Monthly Archives : September 2013

If you are in market for office cubicles, you’ve probably noticed a wide disparity in cubicle height and size. For some office managers, the design of a cubicle shows the level of the person sitting in it – much like the coveted corner office, a large, high walled cubicle could be considered the pinnacle of success.

However, the smart office designer will look at the individual tasks meant to be performed by cubicle dwellers, and create a workspace where cubicle wall height is determined by efficiency, not hierarchy.

Low cubicle walls are typically 42 inches high, which allows co-workers to see and talk to each-other while seated. Rather than seeing this setup as one that is cheap and therefore appropriate for employees who are low on the corporate ladder, look at this type layout as particularly valuable for teams who need open collaboration and a free flow of information and ideas. Spontaneous brainstorming sessions or informal meetings are a snap, and don’t require removal of the team to a conference room.

Medium height cubicles (53 inches high) are standard fare for offices where worker bees sit on the phone all day providing customer service or working sales calls. Employees can still see and communicate with co-workers by simply stand up. The greater modicum of privacy afforded can be attractive if workplace distractions are hindering the quality of customer care. An added benefit of medium height cubicle walls is that it encourages employees to stand up occasionally and stretch their legs while seeking out social interaction.

High walled cubicles (66 inches high) used to be considered a stand in for that corner office – the “luxury suite” reserved for the head honcho. However, not all executives thrive in the more secluded workspace.This type of cubicle might be more suited to the worker who truly needs the isolation and privacy to be productive – the programmer sequencing code, the writer on a deadline, or the sales executive closing the biggest deal in company history.

Stop looking at cubicle height as a way to separate low level employees from executives, and instead focus on productivity. Using cubicle extenders can allow you to alter cubicle height at will, so a changing office demographic can always be best served no matter what kind of work the occupants may be involved in.

An important thing to remember about workstation privacy is that sometimes you can sacrifice too much for a feeling of protected solitude. Using privacy screens and panel extenders can help increase employee focus, but other factors can decrease efficiency if the concept is taken overboard.

For example, in offices with solid cubicle walls and a fixed height, artificial lighting may be the only option. If your building offers opportunities for natural daylight, a revamp of workspaces may be needed to boost employee morale and let them take advantage of real light.

Cubicle height extension panels should be no higher than 42 inches. The maximum amount of daylight can then reach internal areas of the space, and occupants can have a more natural view.

If the loss of privacy that comes with lower wall heights is an issue, consider using   removable cubicle wall extensions that can be used when more privacy is needed. You can also alter the direction in which each worker faces, to create a further feeling of privacy.

How do you incorporate new ideas into your workspace? Share your secrets to a more welcoming cubicle environment in the comments.

Why should your office depend on a cubicle layout rather then the trendier “open office design”? Two words – workplace distractions.  Although open office layouts have dominated office design style for several years, studies reinforce the fact that having a private space to work in increases employee productivity and satisfaction!

The most common source of distraction in open office designs is background noise. Even an overall noise level of just 55-60 dBA can cause major deterioration in employees’ ability to concentrate.”  The four culprits most likely to cause strife are ringing telephones, conversations between co-workers or between a coworker and a party on the other end of a phone, keyboard clacking, printer or computer noise, and sounds from outside.

Many office managers are prompted to tell new employees “You’ll get used to it”, but the opposite is actually true – many employees become more annoyed and distracted by excessive background noise the longer it goes on.

Converting from an open office design to a cubicle layout by using panel extenders and cubicle height extensions can greatly increase employee’s sense of privacy and reduce the amount of noise from adjoining co-workers and common spaces.

In addition to using panel extenders and privacy panels to give each employee their own sound baffled workspace, creating quiet areas away from noisy equipment and other people allows for serious phone calls, focused programming tasks or writing work. Printers and copiers can be relegated to a separate area so the noise they make is less distracting, noise cancelling headphones can be provided to employees on request, and phones chosen that have adjustable ringtones that are less obnoxious than standard default.

The conversion from open office to cubicle format may not be instantly accepted by employees, but as long as open common areas and comfortable break rooms are maintained to get employees “out of the box” during breaks and lunchtimes there should be a short adjustment period followed by acceptance and embracing of the new layout.

Overall, cubicles cut down on distraction in the workplace and will improve overall efficiency and employee morale. Consider trading in your open office design for a more practical layout, and cut down on constant distractions throughout the day without making workers feel overly boxed in.

It’s Friday again, and that means it’s time to talk about workstation privacy.

When workspace is shared, how do you keep your private life private? Do you simply refrain from having items like personal photos of family vacations displayed? Do you lose the freedom to express your individuality? Or do you find yourself in a battle for dominance with a co-worker whose personality spills over and stamps the rest of the office?

Managers, how do you deal with disputes over decorating workstations? Is it anything goes, or work related stuff only? Have you discussed with your onsite employees how their workstations could be made more inviting? You can use a variety of tools, including panel extenders and privacy screens, to divide areas in the office and create a unique user-space for each employee.

Have you ever had an unhappy incident at work that hinged on your personal life being ion display at your workstation? Tell us about it in the comments.

