[December 2025]

Office design trends tend to swing like a pendulum. A few generations ago, many white-collar workers toiled in private offices or high-walled cubicles, only to see those walls torn down in favour of airy open-plan spaces in the 2000s. Tech companies championed open offices as egalitarian and collaborative, packing employees into “cool” loft-like spaces without partitions. By 2020, roughly two-thirds of U.S. knowledge workers sat in open layouts. But then came the hybrid-work era and a reassessment of what the office is for.

Many find themselves nostalgic for the cubicle – craving the privacy and focus it once afforded. This raises a timely question: are cubicles a relic of the past, or could they be a key tool for today’s workplace? Put differently: can modern, semi-enclosed workstations deliver the focus people want without dragging us back to grey mazes and “Do Not Disturb” signs?

A Brief History of the Cubicle

The cubicle wasn’t created to be soulless or dull; it was born of utopian intentions. In the early 20th century, modernist architects like Frank Lloyd Wright railed against “confines of boxes,” promoting open-plan offices as liberating alternatives to rigid private rooms. Companies adopted open layouts, largely to accommodate more clerks in “white-collar assembly lines” of desks.

By the 1960s, this efficiency drive had drained offices of privacy and personality. Enter the Action Office: a 1964 innovation by Herman Miller (and designer Robert Propst) that introduced modular workstations with partitions, varying desk heights, and larger surfaces. These early cubicles aimed to humanize the office, breaking up endless desk rows into flexible clusters (the German Bürolandschaft, or office landscape) that offered workers a bit of enclosure and personal spaces.



However, the cubicle’s idealistic origins were soon undermined. By 1968, Herman Miller was selling modular cubicle components, which some cost-conscious firms abused – cherry-picking the space-saving aspects (tiny, uniform panels) and discarding the humanising touches. As more companies shifted all ranks of employees (not just clerks) into cubicles, Propst himself regretted the outcome, decrying the “monolithic insanity” he had inadvertently spawned.

In the 1980s and ’90s, the cubicle became ubiquitous and unloved. Pop culture of the late ’90s (from Office Space to Dilbert) immortalised the cube farm as a symbol of corporate drudgery.

Why Did Cubicles Go Away?

The answer lies in a mix of management ideology, economics, and aesthetics. Around the turn of the millennium, a new generation of leaders inspired by Silicon Valley startups viewed cubicles as antithetical to innovation.

The open-plan office promised to break down silos, foster spontaneous collaboration, and equalise the workplace by putting the CEO and intern at identical desks. Google’s widely emulated 2005 headquarters design epitomised this shift. Workers were rebranded as “teams,” managers became “leaders,” and collaborative buzz was seen as the key to creativity. Enclosed workstations felt outdated in this new narrative of transparency and interaction.

Cost was another driving force. In high-rent markets like New York and London, giving everyone a roomy cubicle (let alone a private office) was simply too expensive. Densifying into bench-style desks or tables without partitions allowed companies to lease less space per employee – a tempting proposition for the bottom line.

Indeed, the late 1990s and 2000s saw cubicles rapidly disappear, replaced by seas of shared desks. As one furniture design executive noted, “putting everyone in a cubicle or office was too much, so the open-floor plan became very popular” during that era.

Do Cubicle Offices Still Exist?

Even at the height of the open-office craze, cubicles never disappeared entirely. Some organisations retained some partitioned work areas, especially in industries where noise control or confidentiality is paramount. Government agencies, insurance companies, call centres and other operations handling sensitive data often stuck with low-walled cubicles well into the 2010s. In fact, a sizable global market for office partitions persisted.

Back in  2023, global demand for cubicles and panels was valued at around $6.3 billion and projected to grow to $8+ billion in the next five years. This suggests that tens of millions of people worldwide still sit in semi-enclosed workspaces, even if tech giants and trendsetting startups grab more headlines with their lounge-like open floors.

To be fair, today’s cubicle installations don’t always resemble the classic 1980s cube farm. Many offices have employed a hybrid approach – e.g. clusters of low partitions within a mostly open layout, or high-walled focus booths sprinkled among open team tables. In some modern spaces, you’ll find “pods” or “neighbourhoods” that include a mix of open desks, standing-height counter space, and a few enclosed cubicle-like nooks for quiet work.



