The workplace evolved from a linear, Taylorist factory model to a more open-plan layout with a focus on ergonomics and wellbeing. The 90s saw the introduction of a new generation of technology and working practices including hot-desking, telecommuting and a shift towards collaboration.
Modular furniture systems like Action Office II helped to spawn the cubicle farm, but with more freedom and privacy for employees.
The 1920s
Before COVID-19, offices were primarily designed to be functional. Workers’ performance and productivity were directly proportional to time spent at their desks in the office. Managers relied on this metric to determine whether or not their employees were effective in the office.
The 1920s brought changes to workspaces largely due to financial and efficiency considerations and the proliferation of new technology, including electrical lighting (a cheaper alternative to gas lamps), calculators, typewriters and phones/telegraphs for communication as well as office space for rent. As a result, skyscrapers were built to accommodate larger workforces in a given amount of space, and open-plan offices with glass walls became popular.
Frederick Taylor influenced the workplace of this era with his “universal offices,” in which managers worked in private offices and rank-and-file employees were in open bullpens. But the 1950s saw a more significant change, with air conditioning, windows and fluorescent lighting driving the shift to “cubicles,” which were semi-enclosed work spaces of varying heights. The Johnson Wax building by Frank Lloyd Wright was a pioneer of this style, and held 250 rank-and-file sales staff in one room to maximize efficiency.
In the 1980s, the Internet revolutionised working patterns once again. Laptops and mobile technology allowed companies to reduce the number of workers needed in their physical offices. The resulting sea of cubicles became the stuff of cult movies and comedy sketches, but also gave rise to innovative approaches to office design that prioritize flexibility and wellbeing in addition to collaboration.
The 1950s
The 1950s saw a number of key inventions revolutionise office space. Electric lighting offered a more cost-effective alternative to gas and the introduction of calculators and typewriters increased efficiency. Telephones also allowed quicker and more direct communication between employees and businesses, easing the process of information transfer. With larger workforces becoming the norm, skyscrapers started to dominate office landscape and partitioning became less rigid.
Frank Lloyd Wright revamped the Taylorist style of office, offering more aesthetically pleasing alternatives that were more in keeping with the Art Deco period. Cork ceilings and patterned carpet replaced the starkness of concrete floors while desks featured built-in cabinets and dividers to keep worktops tidy.
In terms of the workplace itself, a growing sense of professionalism resulted in middle management being awarded private offices instead of being assigned desks within Taylorist layouts. These ‘rings’ of private offices surrounded the open plan workspace for lower level staff.
This era also saw the rise of cubicles, immortalised in the 1999 film Office Space and both British and American versions of The Office. These enclosed workspaces were designed to encourage collaboration and efficiency but, sadly, they often did not offer much aesthetic appeal.
The 1980s
The 1980s brought hip-hop, big hair, and Metallica to the world, but it also saw a significant shift in office culture. As Generation X entered the workforce, the hippie culture that had dominated previous decades was replaced with a focus on technology and innovation. The use of computers in the workplace meant that facilities had to change dramatically. New machines required larger spaces, and the equipment demanded different considerations for power generation, wiring, temperature control and lighting to reduce glare on screens.
Office design began to mirror the technological advancements with a sharp, dramatic aesthetic that favored clean lines over earth tones and organic shapes. This shift was influenced by the cultural revolution that had occurred, with workers demanding more than just a desk and chair. They wanted to be a part of the movement toward equality and change.
Robert Propst designed the Action Office system in 1982, which was a revolutionary concept that allowed a degree of freedom for staff. Rather than forcing employees into a predetermined space, it gave them the option to move around the room and reposition themselves to suit their work habits. It was an early attempt to recognise the connection between employee productivity and personalisation of their workspace.
In the future, the workplace will need to be able to adapt even when employees are working from home or on the road. This means that companies will need to make their offices more comfortable and welcoming for remote workers.
The 1990s
For all of its ugliness (Pauly Shore, Haircutgate) and genuine oddities that still confound (Ally McBeal, grunge rock), the 1990s seeded fresh dreams and possibilities. It was a decade when Bill Clinton became president and the Berlin Wall fell, marking a tumultuous start to a new millennium, but one that promised a future of peace and prosperity.
This sentiment is reflected in some of the art that came out of this era. By imposing a certain historical rigor on the era we sometimes call “contemporary,” these exhibitions show that the gap between then and now might not be as wide as we’ve presupposed. Certainly, a lot of 90s art looks dated now—Net Art went the way of You’ve Got Mail and Sam Taylor-Wood directed Fifty Shades of Grey.
But, as a movie like Office Space illustrates, the era is more than just a flashback. Many of its cultural touchstones have become modern-day memes, including a scene in which the main characters systematically destroy a malfunctioning printer. Swingline even added a red stapler to their line of products in honor of the film. And, in a very real sense, the snarky dialogue of this cult classic has inspired the creation of workplace software that is designed to improve efficiency and help teams work better together. For example, Earthjustice is using OfficeSpace insights and tools to streamline their work and maximize collaboration across the globe.
The 00s
By the 00s, office layouts started to evolve again with more informal and social working environments becoming popular. This is in response to the rise of dot-coms and start-ups from young, entrepreneurial minds, bringing a new focus on work-life balance and more playful aspects into the office.
These changes were also sparked by the growth of mobile tech, making it easier for workers to work away from their desk and led to coworking spaces booming. Office space design also began to incorporate a more humanised take on modernism, blending the principles of modern architecture with warm colours and soft textures.
The first major change in office furniture was the introduction of the Action Office system, a precursor to the cubicle. The Action Office’s modular components allowed companies to adapt their workspaces over time, a big improvement on previous designs that resembled the 1980s cubicle farm.
The modern workplace is constantly changing to keep pace with the needs of employees and businesses. The era of the fixed-seat, fixed-desk workplace is giving way to flexible and dynamic areas that are conducive to collaborative projects as well as quiet zones where employees can focus. These are not just the domain of Silicon Valley startups, as even established legacy firms like Dropbox have adopted this type of workspace. They have renamed their offices Dropbox Studios and encourage collaboration with a wide variety of alternative working spaces that include interactive areas, quiet zones and touchdown spaces.
The Future
By the 1990s, economic pressures, exacerbated by increased global competition, drove many companies to shed unnecessary workers and relocate. The resulting sea of cubicles came to be so familiar that it was used as the backdrop for satirical works like 1999’s cult film Office Space.
Technology and demographic shifts prompted more innovative workspace design in the 2000s, with firms embracing a new work culture centered on collaboration and work-life balance. In addition to the more informal, open floor plans of some firms, offices began to feature a range of different work environments, including alternative workspaces and social areas. The emergence of mobile technology allowed employees to work away from their desks at any time, which led to hot desking and hoteling, where people reserve spaces instead of a fixed desk.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the changes already taking place within the world of office space. Research has found that remote workers are 47% more productive than those who spend all of their working hours in the office and that engaged, happy workers are 20% more productive.
This has resulted in a variety of reincarnations for once-dominant office space, including distribution centers and warehouses, schools, data centers and even apartments. However, offices will continue to play a role in occupiers’ workplace strategies, conveying their corporate culture and encouraging collaboration, as well as offering a sense of community. They will simply look a little different.