Despite numerous articles praising open offices, cubicles aren’t going out of style. They serve a crucial purpose for certain workers and workspaces.
Although the cubicle has a poor reputation today, when it debuted in 1968 as the “Action Office 2”, the first modular office system, it was heralded as revolutionary. At that time, desks were lined in neat orderly rows called bullpens. Aside from the simplicity and neatness, this layout’s greatest asset for business was that it enabled managers to easily check what the employees were doing. Cubicles allowed a degree of privacy that was liberating.
Today, open office layouts are the new sexy. But while they are better designed than the bullpens of yesteryear, they suffer from the same productivity-lowering disadvantages. Cubicles with its segregated spaces become significantly better when certain circumstances are met.
Prioritize Concentration
Open offices favor communication and easy access to people. Unfortunately, to some people, easy access equals disturbances. Instead of concentrating on their work, their thoughts are constantly derailed by people saying hello or other attention-grabbing shenanigans. Obviously this lowers productivity a lot. If a person’s work is best approached quietly then cubicles are better.
Deeper Exchange of Ideas
But that’s not all. By their very privacy, cubicles can foster deeper discussions. Because workers can be overheard or interrupted at any time, conversations in open offices tend to be superficial. Privacy allows people to speak their mind freely.
Security Considerations
Lastly, cubicles tend to be more secure. At the very least, it prevents other employees from easily reaching out to another’s table to get something or stop important papers from dropping onto another’s space. The cubicle ensures that the person who sits there is responsible for everything in his or her space and can find everything in it.
These cubicle benefits don’t negate the advantages of open office layouts. But it does call for a balance between the two. Cubicles need not be drab or ugly – the usual complaints. A smart, beautiful design can brighten the office and provide the privacy workers need.
If you’re looking for possible cubicles and ideas on how to integrate it with an open office, don’t be shy. Contact us!