The Cubicle Turns 40
by
Denise Morris
on Mar 19, 2008 at 6:07 PM
Apparently today is the 40th birthday of the cubicle. Umm ... woo hoo? 
For those of you who work in an office, you are probably familiar with the glory of the square, gray walls that surround you and your computer. But if you live in a sea of dull cubicles, no worries. Someone with way a lot of imagination has come up with the ultimate cubicle experience.
Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert cartoons, has created a fancy cubicle complete with a hammock, "boss monitor" and a flower that wilts when you leave. Basically, you'll be so busy exploring your new work space that you would never get any work done.
I appreciate Adams' creativity, though. Cubicles are dull, and we spend a lot of time in them each week. That's why I've tried to jazz mine up a bit. I've got fabric on the walls, lamps to help me avoid the harsh lighting and pictures of friends and family. I'm also one of the few that has an actual window -- it's a blessing and also let's me know what the crazy Colorado weather is up to.
Have you done anything to spice up your work space, or is it still pretty bland?
1. BDB had the following to say on Mar 19 at 6:31 PM:
A few years ago when I worked in a building with a small call center we noticed the proliferation of personal decorations. There was even someone growing some kind of spider-plant and "training" it to grow along the top of the cubicles with Scotch (TM) tape.
As a management team, we did discuss it. The other call centers didn't allow personal decorations. But we figured, hey, we're out-selling them...
2. Marc had the following to say on Mar 19 at 7:21 PM:
I never worked in a cubicle. The closest I ever got to a cubicle was sitting behind the "Front Desk" of my college's library as a student worker.
Oh, well. Happy birthday!
3. Lee McKusick had the following to say on Mar 19 at 9:19 PM:
Lifehacker.com is having their 2008 Coolest Cubicle contest. There's some pretty cool entries there. Definitely worth a look.
4. James had the following to say on Mar 19 at 10:31 PM:
Thinkgeek.com is a BRILLIANT place to go to to find stuff to spice up your cubicle.
I've worked to spice mine up without seriously cluttering it up with needless stuff. I brought in several little knick-knacks and cool things from my place that reflect my personality that fit wonderfully.
I have a scale LEGO boeing 787 sitting in my cube (SEVERAL co-workers have dropped by just to admire it), and 2 1/100th scale gundam models that I built a year or so ago that I did a good job on and have posed by my monitor, and I have a miniature replica of Squall's gunblade from Final Fantasy VII sitting right under my monitor.
I also change up my desktop background regularly. And, if there's any neat work-related articles I run across, I sometimes post them right outside my cubicle.
I don't get anything for my computer due to corporate policy stating that no devices or software not approved by IT may be connected to or installed on company computers. Which means screen-savers, preferred web browser, etc. The policy is in place for a good reason, so I don't muck with it. Though I do send myself cool background pics if I find them and they're in the public domain. I also snagged a hilarious dilbert video ("The Knack") that I have on my HDD.
I also keep my alma-mater coffee mug at my desk and displayed (and used for drinking the occasional cup of coffee).
I'm thinking of getting a digital photo frame and uploading various pics from my life in Phoenix and such and displaying it in my cubicle as well (since it wouldn't be hooked up to my computer, and I'd load the photos here at my apartment).
Alot of other co-workers do similar things: spicing up their cubes with small snippets and such of their lives outside of work. One co-worker has photos and such of his travels and hikes to various national parks (and displayed in some nice photo frames) in his cubicle, with photos of his wife and (grown) children.
Another co-worker posts last-week's dilbert comics from his dilbert calender outside his cube that makes for great daily reading when I pass by his cube.
The best thing to do is spice up your cubicle with things that reflect your personality, but keep it smart. Don't clutter your work area up unnecessarily. Nothing too big, or obnoxious. But photos, etc. are great things to add color and life to the cubicle.
Personally I like working in a cubicle. It allows me my own space to work, but also allows me to freely talk and network with co-workers around me instead of us all being confined in small offices and such. It feels quite open, while also providing needed privacy and isolation when focus is needed. Cube-decorating is a fun art to practice: it's a challenge, but rewarding as well.
