This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Java Buzz by Michael Cote. Original Post: The Status Symbol of Round Tables Feed Title: Cote's Weblog: Coding, Austin, etc. Feed URL: https://cote.io/feed/ Feed Description: Using Java to get to the ideal state. Latest Java Buzz Posts Latest Java Buzz Posts by Michael Cote Latest Posts From Cote's Weblog: Coding, Austin, etc.

Along with his other duties as materials manager and 2 o'clock coffee maker, my dad is the facilities manager for Polycom Austin. As a consequence, I get to hear about how exciting that job can be: people are always very sensitive about the environment they spend 8+ hours a day in, e.g., often how swanky your workplace is effects your self-image.

So, you know, people will fight to "the death" to get the sweet office or cubical. And us engineer/developer types have absolutely not respect for the plans of the facilities people, or any care about making their lives easier. You know, your classic nerds vs. polo-shirts scenario.

At my work, we moved offices this weekend; we're now in the main building. A couple people have acquired round tables in addition to their desks. Now, all "senior managers" and above have round tables. That's, like, the thing you get when you become a senior manager, a director, VP, etc.: it's round table time, baby!

The Little People With Round Tables Crisis

Every time we move around at work, we have The Little People With Round Tables Crisis: if one of the developers or (junior) manager has a round table, the facility people get all upset, and you have the discuss the situation with them.

I "heard" the following conversation second hand (I'm probably embellishing a little):

Facilities: "Oh. You have a round table. So you're a senior manager?"
Developer: "No."
Facilities: "Hmmm. Well, only senior managers and above have round tables."
Developer: <blank look>
Facilities: "So, we can't move this table."
Developer: "<long pause> but I've had this table forever."
Facilities: "But developers don't have round tables."
Developer: "Uh...a director gave me this table."
Facilities: <blank look>
Developer: "Well, I'm a tech-lead, and I spend a lot of time talking with people around this table--"
Facilities: "--but developers don't have round--"
Developer: "--talking about work."
Facilities: "<long pause> OK. Well, I guess you can keep the round table."

Round tables, my friends: controversial stuff.

Tags: bmc, facilities, peopleware, tables.