Communications of the ACM
The Cubicle Is Back. Blame (or Thank) the Coronavirus
Credit: Getty Images
The cubicle is making a comeback.
As thousands of companies contemplate restarting operations, executives are weighing how best to reconfigure workspaces. Some companies are looking at high-tech approaches to enforce social distancing and track interactions, but one of the most important innovations may turn out to be cardboard or plastic dividers that turn open-plan offices into something more reminiscent of the 1980s.
"You're gonna see a lot of plexiglass," says Michael Boonshoft, a spokesperson for Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate company. "Having that divider will make people feel safer."
Cushman & Wakefield is importing innovations from offices it operates in China, where it has helped more than a million people return to work. It recommends rearranging desks and meeting room seating to ensure social distancing, having workers use disposable desk covers, and installing dividers between workspaces.
"Partitions are really hot right now," says Ben Waber, president and cofounder of Humanyze, a company that analyzes digital and physical communications between office workers to gauge productivity and collaboration. A key challenge will be balancing safety measures with opportunities for productive interactions, Waber says.
From Wired
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