Last week, we gave the office furniture companies that design cubicles a bit of a hard time about lacking true imagination. Well, we take it back – at least partly. We forgot about this little BusinessWeek slideshow from way back that showcases some pretty sweet concept cubicles that various manufacturers created to give the cube back its cool. For example, you have to admit that Steelcase’s “Studio 53” is pretty groovy, Baby. It looks like just the kind of place we’d like to work – if by work you mean kick back with a double shot of vodka while doing an assortment of recreational substances with a bunch of half-dressed strangers. Oh, wait, that was Studio 54 back in the day (or so they say). We also think the A3 Furniture System from Knoll is delicious.

But if you click through the whole slideshow, you’ll be struck by the fact that most of these cubicles look pretty similar. Changing the colors or the storage options does not make it a truly innovative design. The name of the article “Curing the Common Cubicle” also made us chortle. If you watched Mad Men, you know why. Looks like someone needs to go back to marketing school to come up with a new tagline…

People are always griping about how ugly the cubicle is. What a boring design! They stifle creativity! Who would want to work in one? Can you believe some poor sods have to go sit in one of those day after day? Well, we agree that cubicle design, while functional, does often lack imagination. There are exceptions (some of the office furniture greats like Herman Miller have developed quite innovative versions of the cube). But overall, they do kind of all look alike. That’s why we think that some people outside the office furniture industry should take a stab at redesigning the cubicle.

Let’s get some artists and architects like the ones who participated in Iceland’s “Landset High-Voltage Transmission Line Tower Design Competition” involved. If you think that sounds like the most boring design contest ever, you are completely wrong. We challenge you to have your mind expanded by viewing electric pylons in the shape of giant men and women who look like gods bearing the gift of lightning to humanity. Or, feast your eyes on a design that is based on the modern physics concept of superstrings. If these artists and architects can make something as ugly as a utility pole into an inspiring sculpture, we think they could definitely redesign the cubicle if they put their minds to it.

Kyle McCarthy at Smart Living Network draws an interesting parallel between the ubiquitous office cubicle and childhood memories of being put in “timeout”. He says working within the confines of those four foot tall partitions makes him feel trapped in perpetual stasis. He points out that the cube can make employees feel claustrophobic while stifling communication. Does it have to be that way? Or, are there solutions that will make your workers feel less like 6 year olds who’ve been naughty? Why don’t we play off this idea of the cubicle as a timeout space and see what we come up with?

“Calm Down Corner” Cubicle

This alternative to the classic timeout has been popularized by shows like America’s Supernanny. Basically, the calm down corner isn’t intended as punishment. Instead, it’s a place for a stressed out, overstimulated toddler to reflect, regroup, and emerge in a better mood. For best results, it should be a locale that’s decorated and furnished to be as soothing as possible. For little kids, a parent might include objects like a favorite blanket, a coloring book, or a snow globe to shake. For adults, soft music played on headphones or a picture of a favorite vacation spot might be better. Give employees some leeway in decorating their cubicle so they have what they need to create a calming atmosphere.

Obviously, there are times when we grownups need to calm down at work. If we’re being honest, many of us would admit to hiding out in the bathroom to get a grip on our worst days. Ideally, a cubicle should serve as a sanctuary where your employees can really take a deep breath and have a little privacy. Accessories like the CubeGuard that let people know when a worker needs some space can be useful.

What about when employees are feeling great and ready to rejoin their coworkers? Some offices are catching onto the idea that not all employees do their best work in a cube all day. You might consider converting some cubicle space into open lounge areas where employees can sit and work without feeling so closed in all the time. Just make sure you have systems in place to measure productivity regardless of the environment in which your employees work.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Ken Wilcox

As a manager or business owner, you have a vested interest in keeping employee morale high. But you also bear responsibility for keeping the office facilities and furniture in good condition. Allowing employees to eat at their desks can lead to a number of problems:

• Stained upholstery or cubicle panel fabrics from sticky spills and soiled fingers
• Pests (roaches, ants, and even rats) attracted to food residue
• Bacteria on surfaces (the average desk is far dirtier than the average toilet seat)
• Coworkers complaining about offensive smells and sounds coming from adjacent cubes

