Not Your Dad’s Office Cubicles. The Old And Stodgy Cubicles Are History.
Last week I stumbled on some old photos of my dad’s office from the 1970’s. I work in the office furniture world so I took particular notice (and had a good laugh) at the no-frills office cubicle. These photos featured grey fabric boxes, cream-colored metal cabinets and loads of clutter. Each desk featured a landline phone (front and center) surrounded by stacks of documents teetering on metal in/out boxes. Not to mention the visible USED ashtrays on each desk.
THEN
The 1970’s brought us the focused, hard-working employee. The everyday worker spent their hours adjacent to his or her coworkers while the boss sat in the corner office. The expectation was that employees worked – with no real thought to creature comforts or the office environment. You did your job. You went home to your family. And that was that. What would my dad think if he looked at today’s office setup compared with the office he used to work in? One thing is for sure – today’s office is NOT your dad’s office cubicle.
From new technology to ergonomic office furniture in Houston, the modern office has adapted in many ways to cater to employees’ needs and working styles.
How much has the workplace changed over the past 40 years?
NOW
Today’s office managers consider employee comfort as a primary factor with an office build-out. Gone are the days of the grey office box. Modern office cubicles are designed with collaboration in mind, featuring lower walls and brighter fabric. They are storage efficient and aesthetically create a more uplifting working environment. Goodbye claustrophobic bulkhead storage. Hello glass partitions allowing light to filter through. Offices have also decreased individual square footage for increased alternative, flexible public workstations.
More than ever, employees want to work in a space that offers comfort and flexibility. They take pride their business workspace. The office vibe is a huge factor when making employment choices. Take for instance, workstations like ROSI’s Synergy brand. These are built with an increased emphasis on individual needs and productivity. This new style is the ideal choice for businesses that want top-of-the-line workstations that will help to cultivate a modern aesthetic and attract (and keep) new talent.
Today’s office also recognizes the environmental impact of new office furniture in Houston. Many organizations choose to purchase remanufactured furniture from places like ReCube by ROSI. Remanufactured office cubicles offer brand new trim, panels, fabrics, work surfaces, storage options, and more, but cost 30 to 50 percent less than new alternatives. It’s a win-win for both the business and Mother Earth!
FUTURE
So, where does the office go from here? If you asked a worker from the 70’s what the “office of the future” would look like, I bet their best guess would be electric typewriters and cordless phones. To think that you could write documents with a tiny handheld computer while working at a treadmill desk was the stuff of science fiction.
There’s no telling what kind of changes we will see in another ten years. But one thing is for sure; tomorrow’s office will continue to embrace technology and employee choice. Offering workers varied workstations where THEY work best. Employers will need to adapt to the shifting needs of the workforce. The goal being to offer employee workplace comforts so much so that they want to stay awhile. Maybe we’ll even have those flying cars from the Jetsons? Who knows! At least we no longer have to worry about those ashtrays.
At ROSI, we’ve helped companies find solutions and save money for nearly 25 years. Our expertise and free space planning are available so you can achieve employee satisfaction and productivity along with cost-savings. Why not get everything you need? Contact us today.
