There are more options than just "Entirely Open Concept" or "Individual Cubicles"! There can be a mix of the two, or other things. My ideal scenario would be majority open areas, but with plenty of more secluded rooms/areas where people can work in a quiet, distraction-free atmosphere if they choose. You don't need to have a dedicated desk, and can roam freely between the two.

So you work on a laptop? Not only do studies show that open offices decrease productivity, they ALSO show that less screen real-estate decreases productivity.

> I actually don't even like having the same desk every day.

I think the differences many of these arguments partially boil down to the differences in the nature of various lines of business. I have had four positions at two companies and have never had a situation where changing desks every day was feasible. Work from home has never been an option for me. Since I like the type of work I do, I want to do it in a real office (something I have yet to do).

The problem is that in an office such as mine, we don't get a constant work space and don't have the option of working from home. Not well thought out from a management point of view.