# Are open plan offices common in Spain?



## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

Hello everyone,

I plan to move to Spain this year, fingers crossed. Currently, I work in an open plan office. It is unbearable some days as they have continuously increased the number of employees in the same space, and it takes a LOT of energy for me to focus and get work done. Some employees do have good corner spots and I envy those, so I think open plan may be fine if you have a good spot.

I honestly believe this is having a not so insignificant negative impact on my health. I also resent having to catch up on work at home because of this. The situation will be evaluated in the future and perhaps the open plan will be scrapped, but this won't happen until the art (paintings) that the office have ordered arrive and are installed as management believe this should improve the situation  - true story.

If I weren't planning a move this year, I would switch jobs immediately, but because of my planned move I don't want to make a job change that won't last long.

Thus, I am now reluctant to work in an open plan office again, and wonder what is the likelihood of finding those types of offices in Spain? I have already been in communication with a company who seemed interested, but I don't feel it would be proper to ask whether their office is open plan.

If anyone has any experience or story about this in Spain it would be greatly appreciated!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Both the offices I worked in in spain were open plan.

Jo xxx


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## BMC77 (Aug 15, 2009)

I teach in-company classes in SMEs and large enterprises in the Barcelona area and ALL the companies I've taught at have open-plan offices.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I'm not sure what the alternative to open plan offices might be - unless its specific closed/confidential type work that you do, or you are senior and warrant your own office? Would working from home be an alternative?

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Every office I've been in has been open plan - mainly public sector though. The workstations seem even more close together than in the U.K. office where I used to work. The Spanish "personal space bubble" is very small and people don't seem to mind sitting on top of each other and overhearing each other's conversations. It would drive me mad!


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Even back in the 60s I worked in open-plan offices in Spain (only the General Manager had an office). It's even more uncommon these days for offices not to be open-plan (except for highly confidential work or some top executives). I doubt that's likely to change in the near future, given open-plan accommodates more staff in a smaller space (plus, it's supposed to be good for team-building). That said, there can be an advantage for someone who is a new employee and having to adjust to a new workplace in a new country - which requires a lot of work to determine "how things are done round here" - plus it makes it easier to get to know your co-workers..

Some companies do, however, provide screens (not full-height) between work-stations, which can have the added benefit of providing more storage space. Good spots generally go to the more senior people.



> I have already been in communication with a company who seemed interested, but I don't feel it would be proper to ask whether their office is open plan.


That's something for further along in the process, eg. interview stage. If it's a big company, you may find an indication of their office layouts on their website or in annual report/s.

Be aware, that the Spanish do tend to be 'voluble' - but that's something you would have to adjust to anyhow.


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

jojo said:


> I'm not sure what the alternative to open plan offices might be - unless its specific closed/confidential type work that you do, or you are senior and warrant your own office? Would working from home be an alternative?
> 
> Jo xxx


We are allowed one work from home day, but could probably get an additional one. It's a sector where you normally have your own office/or office shared with 1 other person at the most. It's the only company in this sector in NL with this arrangement at the moment. They actually have 5 different offices and only one of them is open plan.

Thanks.


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## expat16 (Jun 11, 2016)

EverHopeful said:


> Even back in the 60s I worked in open-plan offices in Spain (only the General Manager had an office). It's even more uncommon these days for offices not to be open-plan (except for highly confidential work or some top executives). I doubt that's likely to change in the near future, given open-plan accommodates more staff in a smaller space (plus, it's supposed to be good for team-building). That said, there can be an advantage for someone who is a new employee and having to adjust to a new workplace in a new country - which requires a lot of work to determine "how things are done round here" - plus it makes it easier to get to know your co-workers..
> 
> Some companies do, however, provide screens (not full-height) between work-stations, which can have the added benefit of providing more storage space. Good spots generally go to the more senior people.
> 
> ...


Thanks, indeed I checked their website and google images but no luck. Of course, I will have a chance to see the offices if I go for an in-person interview. Some good noise-cancellation headphones might be in order then.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

expat16 said:


> Thanks, indeed I checked their website and google images but no luck. Of course, I will have a chance to see the offices if I go for an in-person interview. Some good noise-cancellation headphones might be in order then.


I know people in Australia who use them  But in my experience it is possible to adjust to the ambient noise (although some people don't like it when you don't reply  ).


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Having worked in a dozen or so different offices in the UK, Spain and elsewhere over the last 25 years, I have never seen anything other than open plan. I find it hard to imagine offices where everyone has their own separate office to themselves, or shares one with someone else. I have worked in many offices where the more senior managers have their own cubicles to work in, and I've worked in partitioned office spaces (in fact I do so at the moment) but that's as far as it goes. 

Since it's all I've known is never been much of a big deal, although some open plan spaces are better than others. Generally if you are in a small office with less than 30 people, it's not a big deal and if it's well designed then people can still have their personal space. What's to be avoided is situation with say 50 or more people shoved into one large space, with poor sound proofing, and a poor layout that unsettles people, or makes them ill, or provides too many distractions.

Also many companies are introducing shared working spaces coupled with working from home, where by you work from home a couple of days a week, then come in to the office the other days and work at whichever desk is available. This generally allows companies to employ more people in a smaller work space overall.


