The Right Cubicle

By DBA4HR

Cubicles.  That’s what awaits everyone when they graduate from college.  If you are working already, then you know all about them.  The cubes are usually an 8X10 square area, a little bit bigger if you are a manager and above.  This provides workers an illusion of their own private space.  

Cube designers offer companies many different types and styles of cubicle walls.   There are ones with 5 –6 feet walls and then there are the 3 feet walls.  As you can imagine, the 5-6 feet walls provide more privacy or so you think.  There are always those co-workers who like to “gophered” to see what you are doing.  “Gophering” is the act of a person sticking their head above the cubicle walls to see what people in other cubes are doing.  This is similar to gophers sticking their head outside holes on the ground.  Gophering is quite annoying as the little privacy that you have disappears.  Sometimes you wish you can get a hammer and knock those heads back down similar to the gopher games that one might find at the arcades.

The 3 feet wall cubicle farm.  Companies shouldn’t even waste money on these.  You can see everyone and what their doing.  There is no privacy.  You can see your neighbors nonchalantly picking their ears or worse yet, picking their nose.  I know some of you might think picking your nose is a sport, but please do it in your own home.  I don’t want to know how far your finger goes up your nose or how far you can fling your boogers.

So what’s the purpose of writing about cubicles?  In the corporate world, you are expected to work and labor continuously while you are on the clock.  The company expects it.  Your bosses all expect it.  The fact is if you actually have to do that much work you are either A) inefficient or B) you are working in a third world sweatshop.  So what is an efficient and hardworking person to do while waiting for the end of the workday without appearing to be like a valetudinarian waiting for end to come. 

First of all, it all starts with the right cube.  If you are lucky to choose your own cube, make sure you choose the cube that is furthest from any major foot traffic.  People are by nature nosy, so they will have tendency to want to know what you are doing.  If they can’t see you, then they won’t know what you are doing.  Position yourself in the cube in such a way that you can see all oncoming traffic.  This will provide you with ample time to pretend like you’re doing some real work.  If you don’t have the luxury of choosing your own cube, then at least try to do the latter and position yourself properly.  Besides, according to Chinese feng shui, it is bad karma to have one’s back facing the entrance. 

While in your cube, here are other methods to help to look busy.  On your monitor, always have actual work related screens open.  Then if you want to browse the web, just open a single window.  If someone is coming, you can quickly hide your browser underneath everything else.  Example is below:  where is my browser?

Here other techniques also:

1)      Do not cleanup your desk.  Have stacks and stacks of paper on top of your work area.

2)      Position desk lamps in strategic positions so that you will be able to see people approaching you from all angles.  We are not talking about brightness here; we are talking about the reflections from its surfaces.  Mirror will do also, but it’s too conspicuous.

3)      Learn to recognize your bosses’ footsteps.  Most people tend to have distinctive footstep pattern.  When you hear them coming, you can always pretend that you are busy.  After all, they are the ones that you are trying to impress.

4.)  Learn and recognize people’s your bosses’ tendencies.  Some people always like to go to lunch at 12 or take a break at 3.  At those times you can be a little bit more at easy or do your own thing.