I first encountered the Merkin 'cubicle' concept at BT and was appalled at what I saw. I have seen them at a couple of other sites since. Other than that, most of my experience was in Dilbert cartoons.
However, here is the link to the Worst Cubicle in the World (i.e. USA) 2009 Finals. You have until Friday to vote for which you think is the worst.
What bugs me is that some of those 'cubicles' are far nicer than anywhere I have worked in 20-odd years, including when I was permie and manager of 18 staff.
For example, see this photo of an ICL DRS20 with two workstations. Take the desk away and put one of those workstations on the pair of lumps under the desk. That was my desk for my first six weeks in my second permie job, as an Analyst Programmer for a national corporation. My chair was in the gangway; I had to get up every time someone wanted to go anywhere. I only got moved to sharing a table when I realised I could reset the system with my knee 'by accident' whenever it suited me. So I did. Frequently.
Cubicle? Bloody luxury!
However, here is the link to the Worst Cubicle in the World (i.e. USA) 2009 Finals. You have until Friday to vote for which you think is the worst.
What bugs me is that some of those 'cubicles' are far nicer than anywhere I have worked in 20-odd years, including when I was permie and manager of 18 staff.
For example, see this photo of an ICL DRS20 with two workstations. Take the desk away and put one of those workstations on the pair of lumps under the desk. That was my desk for my first six weeks in my second permie job, as an Analyst Programmer for a national corporation. My chair was in the gangway; I had to get up every time someone wanted to go anywhere. I only got moved to sharing a table when I realised I could reset the system with my knee 'by accident' whenever it suited me. So I did. Frequently.
Cubicle? Bloody luxury!
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