Even the smallest space can be evaluated according to Feng shui principles, although the options are going to be limited for such small, defined areas. The first order of business for the feng shui consultant is to figure out where the cubicle is within the whole building. People who work in these areas are subject to whatever kind of energy is in that part of the building. Sometimes a whole cluster of employees will all need the same remedy in each of their cubicle areas. Even the yearly cycles are very predictive of what can happen to a whole group of people with cubicles in a certain part of the building.
One common flaw to the cubicle experience occurs when people sit with their backs to the opening of the cubicle. This is the equivalent to having your back to a door in an actual room. The person can feel vulnerable and it is harder to concentrate when he or she feels, hears or senses the commotion and office foot traffic coming from behind.
If the desk itself cannot be turned in the cubicle so that the person has a full or side view of the bigger space they are a part of (and see other people), then a “band-aid” cure is to place a large mirror on the desk so that the person has a kind of “rear view mirror.” This really provides psychological relief to workers who are forced to sit with their back to office traffic or other offices. And a side benefit is that the mirror, strategically placed at the edge of the desk, can make the cubicle look bigger than it is if the mirror is large enough.
Employers should try to situate cubicles so that at the very least employees do not have their backs to each other. It is better to put the edges of their desks, even with half walls, opposite each other, instead of a row of people who all have someone sitting behind them.
Another feature to look at is the ceiling above a cubicle. Is it a flat ceiling or is there an air conditioning duct or exposed plumbing passing over a person’s head? These days, many companies are building or remodeling in such a way that the business looks only half-built. Luxurious, hi-tech accommodations, sleek furnishings, art work—and then a totally raw, unfinished ceiling. It is not healthy or productive to sit under beams and the exposed ducts and plumbing have a similar effect as exposed beams.
Details of personalizing a cubicle include seeing if the employee can sit in their best personal direction according to their birth date. This can add to higher productivity and concentration. Good interior design, tidy and organized spaces with good ergonomics, plenty of light and ventilation are also considered good Feng shui environments for the cubicle experience.
Author: Kartar Diamond
Company: Feng Shui Solutions ®
From the Architecture & Design Blog Series
