Remember the days of cubicles at work?
When you had partitions separating you from your co-worker and you could make calls and take them without having to shush the person next to you?
Then came the open space plan. Actually I remember when that came into play in our newspaper room about two decades ago!
The open office was embraced by numerous companies because it ‘motivated’ employees to be more productive.
About 70 per cent of US offices are today open concept and by most accounts, very few have moved back into traditional spaces with offices and doors.
However, research now shows we are 15pc less productive, we have immense trouble concentrating and we are twice as likely to get sick in open working spaces.
A 2015 Washington Post headline said the trend was destroying the workplace and labelled it as “oppressive”.
So what now?
Well it seems...sensors!
It’s a sit-or-stand desk, of course, but it’s outfitted with sensors that learn your habits and preferences through constant vigilance. When you have been sitting too long, a gentle vibration reminds you to stand.
Your chair, also lined with sensors, tells the desk you stood up; the desk, which knows your height, adjusts accordingly.
All the while, it monitors your keystrokes and mouse clicks, offering you (and your boss) helpful advice on ergonomics and productivity. Soon enough it knows whether you need a desk at all!
In other words, say goodbye to your last shred of dignity in the modern, open office.
“We’re collecting a lot of objective data about every employee,” says Mark Benden, director of ergonomics at Texas A&M University in Texas, US.
The sensors help encourage healthier behaviours. They also measure space utilisation, how often you spend at any given workspace and how you use it.
Sensors have found their way into every nook of the office, as companies push to learn more about a workforce to improve employee health, office design and you guessed it productivity.
This year, 44pc of organisations said they offered their employees sit-or-stand desks, up from 13pc just four years ago.
Studies suggest that sitting all day poses health risks. Standing-desk enthusiasts report improved productivity.
Despite the rising demand, however, after the first few weeks most users spend most of their time seated, studies have found.
So now a smart desk can nudge habitual sitters to get up more often!
They could we are told contribute to a healthier and happier workforce by tracking the way offices are used and adjusting them automatically.
By constantly monitoring environmental conditions, the way space is being used and even employee’s emotional and physical wellbeing, the office of the future will be able to react automatically, say researchers.
Not so sure I like this idea, because no matter how designers market it or employers look at it, it basically means staff will be tracked 24/7!