6 Minute English - Modern offices
I got Finn with me today. Hello, Finn.
Hi Rob, how is going?
All right. You might notice it's a bit nosier than usual. That's because we're in a open plain office.
Yes, it's a big room for the desks with no walls between them. And as I look around, I can see maybe fifty colleagues working very hard with their computers.
And today we're talking about open plain offices and learn some languages related to office life.
That's right. Rob but should we just go back into the studio where it's be quieter.
Good idea. Let's go.
That's better. That's good.
Right Rob. A question?
You know a lot about sound, don't you?
Well, a bit.
OK. so what do we call a kind of noise that contains the full range of sounds that human can hear. Is it:
a) white noise.
b) green noise.
c) pink noise.
Good question. I'm only familiar with the term white noise so I will go for a) white noise.
OK. We'll see if you are right at the end of programme. So should we continue talking about offices?
Yes. millions of people like us work in open plain offices these days. But they are not new. Do you remember Henry Ford the American industrialist, from the late 19 century and early 20 century?
Yes. He owned factories and he made a famous Ford cars. He is also one of the main names in the story of open plain offices.
Yes. So Henry Ford was really concerned with efficiency, wasn't he?
Yes, efficiency is one of the main reason for open plain offices. They increase communication and collaboration among stuffs.
Now. A company stuff, its employees, they work together for the same goal so they collaborate. Exchanging information and ideas now this can be nice but there can be too many of us in the most face.
Frankly XXX, sociologist at Carnal University in the US, thinks the reason open plain offices become acceptable and popular or as he says the reason they have taken root is different. What reason does he give?
The fundamental reason why open plain has taken root has nothing to do with communication, or collaboration or even flexibility. They has to do with the effect that you can reduce the amount of space proportion in a open plain for any kind of closed, cellular office.
Well, it's all about saving the space and money. He says it takes less space per person in a open plain offices than it does in the cellular offices. Now that's an office which is made up of lots of small closed rooms.
In those offices, the space for each individual per person is limited which is why open plain offices has taken root.
So some very good reason for open plain offices but what about noises.
The noises. Yes, although open plain offices can save company's money, they have hidden cost. Some experts, Julia XXXX, explains what they are. He uses a very important word for business. Which word is it?
Nobody can understand two people talk at the same time, we have bound with full about 1.6 people talking. Now that key when we're talking about in open plain offices because if I'm showing to do work, they require me listen to voice in my head, to organize symbols, to organize flow with important paper for example. And if you're talking at the same time, then you are taking one of my one of my point six, and I left no point six in my head. That doesn't work very well. It reduce my productivity dramatically.
So the word right at the end there was productivity. Workers in open plain offices get distracted when other speak. And their ability to produce work, their productivity is reduced.
Experts say we can concentrate on one point six voices same different things at the same time. That's not even two people. No. not really, is one voice. He says one voice is in your head, to organize the flow, the movement to words to ideas, when you think is right. And the other is well, people like you on the phone over time.
Oh, come on Rob.
I was speak on the phone quite a lot.
I didn't know it's disturbing your works.
Sorry.
Should we go back to the question I asked you earlier.
Hi Rob, how is going?
All right. You might notice it's a bit nosier than usual. That's because we're in a open plain office.
Yes, it's a big room for the desks with no walls between them. And as I look around, I can see maybe fifty colleagues working very hard with their computers.
And today we're talking about open plain offices and learn some languages related to office life.
That's right. Rob but should we just go back into the studio where it's be quieter.
Good idea. Let's go.
That's better. That's good.
Right Rob. A question?
You know a lot about sound, don't you?
Well, a bit.
OK. so what do we call a kind of noise that contains the full range of sounds that human can hear. Is it:
a) white noise.
b) green noise.
c) pink noise.
Good question. I'm only familiar with the term white noise so I will go for a) white noise.
OK. We'll see if you are right at the end of programme. So should we continue talking about offices?
Yes. millions of people like us work in open plain offices these days. But they are not new. Do you remember Henry Ford the American industrialist, from the late 19 century and early 20 century?
Yes. He owned factories and he made a famous Ford cars. He is also one of the main names in the story of open plain offices.
Yes. So Henry Ford was really concerned with efficiency, wasn't he?
Yes, efficiency is one of the main reason for open plain offices. They increase communication and collaboration among stuffs.
Now. A company stuff, its employees, they work together for the same goal so they collaborate. Exchanging information and ideas now this can be nice but there can be too many of us in the most face.
Frankly XXX, sociologist at Carnal University in the US, thinks the reason open plain offices become acceptable and popular or as he says the reason they have taken root is different. What reason does he give?
The fundamental reason why open plain has taken root has nothing to do with communication, or collaboration or even flexibility. They has to do with the effect that you can reduce the amount of space proportion in a open plain for any kind of closed, cellular office.
Well, it's all about saving the space and money. He says it takes less space per person in a open plain offices than it does in the cellular offices. Now that's an office which is made up of lots of small closed rooms.
In those offices, the space for each individual per person is limited which is why open plain offices has taken root.
So some very good reason for open plain offices but what about noises.
The noises. Yes, although open plain offices can save company's money, they have hidden cost. Some experts, Julia XXXX, explains what they are. He uses a very important word for business. Which word is it?
Nobody can understand two people talk at the same time, we have bound with full about 1.6 people talking. Now that key when we're talking about in open plain offices because if I'm showing to do work, they require me listen to voice in my head, to organize symbols, to organize flow with important paper for example. And if you're talking at the same time, then you are taking one of my one of my point six, and I left no point six in my head. That doesn't work very well. It reduce my productivity dramatically.
So the word right at the end there was productivity. Workers in open plain offices get distracted when other speak. And their ability to produce work, their productivity is reduced.
Experts say we can concentrate on one point six voices same different things at the same time. That's not even two people. No. not really, is one voice. He says one voice is in your head, to organize the flow, the movement to words to ideas, when you think is right. And the other is well, people like you on the phone over time.
Oh, come on Rob.
I was speak on the phone quite a lot.
I didn't know it's disturbing your works.
Sorry.
Should we go back to the question I asked you earlier.
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