Are Cubicles the Same All Over the World?
You may have wondered as you change the calendar in your cubicle whether workers on the other side of the globe were doing the same thing, in a cubicle just like yours. You can definitely find the standard office cubicle just about anywhere on the globe. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t innovative cubicle designs too.
One cubicle trend you’ll find worldwide is shrinkage. While businesses used to provide at least 500 square feet of workspace for each employee, today the average is 200 square feet. Most cubicles today are around six by six feet. The typical fabric-covered cube walls are still the most prominent in offices worldwide, but some businesses are going for more innovative designs.
For example, translucent or transparent cubicle walls are available, as are cubicle walls made of wood or even fabric curtains. Everyone loves to complain about the soulless cubicle wasteland that really took hold in the 1980s, but whenever offices go to an open plan, complaints increase about noise and privacy. Cubicles definitely still have an important place in the 21st century workplace.
Companies that want the advantages that the cubicle farm imparts without sucking the life and morale out of the work force are finding ways to use them more creatively. Some businesses have used office furniture in novel ways, so that workers have access to open areas for some of their tasks, and the semi-privacy of a cubicle when necessary. Other companies have moved away from the grid-pattern of cubes toward more interesting floor plans, such as maze-like configurations.
Sure, you can go to any continent on the planet (including Antarctica!) and find the same familiar office cubicle that millions of people use every day. But you’ll also find an increasing level of creativity in how they are used to make a workplace that is efficient and enjoyable.
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