The Cublicle Turns 40!
The cubicle is celebrating it’s 40th anniversary and chances are pretty good that you have worked in this type of environment at some point in your life. If you haven’t, well, consider yourself lucky. Although the cubicle is a cheap and easy way to reconfigure space and creates a little bit of privacy for members of the rat race, it can be as frustrating as working in a maze. There are often no windows and people think that just because you can’t see them, that you can’t hear them, either. False. I used to hear all kinds of things in my cubicle at a previous job because I was right by the stairs. It’s funny how people feel that if they say something on their way out the door - whether in confidence to a co-worker or under their breath - that the comment exits with them. No, not true. I also hated seeing the over-personalized cubicles of some fellow employees. You can convey your interests and personality through your calendar, your mug, maybe posting your child’s latest drawing, but there’s no need to go overboard. This isn’t your bedroom and you’re probably not thirteen (even if you still feel like you are).
Have you heard the James Blunt parody entitled “My Cubicle”? Click HERE to see one of many hilarious videos posted on YouTube. What has been your experience with the cubicle? Share your love or hate of this forty year-old invention by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below. Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is MYCUBICLE. It’s valid until July 24th.
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Lucky me, I have a semi-open work area. Notice the resemblance to a beehive, say hi to the drones from your nice booth Carly.
Carly’s Note: Jeff and Andrew say “Hi” back!
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I hate **** cubicles. What **** for brains **** thought that putting people in **** boxes was such a brilliant **** idea?
….edit your brains out
Carly’s Note: Done!
July 22nd, 2008 at 5:40 pm
My guinea pig cubicle mate has been my biggest challenge/experience…
yes, the grunting is back in living colour. As we’ve established, noises like smacking when you’re eating and so on bug the bejeebers out of me, so you can imagine what THAT noise is doing to me. I think I’ve worn down my teeth a couple of mm’s…Her a/c apparently quit and her husband, evil swine, had a fan on and snort, snort, grunt, grunt…she’s baaaaaaack. What a delicate flower…Give me strength. The good thing is we’re moving back down to the first floor in August, and I get my OLD space back to myself. I loved that area. Can’t wait to go back to it. See, there’s always a silver lining. *Rant mode off* Have a good night!
Carly’s Note: They say you can never go home again. Or is it absence makes the heart grow fonder?
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Hey Carly,
I worked in one years ago. YUCK
It’s enough to make a sane person go bonkers, lol.
I’d rather serve coffee at Timmy’s than ever be in one of those again.
Just wanted to say thank you for the bonus codes each day. We can always depend on you for updating your blog, with interesting stories I might add.
Carly’s Note: Thanks, Claire! I love how you post this note just as I take a day off to spend time with my parents.
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Hey Carly
I sure hope one of those isn’t your office! LOL
I’ve been fortunate and can say that I’ve never had to experience that type of working environment…it would most definitely drive me nuts though! Thanks for the points.
Cheers!
Carly’s Note: As you enjoy the points, I’m enjoying the view in my non-cubicle work environment.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:12 am
Thanks for the bonus code Carly ! Having worked only in cubicles, no office with a door for this peon, I have become very adept at tuning out background chatter from cubicle neighbors, so it always boggles my mind when I am on the phone with a client and they suddenly ask if someone is in my office talking to me ? I will literally turn around to look if someone else is in my cube ! My favorite decoration is a Dilbert cartoon my son blew up and framed for me, the dialogue goes like this;
” Someday I’d like to see your office.” ” It’s a cubicle mom” ” What’s a cubicle ?” ” Imagine the most beautiful place on earth..” ” Okay, I’ve got it.” ” Now, imagine you can never go there because you work in a box.”
Carly’s Note: I love Dilbert! That comic strip has nailed life in a cube farm.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:38 am
Hi Carly,
3 years ago i lost my office and was given a cubicle instead. I don’t mind too much because the theory is that i am supposed to be on the road most of the time anyways(i’m in S&M-sales & marketing not well you know).
It has been a large adjustment as when i am in the office i no longer have any privacy so i totally sympathize with people who work in cubicles all day everyday.
Yes and over-decoration drives me nuts too! It’s like they’re saying “here’s a sample of my interesting life” or “here’s a whole gallery of my kid’s art work.” I agree with you. One or two photos adds a personal touch but some people go crazy. The only personal touches i had were one or two family pictures and my football helmet coffee mug.
Have a great day.
Carly’s Note: Any kind of public decorating should be about subtlety. As for the phone, I hope you don’t have to make any cold calls from your cubicle. Nothing worse than everyone hearing you get hung up on!
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I fall under the ‘lucky’ category, having managed to avoid office work for the majority of my life. My career has been somewhat multifaceted, (retail clerk, reporter, warehouse labour, security, actor, web admin) but I’ve managed to avoid any long-term cubicle habitation. Go me!
I don’t know if I could handle it, so perhaps it’s all for the better.
I do, however, think it’s an interesting commentary on our society that someone is keeping track of the cubicle’s birthday. Hmmmm…
-S.B.
Carly’s Note: I’m surprised no one has coined the phrase “going cubicle”, like “going postal”. I’ll bet you it happens a lot, but stress gets blamed instead.
July 24th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Going cubicle, I can see that happening. I mean, we’re hearing about Cart-Rage, so anything is possible nowadays. Can’t we all just get along?
Carly’s Note: You just wait until I go radio on someone’s *ss!
July 25th, 2008 at 9:12 am
The one thing that sticks out in my mind is back on the old WKRP show when Les Nesmen would have tape on his floor to represent where walls should be. Cubicles pretty much do the same as tape when it comes to creating the illusion of privicy or one’s own “space”
Carly’s Note: So what you’re saying is that cubicles are inefficient and futile.