A cubicle that isn’t sufficiently sheltered from the bustle and roar of a busy office can lead to increased inefficiency and worker frustration. Using cubicle wall extenders to help dampen the sound of the printer on the other side of the wall or the foot traffic from the corridor can improve employee concentration and decrease the  annoyance levels significantly.

However, cubicles that are too tall and closed in can lead to severe feelings of isolation and even depression. The best route is to carefully analyze the needs of each worker as well as those of their adjoining cubicle dwellers, and create spaces that work for all concerned instead of depending on cookie cutter sameness.  Fortunately, you can make cubicle walls taller in a variety of increments, expanding the possibilities for custom workplace design.

Stair stepping cubicle wall extenders placed as shown above increase quiet and privacy directly in front of the worker, while allowing her to not feel boxed in. The stepped down height of the cubicle wall as it extends behind her and off to her right creates a feeling of open space while still providing privacy and a secluded work station.

Allowing each employee to help “create” their own workplace is simple when using cubicle wall extenders. Does the six foot five employee in the next cubicle keep laughing at someone in the other end of the phone? A taller height extension can help block him out. Do two employees seated opposite each other have to keep running around the corner to consult? Choose a lower cubicle wall add on so they still have privacy but can see each-other over the top of the cubicle wall.

Developing a high efficiency cubicle environment takes a keen sense of what is working and what isn’t and the ability to balance the needs and preferences of co-workers. Creating a workplace design that promotes employee satisfaction and contentment is just as important as increasing productivity. Cubicle wall extenders can be an important part of the office layout process, but must be combined with a good hard look at inter-office dynamics and traffic flow within workplace to be truly effective.

It’s Friday, which means we are open for discussion once again on the topic of workstation privacy. Today, let’s talk about the infamous at work personal phone call.

Short of banning personal phones from the workplace (difficult when so many employees use their phones for work AND play), keeping a lid on the abuse of workplace phone privileges can be tough. In the cubicle environment, it can be even harder to maintain professionalism and privacy, even with cubicle wall extenders and privacy screens.

Allowing a quiet space for workers to make personal calls (a cubicle with extra privacy panels set up in the corner away from the main grouping) can help. It makes it fairly obvious to the manager who is spending too much time on non-work-related phone calls, but gives workers better privacy when they do have to deal with sensitive situations while at work.

Have you ever had an issue with a co-worker intruding into your life as the result of an overheard phone call? Tell us about it!

The age of the cubicle is definitely here to stay, but not every employee adores the office in a box feel. How can an office manager make everyone’s work-space feel like their own sanctuary, and still maintain effective use of square footage?

Cubicle wall extenders can solve the problem of people popping up in their cubicles every five minutes to gossip. They can create a more private area for each employee, cut down on extra noise, and prevent employees from becoming frustrated with neighbors who don’t have a concept of work-friendly environments.

However, cubicle wall height extension is only the first step. It can be extremely beneficial if each employee understands proper office etiquette, so they can co-exist peacefully with everyone else in the office. These tips can be circulated in a memo, or posted in the break room as a reminder.

Don’t Just Drop In

While it’s tempting to slide a rolling chair across the skinny aisle and into a co-worker’s cubicle to ask a question, it night not be the best time for the receiving party. Tell workers to email instead, and to ask via phone for a face to face if one is really needed.

Smell No Evil

Strong colognes, perfumes and deodorizing sprays or air fresheners don’t stay right where they are sprayed. Remind employees to consider of others when using such products, and consider non-spray products when appropriate to cut down on communal air contamination.

Keep it Clean

Individuality should certainly not be quashed by management – but in case brass drops by, each employee should understand what is and is not appropriate for cubicle display. Pictures of family and children – fine. Pictures of a night in Vegas – not so much. The company professional brand should be kept in mind at all times.

Crank it Down

Headphones are the best friend of the cubicle worker – they can allow music to be played without disturbing other workers and can keep private phone calls off of the speakerphone. Is an employee taking a break or making a personal call? Consider asking them to step outside or to the break room. No-one wants to hear the details of their latest trip to the doctor.

While increasing cubicle wall height can make each employee feel a little more sheltered, these tips can also improve inter-office relations and keep things running smoothly.

We’ve gotten lots of great feedback on how to manage office privacy in a cubicle environment. Tomorrow we’ll take a look at how office managers can help improve the quality of the workplace. Today, though, lets talk about how to handle the “Office Meerkat”.

They are usually obvious – that one worker who can’t keep his or her head down for more than a minute before popping up to scent the air for hints of gossip or excitement. They are so happy to see another friend to chat with – and telling them “Not right now” can feel harsh.

However, these jolly folk can completely derail productivity, and should be dealt with. A kind but firm “I’m really in the zone right now – can we chat at lunch?” may have to be repeated a few times before it sinks in – but don’t give up. They can be trained to behave if everyone else is consistent.

Does your workplace have an “office meerkat”? What do you do about people popping up in their cubicles every time something happens? Tell us your tricks for deflecting noisy or bored co-workers and keeping these workplace distractions from disrupting your flow.