Cubicle Sense

Which celebrity would you take career advice from?

Oprah

Donald Trump

Hugh Hefner

Madonna

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Ah, the joys of cubicle life! Most companies these days have given up on closed-door offices in favor of cubicles or other, more open working arrangements, such as "pods." The result is a workplace environment that is mostly, but not quite fully, public and a new etiquette that is largely unspoken. Do you have "Cubicle Sense"? 

Consider this scenario: Beth, who works in the "cube" next to you, is having an intense telephone conversation. She's trying to keep her voice down, but you still overhear snatches: "Another bounced check?" and "I can't ask my parents for a loan!" and "Whatever. No. Whatever, honey. Fine." After she hangs up, you…

1. wait a couple of minutes, then pop your head over the divider and ask her if she'd be interested in buying wrapping paper for your son's school fundraiser.
2. exclaim, "Money troubles! Man, that's the worst!
3. email Beth an interesting article on productivity lost to personal phone calls.
4. lean towards your computer screen and pretend to be engrossed in a spreadsheet.

The answer, of course, is 'd' and it illustrates the curious nature of cubicle life: the dividers that separate one colleague from the next are not the physical walls of the work space, but social laws. According to Terry Arndt, President of Life After Graduation, LLC and publisher of Backpack To Briefcase: Steps To A Successful Career, a book that focuses on the transition issues graduates face when entering the workforce, having "Cubicle Sense" is key to building and maintaining positive relationships at the office. Make cubicle life easier – for everyone – by keeping in mind a few tried and true rules:

• Noise travels. When working in close quarters, noise is part of the deal. But don't contribute more than your share. While in the office keep your cell phone on vibrate or turn it off. Use the speakerphone only when absolutely necessary. If you are allowed to play music while working, keep it at a volume that only you can hear. Keep in mind that your voice projects – not everyone wants to hear the details of every one of your phone conversations. And forego the convenience of e-mail alerts for the sanity of your co-workers.
• Know headphone etiquette. In some offices, wearing headphones--with the volume at an appropriate level--is not only acceptable, it's become a virtual closed door, a signal to others that you're working intently and need to focus. If headphones are prevalent at your workplace, feel free to use them at will, but know that it's still important to make yourself completely available to your colleagues sometimes.
• Smells aren't all good. Not everyone loves the smell of your broccoli-casserole lunch or your latest potpourri selection. Enjoy foods with strong odors at home. That goes for scented candles, potpourri, air fresheners, and strong perfumes and colognes as well. What might be a pleasant aroma to you could trigger an allergic reaction for a co-worker.
• Mind your gym gear. Your afternoon workout keeps you happy, healthy, and fit. But if you store those sweaty gym clothes in your cubicle, your neighbors won't be so happy. If possible, keep your gym bag in a separate area or, if you must bring it into your workspace, seal it off so no one else has to endure the post-workout mustiness.
• Keep personal things personal. Nobody wants to hear you fight with your mother on the phone or gossip with your favorite co-worker. Always remember that the partition of your cubicle or the thin walls of your shared office offer limited privacy. Assume that everyone can hear everything and act accordingly.
• Repeat nothing of what you hear or see. Working in small spaces means that occasionally you'll hear or see more than you want to. Keep in mind that you don't have to let everyone else know that you overheard your co-worker fighting with creditors or saw him straightening his toupee. Things aren't always what they seem – and the office gossip isn't a position to aspire to.
• Keep it neat. Working in cubicles or other shared spaces means you need to do you part to keep your workspace reasonably clean, organized and clutter-free.
• Project a professional image. It's important to make your workspace personal, a place you want to spend your time. How you decorate your area says a lot about you, so be aware what it's saying. Keep the Mardi Gras pictures at home.
• Program your office phone to ring at an appropriate noise level. In addition, program your voice mail to pick up after just a couple rings.
• Meeting rooms are for meetings. Brainstorming for a project is best done behind closed doors, where it won't bother anybody else. It may be easier to squeeze everyone into your cubicle than reserving space and time in a meeting room, but your co-workers will appreciate it if you make the effort to preserve their quiet.
• Knock before entering. It may seem silly to knock on a cubicle when there's no door, but it's only good manners to ask someone if it's a good time before you interrupt.