The terminology may have shifted (a few companies proudly announce “we installed cubicles!”), but the core concept of partially partitioned personal work areas is still very much alive. And as we’ll explore next, these semi-cubicles might be poised for a modest revival in the near future.

Are Cubicles Coming Back?

There are growing signs that the cubicle – or at least the idea of more enclosed individual space – is making a comeback in response to post-pandemic workplace needs. In late 2023, The New York Times reported a renewed interest in cubicles as companies seek to address noise and privacy complaints in open offices. With widespread hybrid work, employees now often come into the office specifically to do work they can’t easily do at home (e.g. access specialised equipment, meet with colleagues) – but they also expect the office to support concentration. Janet Pogue McLaurin, a workplace research leader at Gensler, noted that when workers returned after months at home, “quiet spaces became more important” because many offices had seen “a drop in effectiveness due to noise interruptions, disruptions and a general lack of privacy”.

In other words, the mass experiment of remote work taught employees what uninterrupted focus feels like, and they’re now less tolerant of the open-plan racket.

Orders for partitions and modular walls are rising (on track for ~30% growth this decade), and office furniture makers are rolling out new product lines that reinvent the cubicle for modern needs. Today’s designs are not your father’s gray fabric boxes: modern cubicles are more flexible and stylish. Some high-end models include sound masking systems or sliding doors. The goal is to create a “semi-private haven” within a busy office,  a place where an employee can take a video call or work on a focused task without being both visually and audibly exposed to the entire floor.

56% of organisations are adding private phone booths and focus rooms for privacy

It’s worth noting that the push for cubicles 2.0 isn’t solely driven by pandemic-related health concerns (though plexiglass shields did briefly pop up everywhere in 2020). Even before COVID, many companies had begun sprinkling phone booths and focus pods into open layouts. The pandemic accelerated this by highlighting airborne risks and the value of physical separation, but arguably the bigger driver now is productivity and preference.

In a mid-2025 occupancy planning survey, 56% of companies said they were adding private phone booths or focus rooms to meet employee needs for privacy, even as they also expand collaboration areas. After more than a decade of “open everything,” design strategies are shifting to reintroduce more enclosure for focused work while still enabling teamwork.

Do People Like Working in Cubicles?

Do people like cubicles? It depends on the proportion you have. Go all-in on cubicles and you risk a flat, isolating vibe; go all-in on open plan and you fuel noise, distractions, and headset culture. Most teams are unhappy at either extreme.

When the balance tilts too far open, focus drops fast: 63% of employees say they lack a quiet place to work, 75% admit they leave the office just to concentrate, and only 1% feel able to block out distractions. An open office layout helps some tasks, but not deep work.

You can swing the other way with wall-to-wall cubes and it can be just as problematic. Only 12% of U.S. office workers say they prefer a traditional cubicle layout (Gensler). High, uniform panels dull energy, reduce visibility, and make chance interactions less likely.

The sweet spot is a mix, not a monoculture. A clear majority (65%) prefer open areas for group work plus genuinely quiet, semi-enclosed spots for focus (Gensler). Where noise is controlled, employees report higher ability to work productively; private offices top acoustic satisfaction at 56%, while bench seating sits at 28%. In practice, that means just-enough walls where and when people need them, that’s privacy on demand without killing the vibe.

Cubicles as a Tool, Not a Doctrine

Reconsidering cubicles doesn’t mean swinging the pendulum all the way back to the era of identical boxes and maze-like layouts. It means acknowledging that the “one big room” open-office experiment has its shortcomings, and that a balanced workplace includes some places to tune out and focus. The cubicle, in its updated forms, is simply one tool among many to craft a high-performing office. Just as we have embraced agile, activity-based work and remote connectivity, we can also embrace a bit more physical delineation in the office when it helps people do their best work.

If there is one takeaway from this article, it is that no single office layout wins universally. A mix of open and enclosed, communal and private, assigned and flexible – tailored to an organisation’s unique needs – tends to yield the best outcomes. So rather than asking “open plan or cubicles, which is better?”, the forward-thinking question is “what is the right combination of spaces for our people and our work patterns?”