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## jax2bcn (Dec 21, 2016)

I never thought I'd see the day when I heard someone with a preference for cubicles vs. open plan  

Too bad you can't work alone/from home...cowork spaces are great and most offer closed off areas!


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

My husband works for a large international company here in Spain, and he's always worked in an open plan office there (30+ years).

And yes, he does complain about the noise and distraction from the people working around him.


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## Roland_O (Oct 17, 2016)

Open plan is common in Spain. It's a modern country.

Please be aware that not all "open plan" offices are the same. Pure open plan, where one has an assigned seat in an open floor can be pretty bad, but more modern offices should have quiet areas set up for concentrated solo work, and allow folk to work elsewhere, like home, if that suits the task. Good offices will put you with a small group of colleagues so you can make friends and help each other.

Me, I am the oposite to you. I would not work for an employer who wanted me to sit alone in a box. Shudder.




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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Chopera said:


> Having worked in a dozen or so different offices in the UK, Spain and elsewhere over the last 25 years, I have never seen anything other than open plan. I find it hard to imagine offices where everyone has their own separate office to themselves, or shares one with someone else. I have worked in many offices where the more senior managers have their own cubicles to work in, and I've worked in partitioned office spaces (in fact I do so at the moment) but that's as far as it goes.
> 
> Since it's all I've known is never been much of a big deal, although some open plan spaces are better than others. Generally if you are in a small office with less than 30 people, it's not a big deal and if it's well designed then people can still have their personal space. What's to be avoided is situation with say 50 or more people shoved into one large space, with poor sound proofing, and a poor layout that unsettles people, or makes them ill, or provides too many distractions.
> 
> Also many companies are introducing shared working spaces coupled with working from home, where by you work from home a couple of days a week, then come in to the office the other days and work at whichever desk is available. This generally allows companies to employ more people in a smaller work space overall.


Yep, same here. I've worked in loads of different companies and even in the small ones it might not be actual open plan, but everyone working together in a room. In the big ones like HP and Sage for example there are literally row open row of workers and it does lead to problems for some workers.
I often see people with headphones and there are always people in meeting rooms of all different sizes for one to one meetings, phone calls, conference calls etc. where more privacy or concentration is needed.
Personally I'd find it very difficult to work in thias kind of atmosphere with out noise cancellation headphones


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## The slow walkers (Nov 10, 2015)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yep, same here. I've worked in loads of different companies and even in the small ones it might not be actual open plan, but everyone working together in a room. In the big ones like HP and Sage for example there are literally row open row of workers and it does lead to problems for some workers.
> I often see people with headphones and there are always people in meeting rooms of all different sizes for one to one meetings, phone calls, conference calls etc. where more privacy or concentration is needed.
> Personally I'd find it very difficult to work in thias kind of atmosphere with out noise cancellation headphones


The headphones would have been extremely handy here....


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## The slow walkers (Nov 10, 2015)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yep, same here. I've worked in loads of different companies and even in the small ones it might not be actual open plan, but everyone working together in a room. In the big ones like HP and Sage for example there are literally row open row of workers and it does lead to problems for some workers.
> I often see people with headphones and there are always people in meeting rooms of all different sizes for one to one meetings, phone calls, conference calls etc. where more privacy or concentration is needed.
> Personally I'd find it very difficult to work in thias kind of atmosphere with out noise cancellation headphones


The headphones would have been extremely handy here....

View attachment 73833


Victorian open plan.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Seems the original poster is not alone 

BBC - Capital - Open offices are damaging our memories


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Megsmum said:


> Seems the original poster is not alone
> 
> BBC - Capital - Open offices are damaging our memories


Indeed. 

The thing that bugged me most about my open plan office was the temperature regulation, where we had no choice about the level of heating or air conditioning. We are all different; I function best at about 25ºC, but that's too warm for some people. In summer I used to sit at my desk wearing a fleece whle the girl next to me was in a sleeveless top. We weren't allowed fans or individual heaters. Barbaric!

And don't get me started on colleagues eating their breakfast or lunch at their desks. The sound of people munching toast or crisps makes me irrationally irritable.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Megsmum said:


> Seems the original poster is not alone
> 
> BBC - Capital - Open offices are damaging our memories


I know it's supposed to improve team-building, however I believe it can also provoke the opposite, or cliques. In fact, I think you can end up not getting along with or not liking work colleagues who otherwise would cause you no issues at all. And isn't there always someone in the office who wants to keep tabs on everyone - their movements, what they're doing, are they actually working, when they arrive, when they leave etc etc - and who then uses that perception as a weapon?


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

At the end of my career, I had my own office, utter bliss, without constant interruptions from staff, consultants and anaesthetists. Before that I had an office open into the main theatre complex it was a nightmare, but I could see everything that was going on and staff knew where I was and what I was doing, so being visible was good for them, they knew I was there when needed. mixed feelings, but trying to work out annual budget reports and returns, preparing audits etc I preferred being on my own


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## Roland_O (Oct 17, 2016)

Oh jeez, I just read the article on the BBC site. What a terrible, ignorant thing. I am sad enough to be familiar with some of the academic research on this topic and so can see that the author is not, and is just writing nonsense for money. I guess this is like fake news, where you write what people want to hear not what is true.

I think that I am getting to the point where I will give up on reading the media. I think it's making me dumber.


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