It’s smart to have a written food and drink policy to minimize these issues. Here are a few things to consider when creating your policy:

• It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can reasonably make rules that state all snack foods must be stored in re-sealable containers to keep out pests. Or, you could state that all food items must be removed from workstations at the end of the day.
• Gently remind employees of good cubicle etiquette. Most stinky foods are ones that get heated up in a microwave (e.g. burnt popcorn). You might minimize complaints about smells by allowing only food items that don’t require warming or cooking to be consumed at workstations.
• Be prepared. If workers will be eating and drinking at their desks, provide a small container of wet wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer at each workstation. The easier it is for people to clean up after themselves, the more likely they are to do it. Have your janitorial staff wipe down every desk surface with sanitizing wipes during their rounds.
• Consider your available break room amenities, proximity and break times. If you have a rule that employees can’t eat at their desks, you need to make sure to provide an appropriate place and time for them to snack. The nicer and more convenient the break room is, the more likely your workers will spend their 10-15 minute break there rather than sneaking food back to their desk.

Image courtesy of Flickr user ryaninc

The trend of executives moving out of offices and into cubicles is continuing apace in a world where every aspect of corporate culture is under scrutiny. Businesses that want to leave behind the traditional hierarchical approach to management (at least in appearance) are seeing what it’s like to live in a cube farm. The idea is that having a CEO or VP working out in the open with employees:

• Boosts team morale and encourages collaboration by letting leaders set the tone through their example
• Makes executives approachable, ensuring employees bring good ideas to their attention
• Helps the C suite keep its finger on the pulse of the workforce, reducing dissatisfaction and heading off potential labor disputes
• Creates an atmosphere of transparency and equality (values that are prized in US culture but often sadly lacking in corporate America)
• Gives the company brand a lift and attracts top talent by making the organization seem like a great place to work

Not Just Another Cubicle

Of course, after the novelty of working in a cube wears off, executives are likely to start craving an upgrade. Here are some perks we envision for the “executive cubicle” of the future.

Location

Being centrally located seems like the logical choice for a leader who wants to stay in close touch with the workforce. However, the prized location for VIP cubicles is likely to be around the building perimeter. Here, there’s more privacy and perhaps even access to natural daylight and a nice view.

Size

Why settle for a 6×6 cubicle when you can have a roomy 8×10? A CEO has at least earned a little elbow room and maybe a nice wood finish worksurface. As long as the bigger cube is the same brand as everyone else’s, execs can still say they work in a cube just like their employees.

Side Chair

To be fair, an executive may need a bigger cubicle to ensure there’s enough space for an extra chair to seat employees and visitors. Of course, the execs would still need to use an empty meeting room or off site venues for one-on-one conversations of a sensitive nature. Those panels have ears!

Ergonomics

Dual monitors, articulated monitor arms, a fancy mouse, and a really, really comfortable office chair are sure to find a home in a VIP cube. No one would dare steal the boss’s ergonomic chair, would they?

Image courtesy of Flickr user Lorchaos

That sounds like the beginning of a riddle. But the answer is, “When it’s a Me Space”. That’s a fancy way of saying you get a cubicle that doesn’t share walls with any other cubes. Instead, each one is a free-standing mini-office. This British design from PearsonLloyd gives you the best of the cubicle world (privacy, sound dampening, and a feeling of being cocooned) without making you feel like you’re trapped in a maze. The gently curving walls may fool the eye into believing that this isn’t really just another box to put employees in.

Of course, the design does have some drawbacks. It would make running modern cabling/power lines impossible. You’d end up with a spaghetti mess of cords on the floor or dangling from the ceiling. The pods also aren’t very storage friendly – there’s no place to put anything. This is definitely a cubicle designed for an office where workers are expected to use a laptop. It would probably do well in a hot-desking environment where employers want to move away from the open office plan that provides zero privacy. But it’s not ready for the big-time when it comes to replacing real cubicles.

What do you think? Are these “Me Space” pods something that would appeal to you or your employees? Would you plant a few of these in an open office to see how they work? Share your thoughts in the comments.