It’s hard to imagine the working world without cubicles, but they haven’t always been with us. The first patent of the modern cubicle was filed in 1968, and they’ve come a long way since then. Most people probably have their own opinions on cubicles, but there are many different perspectives to consider when it comes to office cubicles — from the one who designs them, to the one who works in them, to the one who manufactures them!
A Brief History Of Office Cubicles
The office cubicle was created in the late 1950s by George Nelson to minimize the number of employees that each manager needed to interact with daily. Before the development of office cubicles, managers were responsible for keeping their entire company running smoothly. With the introduction of cubicles for workers in 1964 came a huge decrease in overhead. But as is true with most innovations, there are still some things left to be desired about this type of working environment.
One issue I’ve always had with my call center cubicle is not being able to see what’s going on outside my own space. Call centers usually have at least three rows of cubes and often all you can see from your desk is the back wall or other people’s cubes across from you. It seems like every time I turn around, I’m missing out on something important happening in another part of the room because I can’t hear it over my phone or if I happen to catch a glimpse of it from between people walking past me, it looks like just another white cube filled with another person sitting at a desk – but how do they know? And how do they find me?
Why Do We Have Cubicles Now?
The answer to this question is not as straightforward as you might think. Believe it or not, there’s some logic behind the design of cubicles in an office setting. While cubicles may be unsightly and feel like they are closing you off from the world (particularly when they are positioned at a 90-degree angle), there is some reasoning behind their existence. As we all know, in offices there needs to be enough room for employees to perform various tasks throughout the day – whether that means meeting with clients, attending meetings, or even just holding discussions with colleagues. Before cubicle systems were created it was difficult for employees to do these things without interrupting other workers in neighboring offices because the layout allowed them too much visibility into each other’s workspace.
Pros Of Having Work Cubicles
Working in a cubicle is great because it offers the freedom to work how you want to work. In some instances, we can also do our best work when we have limited distractions. Most cubicles also have carpeting on the floor as well as some type of desk – which can provide us with more privacy and better sound dampening than a shared office space.
Call center cubicles are in high demand because they are outfitted with features that allow agents to be more productive when taking calls like noise-canceling equipment (headphones) or blinds that make it difficult for callers to see the person they’re speaking with.
Cons Of Having Work Cubicles
Cubicles can create a lot of privacy issues for employees, as well as provide poor sound and air quality. As a result, many cubicle dwellers feel stressed out from working in confined spaces with no natural light. Another issue is that although office cubicles are designed to create a sense of community, they may do the opposite by segregating staff into the virtual worlds created by their computer screens. Additionally, it’s not uncommon for cubicle dwellers to get so engrossed in the work that they fail to notice people trying to talk to them! Lastly, new office space can be difficult to arrange when every single square foot is taken up by pesky cubes.
Choosing Your Comfort Level For Work Cube Setup
Choose your comfort level for a work cube setup. Think about what you need to feel happy or energized at work. Some examples are having natural light from a window, and decorating with favorite items to make the space your own. Or even choosing where in the office to set up. You can also choose to have a cubicle layout with low partitions. So that you are working closely with your coworkers. On the other hand, if you prefer privacy when working on tasks like customer service or handling sensitive information like payroll data, a call center cubicle may be more appropriate for you.
