The demise of the cubicle? (2006)

The demise of the cubicle?

By Tatiana Andronache, I.S.P.

Published in ComputerWorld Canada, 2006

I had to come to believe - and was prepared to put in writing - that the cubicle will go down in the history of work with the same reputation as shackles did. But higher authorities on the matter have decided that the cubicle will be glamorous again before it goes down in history. Whether it is heading in that direction any time soon is in fact debatable. Herman Miller’s Action Office brand of the 60’s is alive and well.

It is quite surprising that in the age of mobility the cubicle would be enjoying a comeback. After all, many office workers and notably those in IT are set free to roam and work from client sites, home offices, the road, or a wireless café. Yet a company like IBM embarked a few years ago on a pilot project meant to bring us the “cubicle of the future”: the inhabitant was put in control of his physical and virtual environment through a touch screen monitor, and would enjoy luxuries such as mobile partial walls, movable furniture, control of ventilation and local light emulating sun’s trajectory through the day. Most recently, Time magazine had a feature article on advancements in ‘cubicle technology’. 

Not sure what has become of these projects because there are enough cubicles today that still are what they have always been: small, semi-enclosed, so called private spaces, dedicated to one worker; they still feature a plain desk, a chair and a cabinet and shelf. It is still a struggle to fit yesterday’s PC in these spaces as it is to fit today’s sleek laptops and mobile devices. Ventilation and temperature are excessive or not sufficient, light is artificial and harsh on the eyes and, in most plan floors, nobody gets the window.

Not sure how the cubicle, especially the high-partition variety – updated or not with the latest gadgets – enhances team work, peer-programming or supports other much-touted non-virtual work methods. Some studies show that people value privacy at work and low-height partitions are not satisfying this need. In one office for mobile workers, someone complained that she feels ‘homeless’ without a permanent cubicle of her own, so open or shared space is not for everyone. But in most places there are no provisions for something as rudimentary as an extra chair to accommodate a work-related visitor. The floor space is organized with real estate concerns in mind, not with the dynamics and the needs of the teams. Getting the balance of privacy and contact that would make workers happy – and more productive is not an easy task.

Probably a larger issue has to do with the office space. Avoiding the labyrinth appearance is difficult and enough workers do not do their part either: many offices look a pitiful agglomeration of grayish panels, with filing cabinets of various sizes lining the paths, boxes and files popping up on top of everything. And yet things can be different, even in conventional office spaces. I have seen a big-floor office where every partition wall was lined on its whole length with feet-high green plants at eye level. Artificial plants or not, the effect was stunning. The catch: it was an architecture firm’s office! But IT companies can do better than ‘labyrinth’ too: ‘polka dot’. Imagine a space sprinkled with clusters of four cubicles, where desks are triangular and every inhabitant faces the center of the cluster.

Century-old buildings come with perks. A small (but lucrative) software company operated from such a setting. Each developer had his own office, with a real window and a large desk! Somewhere else, where each team had its own office, desks were placed diagonally. The effect was totally refreshing.

While studies prove the impact of colour and shape on worker’s productivity and mental well-being, most office settings are still drab, uninteresting spaces. No wonder that the cubicle space is often resented by its inhabitants. Notable exceptions are software labs and research facilities, as well as ‘client-facing’ locations, where a company has to show-off and do everything it can to boost productivity and stimulate creativity.

Despite all studies and personal preferences related to cubicles, I hold in highest regard the unmitigated and unsolicited opinion expressed by a four years old visiting his father’s office at Christmas. When the function wrapped up, the child loudly announced in a voice full of delight: “...and I’ve seen daaaaddy’s caaage!”