Proper cubicle configuration can be the difference between a happily functioning office and an erratic one. When planning how to lay out your office cubicles, there are four major factors you need to consider. By properly thinking about formation, function, storage and safety, you will be able to create a cubicle office that properly reflects your working environment.
Formation is a critical aspect of cubicle configuration and must take into account the space available and the number of cubicles needed. You must know how much space each cubicle will take up and how much office space you have in order to determine the number of cubicles in your configuration. Another factor necessary in calculating cubicle layout is the number of employees you have. Knowing these elements will let you estimate the ratio of utilized floor space to free space. The amount of free space will determine how creative you can get with configuration.
Another important element of cubicle configuration is your working environment. If your office values on-the-fly communication and employees constantly are having to shout to coworkers or are having to run quickly to another cubicle, a tightly clustered formation might be beneficial to productivity. If, however, your office values quiet and privacy in order to get work done, a more isolated setup could be necessary. Working with your number of employees and available space, you can arrange the cubicles accordingly. Accessories such as cubicle panels can be put up or taken down in order to compensate for space limitations in an office.
Planning is another important phase of proper cubicle configuration. It is important to account for space and communication, but you also must leave some empty spaces. Employee numbers can fluctuate frequently, so leaving empty spaces or building unoccupied cubicles will keep you from having to reconfigure every time a new employee is brought in. Storage spaces for files and extra equipment also must be considered. Properly planning for electrical and phone lines is essential to the creation of a functional cubicle layout as well.
Finally, it is important to study local building codes when planning a cubicle configuration. For the safety of employees, there usually are requirements for offices to have a certain amount of walkway space. Many laws also require that a specific number of fire exits are accessible, so it is important that your formation not block any of these exits and result in a violation.
