Are Your Cubicles Affecting Productivity?

Have you ever considered the idea that your cubicles could be hindering the productivity of your office? It may seem like a weird concept, that your cubicle configuration is affecting productivity, but it’s a very real situation. Most offices have a plug-and-play approach to their office cubicles; simply stuff the necessary amount of cubicles in a space and you’re done. What businesses may not know, however, is that selecting the perfect cubicle configuration can actually increase productivity, promote collaboration, and change the environment in which you work.

There are a number of different cubicle configurations to choose from. Let’s take a look at some of the top choices so you can learn which configuration best suites your office.

Bullpen 

A bullpen configuration is ideal for housing teams of employees that interact frequently throughout the day. A bullpen takes the shape of a giant “U”, with an open area in the middle to allow for collaboration. This type of cubicle configuration can be effective in areas where a team of employees need to communicate often as they can simply turn around to address a team member. Cubicle bullpens can help eliminate the need for employees to get up and walk around in order to communicate.

Cluster

A cluster of cubicles best represents the stereotypical office cubicle layout. Cubicles are aligned in rows and are all connected together, sharing a center spine. This type of layout is optimal in an area where you need to fit a large amount of cubicles in the space. Clusters of cubicles are ideal in account management style offices, because they provide a certain amount of privacy needed to conduct phone calls. Clusters are also one of the more inexpensive cubicle configurations, as the cubicles share supporting walls.

Low-Wall Cubicles

Low-wall cubicles are another style of cubicle that promotes collaboration amongst employees. This style of cubicle is general associated with a peninsula-style worksurface that runs from one cubicle to the next, forming a peninsula in the middle. This peninsula worksurface allows team members to meet in the middle and discuss work, almost like a mini conference area. Low-wall cubicles can create an open feel to the office as there are no walls blocking lines of site.

Privacy Cubicles

Privacy cubicles or high-wall cubicles generally have walls that extend up to 72 inches high to create an enclosed environment. This cubicle configuration is used in areas where employees are conducting calls that require a bit of extra privacy or they want to eliminate distractions that may be present around the cubicle.