Cubicles still have a role, but not as a doctrine forced on everyone, but as a flexible tool deployed with purpose.

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Over the past few decades, every shift in office design has reflected the pressures and priorities of its time. Cubicles, which became widespread in the 1980s and 1990s, were intended to provide focus but often turned into impersonal grids that prioritised efficiency over satisfaction. Open-plan layouts followed in the 2000s, mirroring the push for transparency and collaboration, even if they often created more distractions than teamwork. Activity-based working grew as knowledge workers demanded flexibility, offering a menu of spaces to match different tasks. And most recently, hybrid work has risen after 2020 not as a fad but as a practical solution to a workforce that values autonomy, mobility, and choice.

Each stage of this evolution has reshaped the culture of work. From cubicles to activity-based working, and now to hybrid setups powered by technology, the office has been in constant flux.

With so many rapid shifts, we can’t help but wonder: what’s the next big thing? If the last few decades have taught us anything, it’s that the office is a living experiment. Each wave of change reveals what employees value most: focus, flexibility, and seamless collaboration. As we look ahead to 2030, the question isn’t whether the office will change again, but how.

In the sections that follow, we’ll explore what the next era might look like: the evolution of office layouts, the rise of well-being and sustainability, the role of smart technology, and why these elements will define the future of work.

How will The Workplace Experience look like in 2030?

Hybrid & Flexible Layouts

The office is no longer a one-size-fits-all environment. Instead of rows of identical desks, companies are carving offices into choice-based zones. Need deep focus? Retreat to a silent library-style zone or acoustic pod. Need collaboration? Head to the café area or huddle space.

The numbers confirm the trend. Collaborative “we” spaces now take up 20% of office floor plans (up from 14% in 2021), while personal “me” spaces like assigned desks have shrunk. And the open office, once hailed as the future, is losing ground: workers in open-plan setups report 86 minutes of lost productivity per day and higher stress levels.

It is safe to say that employees thrive when they can choose how and where to work. Hybrid offices resolve the open-office vs. private-office debate not by picking one side, but by offering both.

Vertical Offices & Destination Villages

In dense cities, high-rises are evolving into vertical campuses. Instead of just stacked floors of desks, they feature sky gardens, rooftop running tracks, atriums, and lounges that create community within towers. Google’s London HQ, for example, includes a 300-meter rooftop garden with over 250 trees.

Beyond verticality, the “destination office” is emerging. Companies are designing workspaces as villages: places with wellness centres, stylish cafés, gyms, event spaces, and even childcare. The goal is to make the office a destination worth visiting, blending work with lifestyle. We already see this happening; employees need a reason to be in the office and to justify the commute.

This shift also leans on resimercial design, blending residential comfort with commercial function. Offices now include cosy couches, warm lighting, and hotel-like lobbies. Employees compare the office not to competitors, but to the comfort of home. If the workplace feels sterile, it loses.

Intergenerational & Inclusive Design

For the first time, five generations are working side by side. Gen Z expects mobility, Millennials want collaboration, Gen X values balance, Boomers often prefer structure, and workplaces need to cater to all.

Inclusive design means ergonomic chairs and sit-stand desks for comfort, plus informal zones for younger staff. It means quiet rooms, prayer and lactation spaces, and accessible navigation for employees of all abilities. With 15–20% of the workforce being neurodivergent, focus pods and sensory-friendly zones are becoming standard.

Inclusivity isn’t just physical. Policies and culture matter too: flexible hours for caregivers, anchor collaboration days for hybrid consistency, and technology that works for everyone.

People-Centric Office Spaces

Smart, Health-Driven Furniture & Materials

Smart desks and chairs auto-adjust to posture, remind users to move, and track usage patterns to encourage healthier routines. Lighting systems mimic natural daylight to support circadian rhythms, while antimicrobial surfaces and improved air filtration reduce health risks.

Offices are being reimagined not just as places to work, but as spaces that reinforce community and connection. Preventive healthcare can become a staple in the workplace: wearables and health apps can track stress, hydration, or heart rate, nudging employees toward healthier habits.

Biophilic Design, Climate, and Sustainability

Offices rich in greenery and daylight report 15% higher well-being and 20% fewer sick days. Plants, greenhouse-style spaces, and water features will be central to 2030 workplaces.

