29, 2009)

I prefer working in offices, in other words, rooms where you can close the door and have some privacy. No more than 6 people. Casual dress code. A homey environment, rather than corporate with glass walls and modern furniture, etc.



Sekiro said:


> I swear open floor plan is the dumbest crap ever invented.


Yes. I'm not sure why more entrepreneurs aren't realizing it...


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## wmu'14 (Sep 17, 2010)

Sekiro said:


> I swear open floor plan is the dumbest crap ever invented. It was designed to save on office space and furniture costs with clever marketing about how it encourages collaboration. Some startups did it just for the novelty. What a load of crap. It just distracts workers, prevents concentration, and lowers efficiency. The lowered efficiency doesn't even make up for the cost savings of the office space.
> 
> You know why cubicles are great? They shut out outside influences. If your employee needs a desk that means they need a place to:
> 1) Read.
> ...


For the most part I agree, but lot of jobs you do have to collaborate w/ coworkers. I can understand why some employers have shifted to them but I don't think it's necessary & is only a bad thing when little collaboration is needed.

My position, there's some collaboration, but not a lot, so we have high-walled cubes.


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## wmu'14 (Sep 17, 2010)

My office has about 100 employees. It's a quieter, 'put your head down & work' company where you won't feel like a loser for not saying anything.

We aren't 'fake' - what you see w/ us is what you get.

We are open to other ideas & don't just say we are.

We view it as a job & not our life.

We value all our employees & departments, from Sales Manager to Mail Support.

We do occasionally meet for a drink after work - probably about 4-5 times a year.

I work w/ great people, but I do wish it was easier opening up to them. They're sweet people but for me it's still hard unfortunately. I've worked for them 4, 5 years now & I think they still feel like they don't know much about me.


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## melancholyscorpio (Aug 14, 2015)

Medium sized business with at least 10 employees. With business casual dress code.


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## PalenPretty (May 5, 2012)

Alone or with cool animals :laugh:


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

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## lil_tails (Aug 13, 2018)

blue2 said:


> One where I don't have to talk to anyone & they give lots of money.


omg perfect answer the best of thread


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## Cool Ice Dude55 (Jan 7, 2014)

One where ppl leave me the hell alone. Casual dress code only.


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## Mlt18 (Jun 29, 2016)

I don’t care about dress code as long as little to no socializing is involved.


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## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

Casual and cubicles. Relaxed and privacy. Open concept are the worst. You too worried with your social surroundings to be able to focused, especially if your work is mostly mental.


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## JH1983 (Nov 14, 2013)

I just want minimal human interaction and good pay. I don't really care much about dress code.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## sabbath9 (Dec 30, 2014)

cubicle in the morning, home office telecommuting during afternoon


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## That Random Guy (Jan 31, 2015)

*!*

So far from the 2 jobs I've had, I would say cubicle. I get my own space that way at least albeit not entirely.


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## jelly0123 (Sep 15, 2020)

Part work from home, part own office with some team interaction. Tbh quarantine has been a bit awesome since I get to work remotely, but I still prefer some interaction with colleagues. I like something casual, where company structure is more flat. I don't have experience in a corporate environment so it's hard to say, but I don't particularly like formality and I feel it would be a bit stifling for me.


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## Small Talkward (Oct 5, 2020)

I love the corporate culture I create from working for myself. I had over 100 jobs before I decided corporate cultures weren't for me.


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## either/or (Apr 27, 2020)

I would prefer laid back, very casual dress (jeans and t-shirts or basically whatever, no dress code), I like cubes over open concept because its less socially intense. I hate the buttoned up corporate world. Want to be part of something more relaxed. I wish I could work for a cool company like a microbrewery or indie record label or something like that.


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## pied vert (Jan 23, 2016)

I think I am being bratty about this, but I realize that I can only stand to work with people who are basically friends. The fact that I make no effort to make friends with people makes this even more ridiculous. I work in a - relative to what is normal - quite casual environment. There are 7 people, we dress however we want (I sometimes dress downright inappropriate and no one says anything - no bra and my nipples are constantly poking through my shirt and I don't care at all. Generally very casual clothes, sometimes even homey), we don't mind personal problems and give each other space, we have trust between us: we don't have to be on time all the time, as long as we are moving forward with our tasks. We are good at working asynchronously. We are pretty liberal in general.
And still, I am not happy. I don't get along with any of them, especially our CEO who is a very sociable person and who seems to dislike anyone who is not the same. I think by now she hates me, but I don't have to interact with her _that_ much. The rest are just as inauthentic in conversation as she is, though not as forced-bubbly at least.
It's not that they are soulless people, it's just that they both (a) refuse to not talk, and (b) refuse to talk about anything real - it's always corny business jokes or weather or politics on the vaguest possible terms. I understand the concepts of professionalism and avoiding getting too personal with your coworkers. But if you are going to talk, do it right. There must be a way to be authentic and not talk about overly sensitive things. I feel like I would have opened my mouth by now if I felt at all comfortable to be myself, but I have never observed anything from them that suggests genuine friendliness rather than forced politeness.
I am the only one who can't make myself engage in that way, and so they all dislike me because they think I don't make an effort. That makes me even more uncomfortable and so I don't even smile most of the time. I hate being around fake and judgmental people. They are not as bad as those adjectives make them sound, but I am very sensitive to those qualities. I think this must be what all workplaces are like, unless you get lucky and find yourself among people with whom you share things not professionally related to your relationship.
I have to feel like a person is safe before I engage with them in more than the most minimal way. And being as minimal as possible while around the same people for so much time is really unpleasant. So, I believe my work environment would have to be cozy and friendly in order for me to be happy.

I think this work dynamic is adorable:


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## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

I like the corporate, cubicle business dress environment.


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