Today’s workplaces are a far cry from the workspaces our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents worked in – and it’s not just due to changing interior decorations! Workspaces have adapted with the workforce, changing to accommodate new technologies, theories and workplace practices. From the origins of the first cubicle to the flexible workspaces you can hire around the world today, this article explores how the work environment has evolved.

The Origins of Workspace Cubicles

The idea of having a dedicated space for working is not new. Our ancestors who were tasked with washing clothes would naturally create their “workspace” next to a water source, for example. But the origins of modern workspaces – areas where groups of workers can work together – were born out of a desire to improve productivity rather than just convenience.

The first purpose-built offices were erected in London during the 18th century. The British Navy was generating quite a bit of paperwork across the British Empire at the time, so they needed a dedicated hub to gather and organise it. Yes, paperwork is to blame for kickstarting the world of corporate offices!

Whether you love paperwork or hate it, the world has changed quite in the two centuries since, and our workspaces have evolved into places that aren’t just great for organising workers and boosting productivity. The workspaces of today can be luxurious, inspiring and most importantly, flexible.

Let’s take a closer look at how our workspaces have evolved and what might be in store for the future.
 

Workspaces Through the Ages

There are three key changes in the modern workspace that we’d like to highlight in this article: the original idea behind the open-plan workspace in the early 20th century, the rise of cubicles from the 1960s, and the Work from Home (WFH) shift during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Early 20th Century - The Open-Plan Office Space

Did you know that open-plan office spaces weren’t adopted to ruin your privacy or even to break down barriers between colleagues?

Modernist architects in the early 20th century felt breaking down literal walls between workers was also the key to breaking down ideological barriers. They felt that it was a symbolic way to remove the social walls that separated workers and united them. Thereby literally and figuratively breaking down walls and thereby barriers.

However,  that’s not why many offices adopted an open office plan. It’s all about adding workers per space. As Scientific American explains, many corporate entities adopted the open plan as compared to creating individual offices, so they could cram as many workers into one space as possible and have a long row of desks which enabled more workers operating in that one singular space.
Thereby, enabling better cost to space provided

Late 20th Century – Cubicles are Now In!

In the 1960s, a designer named Robert Propst invented the office cubicle. This invention came about to create a movable, flexible and customisable office design. Employers could put up partitions between workers to give them more privacy, while also having the option to move them around, make them larger (or unfortunately, smaller), and boost productivity without the cost of building permanent offices. This was the predecessor of the modern flexible office spacing allowing easier expansion and downsizing options. 

After years of open-plan offices, employers had noticed that the executives who were given private, quieter spaces to work had higher levels of productivity. So, when Propst developed an affordable way to give privacy to the masses, they leapt on board. Propst’s vision was a flexible workspace with roomy areas and walls of different heights, so there was simultaneously private, exclusive and still offered inclusivity. But employers took a different approach - they purchased modular furniture and wall partitions to create small, identical offices – as many as they could fit into their premises, and that was the rise of “the cubicle”.

The problem was that cubicles didn’t improve productivity as much as employers would have hoped. Research from the University of California found that employees working in cubicles experienced 29% more interruptions compared to employees working in offices. Cubicles don’t block out sounds or distractions, they just confine workers to smaller spaces.

Propst spent the remainder of his life apologising for “creating a corporate monster” as Erin Blakemore coined it for History. 
 

Early 21st Century – Flexible Working is the Norm

As we enter the 21st century, technology is on the rise and many workers can complete their office routine from anywhere in the world – as long as there’s an internet connection. But hybrid and fully remote working didn’t become a widespread practice until the COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to consider it or shut down their operations completely.

Hybrid working involves spending some time in the office and the remainder of your time working from home. Meanwhile, fully remote working sees workers never meeting in person at all, working from home for the entirety of their careers.

Working from home gives employees more comfort and employers less control over them. From choosing their work clothes to eating snacks at their desks, employees have far more flexibility when they work from home. It works as a win for the employers as well as they don’t have to necessarily have to spend any money on creating space, offering administrative support or creating any culture – in fact its all based on the work tasks provided and the remote workers ability to complete it. 

It’s no surprise that the WFH lifestyle is so popular. Forbes reported that in 2024, 1 in 5 workers are currently working remotely and that 98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time. 

This new home-based workspace offers many benefits to employees:

•    Improved work-life balance.
•    Better control over distractions.
•    Custom work environment (no more fights over setting the thermostat).
•    Less time spent in meetings.

If employers want to entice workers back to the workspace, then they need to ensure that their offices leave behind cubicle designs and anti-privacy open-space layouts to meet their employee’s needs.But what will that look like? Let’s explore the future of workplaces next.
 

What Does the Future of Workplaces Look Like?

It’s not just what is inside the workplace that matters to employees. Some employees now want to move away from cities, live somewhere they can afford a family, or have the ability to travel around the world.

It’s for this reason that the digital nomad lifestyle is on the rise. But even digital nomads need an office space for impressing potential clients, holding meetings, and creating a temporary base of operations abroad. And therefore, we have the perfect fix: flexible workspaces! 

Hiring office rooms in cities around the world will be the future for many businesses. With employees working on a hybrid schedule or remotely around the world, having a permanent office in one location won’t meet their business needs.
So, here are our predictions for the future of workplaces:

•    Open spaces will make a comeback but with more space between workstations.
•    Offices will primarily be used for meetings and team tasks that can’t be completed remotely.
•    Aesthetics will matter even more! Having a sleek, professional office space is more appealing than cubicles. And having luxurious lounge areas that can give both an upmarket, yet relaxed feel is becoming more important than ever 
•    Offices will be spread across the world and many companies will prefer to hire office spaces and concierge services instead of purchasing real estate and hiring administrative staff. 

Flexibility is what employees, employers, and digital nomads want – the future will be about creating office spaces that meet that flexibility and lead to an overall boost in productivity. 
 

Summary

Workspaces have been boxy, rigid cubicles and crowded rooms, but the future of workspaces will be far more flexible. With technology at our fingertips, we have the chance to use our office spaces wisely and work from any location around the world. It’s a win for workers who prefer flexible working patterns, slackers, digital nomads and employers.