The office that I work in is really the best of both worlds: privacy to work alone and coworkers available for teamwork. Everyone seems to be responsible for a different task in the department. Many people sit in their office all day and work on the numerous projects they want to complete. It seems as if everyone needs their own space because I have yet to see two people working in the same office. This private culture creates a great atmosphere in which people can work peacefully.
However, I also see a lot of collaborative work, maybe not in terms of two people claiming to be the author of one document. What I mean is planned and unplanned group brainstorming. Sometimes one person will pop in someone's office and go over ideas for a new project. The office is small so everyone knows everyone (I think) and is comfortable doing this. Other times people set up meetings to brainstorm or review the exisiting material. Also, when there is a big event with the University, such orientation, the office might be more hectic. Everyone is busy because they want the office, which includes everyone, to run smoothly.
As a result, I've realized that the collaborative productivity and the immediate surrounding atmosphere can directly affect the culture of a workplace. If no one cared what their coworkers were doing, the office would probably be more hectic and people would not be able to work peacefully as they normally do. The indirect effect seems to be that people work together by working privately and completing their tasks. If everyone contributes their part then everything can continue normally. Everyone has seemed happy to meet me, but if I were to work in their office with them, they may not be so happy with me. Observing and learning the culture of a space is important for your ability to fit in and work well within that space.
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Really nice description and analysis here, Jennifer. I particularly appreciate your ability to articulate precisely what the collaboration looks like and how it contributes to different individuals' specific projects as well as the office's communal goals.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the amostphere and teamwork or individuality can really affect the workplace's culture. If everything is running smoothly, then there is a reason for it. If things go wrong, then sometimes that just happens but often times it could have been avoided had there been a little more communication. Communication is a huge part of most jobs.
ReplyDeleteMy internship is very much the same environment. I generally work with four-five other people (sometimes 6), however usually they are not all there at one time. If they are, work seems different and more fast-paced. There seems to be a lot of communication between the different co-workers about work tasks and/or irrelevant matters concerning work (this helps with the laid-back atmostphere, and I think helps facilitate communication). The head boss or executive director's office is further away from everyone else's, so this entitles her need for privacy but still her door is always open, so she's still accessible.