Comments on: Workspace of the Week: An organized cubicle

By: Behind the photo

Behind the photo — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:45:54 +0000

http://behindthephoto.org/cubi.....creativity Here is what I think about cubicles.

By: Jay Dugger

Jay Dugger — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:08:43 +0000

No chair appears in the picture because I sat in it to take the photograph.

Photos and artwork existed on Flickr, the site open on the laptop’s screen, or at home.

Three clippings existed, pinned to the interior-facing wall, such that I alone could see them. See the image page on Flickr for details.

The “suitcase” holds company-issued tools.

K has it exactly right. I set everything set so I would need to pack one box and delete two directory trees at departure because the employer came from an aerospace company with a history of sudden lay-offs.

The lack of papers comes from a deliberate minimum-paper policy. Again, see the image page on Flickr for details.

By: Christian

Christian — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:28:35 +0000

Where’s the chair? Shouldn’t it actually look like you work? And bare walls mean no clutter, but nothing else either.

By: David

David — Sat, 24 May 2008 12:02:20 +0000

Based solely on the cubicle, I would not want to work with or for Jay.

By: Luxcat

Luxcat — Sat, 24 May 2008 02:49:05 +0000

Yep, my first reaction was “a small potted green low maintainence plant would help”. My sister in law once commented on my partners (very organized) desk and said “if you worked in my company the HR person would be calling you into the office to see why you were about to leave, you have nothing personal in here”. He added one photo and a framed newspaper clipping of interest and while he’s still one foot out the door, no one can tell.

By: bmcgre

bmcgre — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:59:57 +0000

There’s a very good reason this guys chair is gone…

By: K

Fri, 23 May 2008 21:04:04 +0000

It almost says ‘I’m a temp’ in a way. If there was a firing there, it would be less than one box to take to the exit!

For personality vs. clutter — uncluttered personality is something that has order and boundaries.

By: Cat

Cat — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:20:44 +0000

Personality = a few (IMHO, 3 max – that should cover partner/children/relatives) personal photos, a plant, maybe a piece of art. It’s called work for a reason – having a few special items makes your space welcoming and individual, but without sending the message that you’d rather be anywhere but there.

Clutter = if someone sat down at your desk and could put together your life story (or at least the story of your present life) with little effort.

By: Shay

Shay — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:12:03 +0000

I’m a cubicle worker myself, and this does strike me as a bit dreary. But I just have to wonder if the same group of people calling it “depressing” would complain about “clutter” if he had a few pictures and paraphernalia on the desk.

Andrew started to get to this in his post. Where do you all draw the line of personality vs. clutter? What’s sterile, what’s depressing, what’s clean?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:34:25 +0000

It’s borderline sterile. Tidiness is one thing, but where’s the character, the charm? You can have all that and still have a little clutter in your cubicle.

I work in a cube and if I didn’t have bits of my personality in it, I’d have jumped out the window a long time ago… wait a second, there aren’t any windows! *pulls hair out*

By: K

Fri, 23 May 2008 16:30:40 +0000

Oy, depressing. Just a nod in the ‘unorganized’ direction: there’s still airport tags on those bags!

By: Cat

Cat — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:01:36 +0000

Depressing but serious and quiet, and projects an air of focusing on work – I’d much prefer to have him as my neighbor than someone with loads of cat paraphernalia, mismatched junky, dusty picture frames, last week’s dying birthday flowers starting to smell, and enlarged copies of Cathy cartoons stuck to every cabinet door…

Curious what’s going on with the suitcase – was the photo taken before departing straight for vacation?

By: Cole

Cole — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:13:18 +0000

Yes, I agree. Wanted to give it praise but its just so “I can clean out my desk and be replaced by a drone in five minutes”.

By: Mer

Mer — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:04:44 +0000

I’ll give it a nom for “Most Depressing Workspace.”

By: One Bag Nation

One Bag Nation — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:40:25 +0000

This photo makes me so glad I don’t work in a cubicle!

I admire his tidiness, but I would encourage Jay to add some soul to his space with a photo, a plant, or some artwork – maybe all three.