Being an executive doesn’t always mean you get a cushy corner office. In this economy, you may have to make do with a much less glamorous space. Executive cubicles may seem like an oxymoron, but you can actually set up a fairly nice space for yourself even in a crowded work environment. Here are some of the ways to set your cube apart from the crowd:
Super Size It
Manager cubicles are larger than entry level ones – and an executive model should be bigger still. Fortunately, panel systems are modular so you can easily join two of them together to make a “super cube”. Put in a couple of guest chairs to make it obvious that you really need the extra space for the high level networking you do. Also, if you can locate your cubicle near an exterior window, be sure to claim that prime piece of real estate.
Surface Appearances Are Important
You may not need to go all the way by paneling your cubicle walls with mahogany (like Jared Neilson did). However, a nice wood grain laminate or beautifully patterned textile is certainly reasonable. Hang an original art piece on the wall. Add an antique desk and lamp to finish out the cube.
Alexander Kjerulf, the Chief Happiness Officer over at the Positive Sharing website, has put together a terrific 
Based in Iowa, HON is an office furniture company with several manufacturing sites throughout the U.S. The HON cubicles line includes several workstation series including Abound and Simplicity. The 
Initiate 
The trend toward miniaturization hasn’t just impacted the computer chip industry over the last 20 years. Modern cubicles have also shrunk as employers seek to make the most out of their office real estate. According to a report from 
Canada’s National Research Council has done quite a bit of experimentation on this topic. Here are some of their findings for ways to increase employee satisfaction in a cubicle-based work environment:
Squeezing as many workers into a space as possible may seem like the best way to make use of expensive office real estate. However, there are other considerations besides square footage that make proper space planning essential from a budgeting and productivity standpoint. For one thing, the way you arrange a cubicle system affects the amount of wiring/cabling required. The orientation of the workstations within the office can increase or decrease the effectiveness of natural lighting and the flow of air. The direction an employee faces inside the cube also impacts the perceived size and privacy of the space provided.
In this example from the Compose line by Haworth, all employees are facing in one direction. Ventilation can be provided from a single angle (say, above and behind) to serve the entire group. Four workstations are combined to create a very stable structure.
These two U-shaped York workstations from Knoll share a central seating area to save space. Since the workers are facing away from each other, there is a greater sense of privacy. Storage can be shared or separate depending on the needs of the employees.
One of the most popular cubicle configurations for efficient electrical and data wiring is the 
The 
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are a frequent byproduct of the processes and materials used in creating office furniture. In some new cubicle systems, the adhesives or finishes used may release chemicals such as formaldehyde into the air for a while after installation. This process is called off gassing. Not everyone is highly sensitive to these chemicals, but those who are may have a number of problems unless they work in VOC free cubicles.
Greenguard is a national organization that measures the safety of green office furniture. Distributors of eco-friendly furnishings rely on this Indoor Air Quality certification to ensure the products they sell do not pose a health hazard. Greenguard’s exacting standards limit VOC and particle emissions to extremely low levels. All the components used in a manufacturer’s product line are tested – not just one or two. The website makes it simple to 
Are you doing research into which company makes the most environmentally friendly office cubicle? San Diego is one city that is working to get the word out about sustainable choices. You can find the 2005 “
Herman Miller is one of the top cubicle manufacturers to offer a customization option. They call this their COI (
In unusual cubicle news, this year is the 60th anniversary of the 
