This essay as told is based on a transcribed conversation with Jennifer Moore, 43, of Salt Lake City, about her experience working in different office spaces. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I was a summer intern with a small office in a hallway when my career began in 2003.
There was another intern who had her own cubicle with high walls that looked like a mini office. I absolutely loved my makeshift workspace, but I’ll be honest: I was jealous. It felt like I was an afterthought.
I spent 10 years in financial services, working in high-walled, open-plan offices, eventually having my own office. I also spent 10 years at B2B technology and software-as-a-service companies, where there are only open office projects.
Cabins are good for deep work and privacy, but they can be isolating
I found that the real cube farm – with four high walls and a door – can be very useful for in-depth work and for conducting short one-on-ones.
I think privacy is another benefit. In 2006, while working at Wells Fargo, I received an email informing me that someone I was very close to in high school had died. I remember having a very strong reaction. My colleagues heard me but didn’t necessarily see me burst into tears. It was a blessing to have a little more privacy at that time.
The downside of the cabins is that they were somewhat insulating. There was no sun. The managers and executives all had fantastic offices with windows, making it immediately clear who the big bosses were.
Moore liked the privacy of the cabins, but also found them isolating. Courtesy of Jennifer Moore.
Having my own office was depressing and heartbreaking
Having your own office is associated with prestige and privacy, but my first experience was horrible.
In 2015, I thought I had arrived. I had officially become a product manager at a financial services company and was given my own office with a door. I had a furniture budget and everything, but I was absolutely miserable.
There was no natural light, only dim fluorescent lights, so I tried to get out in the sun every day. There was no foot traffic in my neighborhood because it was on a strange corner. It was isolating – I could go a whole day without seeing or talking to anyone if I wanted.
It was really depressing and heartbreaking.
One thing I will say is that at the time I was doing physical therapy and it was really nice to be able to close the door and close the shade on my little window so I could do stretches in privacy.
I’ve learned that the overall work environment is more important to me than whether or not I have my own office.
You can say you believe in teamwork and collaboration, but if you haven’t designed an office space that encourages this, people will struggle to embrace it on a daily basis.
I think open office plans are the clear winner because they allow for different types of work
After leaving my previous company in December 2023, I decided to focus full-time on my own consulting business.
Moore works on his own consulting business. Courtesy of Jennifer Moore.
I work in a coworking space for a company I consult for. It features an open floor plan with multiple conference rooms, phone booths, and lounge areas.
I think open office plans are the clear winners in a modern workplace, but their weaknesses should be increased by using cubicle design aspects that allow for areas of privacy and different types of work.
Managers always need confidentiality. At one place I worked recently, an executive had regular one-on-one meetings in the open lounge area, and several people commented on how distracting it was to hear highly detailed information discussed on a daily basis. personal.
In open-concept plans, you can find spaces for deep work, collaboration, and large and small meetings. They may have soundproof booths in a hallway for added privacy. Cabins take up so much space, making it difficult to create these options.
Another benefit of open floor plans is natural light. I’ve noticed that in newer buildings, everyone has access to sunlight, not just senior executives and their office leaders.
businessinsider
