Today, the trend may be changing again. A few companies are making a point of purchasing larger cubicles to give employees a little more elbow room. Many more are focusing on enhancing comfort without actually increasing cubicle size. It appears that 6×6 cubicles can be perceived as reasonably spacious if an effort is made to use smart design.

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:

• Arrange workstations so that as many workers as possible are near an exterior window or have one in their line of sight.
• Use lower panel heights and pale color schemes to increase the penetration and reflection of natural light into the workspace.
• Install lamps in each cubicle so employees can control light levels with their own dimmer switch.
• Specify acoustic cubicle panels that are higher than the heads of seated employees.
• Arrange workstation entrances so they are not facing high-traffic areas.
• Check cubicle layout to ensure that ventilation is even and there are no uncomfortable drafts.

The NRC does recommend increasing cubicle size as one possible strategy to achieve better acoustic privacy. However, they also point out that the use of noise masking technology can serve a similar purpose. All in all, most of their recommendations can be implemented in an office setting where 6×6 cubicles are used. And, you can discuss all of these issues with our consultants during a free office design planning session.

Quad Station

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.

Double U

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.

Spine

One of the most popular cubicle configurations for efficient electrical and data wiring is the spine setup. Workers can sit facing each other along a single work table for greatest space savings. Panels and workstations can be added along the spine to create separate cubicles in a less collaboration-oriented environment.

Honeycomb

The Resolve system from Herman Miller is an example of one of the newer cubicle layout designs. It uses 120 degree joints to create honeycomb shaped workstations. These give employees a sense of having more room while actually conserving space. They can be set up along a zig-zag spine or arranged in clusters.

What’s The Big Deal?

According to the EPA, acute exposure to VOCs can cause immediate reactions such as nausea, fatigue, headaches, rashes, and breathing difficulties in sensitive individuals. Long term exposure to chemicals may compromise immune response. This can increase the occurrence of the common cold, allergy attacks, flu and other ailments.

Again, not every employee will experience these symptoms. Plus, it can be hard to track down exactly what is causing such problems – especially since sensitive individuals often have similar health issues from exposure to chemicals at home.

However, as employers become more health conscious by promoting wellness programs, it makes sense for them to also look at the entire work environment for areas that can be improved for all workers. If your cubicle systems have been in place for years, they are no longer off gassing and are not a matter for concern. However, VOCs are something you might want to think about when it is time to purchase brand new cubicles.

Choose Greenguard Certified Low VOC or 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 search for products by type or manufacturer. Besides increasing indoor air quality, these items may also help you earn credits for LEED certification.

This is borne out by the impressive list of suppliers who now offer green cubicle choices for consumers. Check out pages 5-7 for a breakdown of how the major players measure up on 4 different criteria:

Waste Minimization – the use of recycled materials, managed forestry, and waste recapturing technology

Toxicity – what types of adhesives are used in wood composites and to attach laminates

Air Pollution – whether products are powder coated, VOC free, and/or Greenguard certified

Sustainability – if reusable packaging is used in transportation and if products can be recycled or refurbished

Some of Herman Miller’s suggestions for custom printing include branding cubicles with a logo or signage/directions to help visitors navigate a large workspace. Screens can also be customized with promotional text or images, the company’s mission statement – even inspirational quotes to boost worker morale. The only restriction is that you must own the copyright or have permission to use any artwork that you want custom printed by Herman Miller.

Thomas was one of only 3 survivors out of 83 passengers and crew on board the unfortunate flight. He sustained significant injuries while the other two survivors walked away virtually unscathed. At that time, it was one of the worst air disaster that had ever occurred. As you can imagine, Thomas has not flown again in the 6 decades since his harrowing experience. Those of us working safely in our office cubicles today can be thankful that our feet are planted firmly on the ground!

For example, office-suites.com has a list of 10 places employers can rent existing cubicle space over the short or long term. Office Suites staff members James, Chris, and Simon give gripping reviews of these buildings such as “I would love to work in this office” and “This is a good location for an office”. The category tags are intriguingly cryptic as well. Why are some of the listings tagged as “vanilla”? Inquiring minds want to know.

Overall, the descriptions leave something to be desired when it comes to detail. Beyond a short list of amenities, there’s not much to go on. So, an on-site tour would definitely be required to make a real assessment of the qualities of each location and whether or not the cubicles are in good condition.

The Clone Difference

These manufacturers advertise their products as being just like the real thing at a significant discount off OEM pricing. They also claim that their cube parts are fully compatible or interchangeable with those of name brand manufacturers such as Herman Miller. This would theoretically allow a company with a current fleet of HM workstations to add on cloned cubes without paying full price for an actual Herman Miller product. That’s a tempting prospect for employers who are faced with a tight budget for office space planning and provisioning.

Of course, any patented office cubicle’s design features would not be duplicated in the clone (if the cloner doesn’t want to be sued).  In addition, cubicle cloning companies admit that shoddily constructed overseas replicas of mid-grade furnishings have given their industry a reputation for poor quality materials and workmanship. Many U.S. clone dealers are now providing extensive guarantees and warranties to build trust with their client base.

What’s In a Name?

There is no question that some of what you pay for when purchasing new cubicles from companies like Haworth, Steelcase, and HM is the name tag. Of course, these companies have earned their reputation for extremely high quality and durability. It is certainly possible that some of these features can be duplicated by less well known manufacturers and reasonably sold at a lower price. This is something purchasers must evaluate on a case by case basis.

Cloned vs. Refurbished

Cloned cubicles are advertised starting at 25-35% less than new, name brand office cubicles. Design features and materials are promised to be similar to the OEM products. This is in contrast to a cost savings of up to 50% for an actual name brand cubicle that has been restored to like-new condition. Ask yourself this question: Which would you rather spend your money on – a brand new KIA or a certified, pre-owned BMW?

Is it genius? Is it evil? Perhaps it is simply evil genius. The opinions of the commentators fall into 3 basic categories:

• The pranksters should be ashamed for being mean and for having too much time on their hands
• This joke is hilarious and hopefully the intern has a good sense of humor
• That looks like my first desk when I worked at (fill in the blank) corporation

Fortunately, employers really don’t have to take office space planning to this type of extreme. They can simply contact Cubicles Office Environments for a no-charge consultation about how to make the most of what they have.

There are literally only 3 pages. One page tells you how to put together the base, the next explains how to connect the panels together, and the third one covers hanging the shelving. That’s it! If you want to delegate installation to your maintenance department but don’t trust your team to read the instructions carefully, don’t worry. The diagrams are very informative. These lightweight panels may not be soundproof, fireproof, or waterproof; but they are basically foolproof!

What About Desks?

This panel system can be installed around your existing desks. It’s very versatile and can actually be used to build free-standing partitions as well. Want to purchase Maxon cubicles that include work surfaces? The manufacturer’s Series 1000 and 2000 desks are compatible with Verse. They can be fastened to the panels with brackets for greater overall stability. This keeps the panels from “creeping” across the floor if they are bumped.

Flexibility Is Key

Panels can also be attached to nearby walls if desired. Either way, they are still easy to take down and reconfigure at a moment’s notice. This can be especially helpful if your business is expanding and you need to add new stations quickly. It also means you can rearrange the panels to create collaborative areas of any size for team projects. Or, you might choose to move all your Maxon cubicles to one side to create an open learning environment for the occasional training seminar.

With the easy extensibility provided by the Verse design, you can even give an employee an instant promotion by resizing his/her cubicle with an extra panel width. You may also use these portable panels to separate two coworkers who can’t stand each other. The only limit is your imagination!