Observations from the Desk Jockey

So, a few things I’ve noticed around our office.  

Take heed, management types, the workspace is very important, and a lack of imagination in how it’s designed can lead to a lack of creativity. This place, TXT-TV HQ, has no shortage of funky, eclectic style to keep you on your toes.

First, a few weeks back, a new ventilation system was installed. Now, every twenty minutes or so, a strange sound, like when you open a bottle of pop, except louder and followed by a thunderous ‘whoosh’, fills the office. Apparently, this is the a/c. It freaks me out each time. Also, for whatever reason, the building still alternates between shvitz and freeze, despite the new ventilation system. You gotta love old buildings – they’re too old to care who’s inside them.

Second, there are lights everywhere. Now this may seem like a no-brainer, but there are an awful lot of lights pointing off in various directions, not at anything in particular, and in some cases, pointing at very odd things, like directly into a vent, or at the exposed pipes. I have no idea what they are there for, and the building gets so much natural light, that they’re rarely turned on. Which means its especially bizarre to come into the office and only these oddball lighting fixtures, and not the table lamps, are turned on, while everyone keeps toasty under the warm, spring sun pouring in through the many windows. I wonder if upper management doesn’t spend some time at a huge console manipulating the temperature, lighting and breeze, laughing merrily while they watch the reactions of the employees.

Seems like something Dogbert would do.

Third, there are no cubicles, and man what a delight that is! Best part of working in a location without cubicles is that there are very few opportunities for drifting off or wasting time. The open concept office is going to save the economy, and the era of the drab grey cubicle, hopefully, will soon come to an end. Instead of using cubicles, there are plants all over the office, and I’ve been startled by my co-workers neatly camouflaged behind ferns and palms. When the windows are open and the breeze comes in off the water, it feels, faintly, like being up at the cottage.

Green leaves and cool misty breezes keeps people calm and focused. 

What a pleasure to know that the people who run this show have given so much consideration making sure their environment, the place they call home for 8 or 10 hours a day, is as well designed as this.

Bafflingly loud a/c vent noises and bizarre temperature fluctuations aside, it’s a damned cool place to work and it suits the job perfectly.

But best of all, I’m sure the viewers would find it just as inviting.