5. dave had the following to say on Mar 19 at 10:33 PM:
um, I dont know about you guys but we call it a workstation...
6. Erin had the following to say on Mar 20 at 6:47 AM:
Yes, sitting in a cubicle right now. Even got lost in the cubicle maze the other day...everything looks the same, and office furnature dulls my natural sense of direction.
I keep pictures, a plant, and index cards with Bible verses up around my work area. Keeps me from going nuts, and also keeps my attitude in check. It's easy to harp on the cubicle, after all. Or to get stuck in a cubicle mindset - that I'm just supposed to stay in my space and everyone will stay out of mine. But that's not the case at all! Sure, I'm here to do a job for a company, but sharing the message of Christ is my primary job. And to do that I need to get out of my cubicle!
7. Rock had the following to say on Mar 20 at 7:53 AM:
I don't so much have a cubicle as much as I have a desk that faces the wall in an office of 5 people. To spice up my (engineering grad student) workspace, I've got my Great-Grandpa's (one of my heros) engineering license, some various engineering gadgetry, and a picture of our college ministry which I am a part of. I like my workspace.
8. kaj had the following to say on Mar 20 at 8:18 AM:
When I started out at my current job, I didn't have a cubicle. I shared a tiny space with up to two other temps, three (horizontal) file cabinets, and a bookshelf.
I had two computer workstations (a Mac and a PC), and not much room for personal expression.
But about a month ago, after some people left the company and a department moved to another floor, we had plenty of space so that I got a cubicle of my own at last. I have plenty of room and tons of storage, I'm next to the colleagues I work with the most, and I really enjoy having "my own space."
I guess my theme is "beachy." I have seashells and mementos from Australia, Micronesia, and Malaysia on my cube walls. Both my workstations have tropical beach wallpaper/desktop pictures. A beanbag crab guards one computer.
9. Melissa had the following to say on Mar 20 at 8:30 AM:
What I wouldn't do for the soft, grey fabric walls of a cubicle!
I'm a graphic designer for in the healthcare industry. I work in the basement (dungeon) level of a hospital (around the corner from the morgue...but that isn't the worst). My "office" consists of a corner of white cinderblock, a low ceiling, and 1980's furniture. Everyone who walks in remarks on my attempts to inject some life into the place, from the bright gerbera daisy prints, to my hand-painted flowers on canvas, to the vase of flowers in the corner. But even my feminine touches don't help the fact that the environment is soul-destroying to a creative person like me!! OH for a window... All of this on top of the fact that the larger office area resembles a warzone, with archaic machinery (MAC museum, anyone?), papers, rolls of paper, and various other junk piling up at the speed of sound. My coworker does not share my desire for tidy and organized spaces.
This week I even have some green on my desk, for I was asked to take care of our secretary's bamboo plant while she is away...in Mexico...in the sun...*sigh*
10. Jennifer E. Jones had the following to say on Mar 20 at 8:58 AM:
Cork boards are your friends. The bigger, the better. Load it up with pictures of your friends, so you can remember life on the outside.
I've had four office jobs. The first two were cubicles and I hated them. Now I've got a real office with a door that closes. Wouldn't have it any other way. Now if I could just get a window... :-)
11. dave had the following to say on Mar 20 at 9:16 AM:
cubicles... um, we prefer to call them workstations
12. Caleb S. had the following to say on Mar 20 at 9:25 AM:
I have several photos and posters on my wall and several random novelty toys on my second desk. I am fortunate enough to have an actual office space, despite my lowly position. It is still pretty bland though and no window either. That is one thing I wish I had.
13. rosabacio had the following to say on Mar 20 at 12:12 PM:
My cubicle has windows! Lucky me =)
I put up an Avon calendar with flowers and some pictures my friends little girls made for me. Those make me happy!
14. Leah had the following to say on Mar 24 at 11:12 PM:
dave, we heard you the first time. A workstation is not always a cubicle, however.