Too Close for Comfort? (2)

What about start-ups? 
Many start-ups have a preference for the open office concept. Take Chartbeat for example. The company's 50-plus employees get to choose their desk and chair styles, and everyone shares an open space with the CEO sitting in the middle. The office space is a mixture of single workstations and casual meeting areas where workers can lounge on sofas. While this design may be ideal for workers in start-ups, it may not suit workers who need a higher level of privacy.

Current fears 
In 2011 Matthew Davis, an organizational psychologist, reviewed over a hundred studies regarding office environments. He found that employees in open offices experienced more distractions and higher stress levels than those working in traditional offices. What's worse, a study in Denmark found that workers in open offices took more sick days than those working in traditional offices.

No going back? 
Even though open office plans present potential problems in terms of worker health and privacy, businesses probably won't return to traditional offices. Modern office workers tend to need both times to focus and times to collaborate with others. So designing offices that account for both needs may be the best way forward.


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Ergonomics 人體工學
- John is studying ergonomics.
ergonomic adj. 合乎人體工學
good ergonomic design
the sickle 廉刀就是一種人體工學的設計


Grammar Gym
While this design may be ideal for workers in start-ups, it may not suit workers who need a higher level of privacy.
While [something] may be ..., it may not suit ... 
- While this jacket may be comfortable for travelers to wear, it may not suit those who prefer something fancier.
- While this backpack may be great for students to carry to school, it may not suit backpackers who want to go hiking in the mountains.


Language Lab
start-up n. 新興公司
a new small company or business, especially one whose work involves computers or the Internet:
- This small Internet start-up became a national corporation after about two years.
- This biotech start-up is already making a large profit.

start up phrasal verb 開始

if you start up a business, company etc, or it starts up, it begins to exist:

preference n. 喜好, 偏好
if you have a preference for something, you like it more than another thing and will choose it if you can
- The hotel records its customers' preferences in its computer system.
preference for
- Helen shows a preference for comfortable clothes rather than stylish ones.
prefer v. 更喜歡, 傾向

distraction n. 分心, 注意力分散
[uncountable and countable] something that stops you paying attention to what you are doing:
- Maneuvering this large vehicle requires that there be no distractions.
令人分心的事物(可數)
- I find the radio a distraction when I really need to concentrate.

collaborate v. 合作
to work together with a person or group in order to achieve something, especially in science or art
- Our company collaborated with a Japanese firm on developing this new product.
collaboration n. 合作
when you work together with another person or group to achieve something, especially in science or art:
- Our two departments work in close collaboration.


mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20140606baa4a54169d4c5db2907655b75a47d90c1b76c6d447261b56d2733544b3f2115d28.wma