Cube Etiquette - How Bad Can It Reallly Be?

I've been hearing and reading a lot recently about "cube etiquette" and often wondered if it was really as bad as claimed. But then I remember that we have all been there - you either sit in a cube today, you did in a previous job, or you have friends that work in a cube...

Now, you may be wondering - who really cares about "cube etiquette"? It Looks like CNN & The NY Times does and they have done some legwork and felt this topic was print worthy.

The NY Times article, "Turning Down The Volume In The Next Cube", was published on June 17, 2007 by Eilene Zimmerman and includes some great Q & A's from "readers" presenting various scenarios and how various situations can best be handled.

The CNN article, "Your biggest cubicle complaints...solved", was published on July 2, 2007 by Robert Half International and address some complaints with some great "what not to do" / "what to do" scenarios.

Here's my favorite scenario...

Complaint: "Things keep disappearing off my desk."

What not to do: If you see your stapler is missing, quickly swipe someone else's to replace it.

What to do: It's hard to monitor your belongings when you're away from your workspace, but you can help crack the problem when you are there. The next time someone reaches over your cubicle wall to "borrow" a sticky note or stapler, politely direct the person to the supply room. If the issue persists or goes beyond company-supplied items, you may want to talk to your manager. In the meantime, reduce the temptation for others to swipe your stuff by placing anything of value, like a favorite book or MP3 player, in a bag or purse that you take home with you each evening.

Now some humor - at least your "stuff" doesn't end up in a vending machine...