Yet sustainability now goes hand-in-hand with climate resilience. Rising global temperatures and extreme weather events will push companies to invest in green infrastructure, cooling strategies, and resilient buildings. Carbon tracking and circular design will be embedded in how offices operate, with governments moving from incentives to mandates. The workplace of 2030 will have to function as part of broader climate adaptation strategies.

Takeaway for workplace experience teams: Employees expect workplaces that safeguard both their personal health and the planet. Offices that respond to climate pressures while offering wellness-first environments will stand out as magnets for talent.

Technology & Smart Workspaces

When we think about the office of 2030, maybe the real question isn’t what new tools will appear, but how the way we work will end up defining both the walls around us and the technology inside them. In this section, we have more questions than answers because the future of the office has many variables.

Let’s look at a little bit of the demographic variable. Many economies will soon have more retirees than active workers. With fewer people commuting in, do offices shrink, becoming smaller, smarter spaces with modular layouts and more shared zones? Or does the opposite happen? If leaner teams have to cover more ground, will we end up spending more time in the office, maybe even six days a week, simply because there are fewer of us to do the work?

Then there’s AI. According to the World Economic Forum, 86% of employers expect AI and information-processing technologies to transform their businesses by 2030. Does that mean the classic five-day office week dissolves into four, because automation handles routine tasks and human effort is focused on higher-value, collaborative work? Or does AI amplify the need for training, peer-to-peer learning, and knowledge sharing, making the office even more of a hub than it is today?

There was this interesting article that argued that as AI takes over more technical tasks, companies will shift their recruitment focus away from hard skills and toward soft skills like adaptability. According to the World Economic Forum, 44% of today’s tech skills will be irrelevant by 2027, and IBM research shows that most technical skills lose half their value in just two years.

If adaptability becomes the new hiring priority, offices will need to support constant learning and reinvention. Instead of floor plans dominated by rows of desks, we may see layouts that emphasise training rooms, peer-to-peer learning hubs, and flexible project spaces where employees can continuously reskill. Cultural and social areas could play a bigger role too, helping teams build the trust and collaboration that adaptability demands.

Technology will play its part in redefining the layout. AR, VR, and telepresence robots could become part of everyday coordination with global teams. Can you imagine having your stand-up meeting via VR? This raises another question: will we need fewer meeting rooms if much of this happens in the metaverse? Or will we need different kinds of meeting rooms as immersive spaces that allow physical and virtual participants to connect seamlessly?

“Holding meetings in virtual reality, offices that people ‘visit’ by donning a stereo headset are a distinct possibility five years from now [...] Workers may remotely attend physical meetings by inhabiting a telepresence robot.”
- Christopher Barnatt, associate professor of computing and future studies at Nottingham University

With AI-assisted generative design, offices could adjust based on live data thanks to IoT solutions: natural light, foot traffic, and energy use. Imagine partitions that move, clusters that re-form, or HVAC systems that adapt in real time to how people are working.

Can Workplace Experience Be a Competitive Advantage?

What if the office itself becomes a company’s sharpest strategic tool? Not just a cost centre, but the place where talent decides whether to stay, grow, and give their best work. Studies suggest it already matters: engaged employees are 13% more productive, while organisations that prioritise experience see up to 4x higher profits.

It is encouraging to see that 74% of organisations have already implemented, or reported they would implement, employee experience platforms by 2025.

It shows that companies investing in employee experience are already seeing results, and it will be interesting to watch how these strategies evolve, not just in policies, but in the design of offices, the layouts we work in, and the perks that bring people together.

Our Predictions and Commitment

By 2030, the office won’t just be a building where work happens. It will be a hub of culture, resilience, and human connection in a world defined by uncertainty. Hybrid work will be the baseline, but what will truly set organisations apart is how intentionally they design spaces to foster belonging and adaptability.
We predict workplaces will feel more like communities: flexible layouts supporting collaboration, biophilic spaces protecting well-being, AI and automation smoothing logistics, and immersive technologies bridging distances.

At Door Tablet, we believe this is the future of work. Our meeting room tablets, hot-desking solutions, and wayfinding systems are designed to help organisations build workplaces that employees choose, not endure. The future of work with Door Tablet is about enabling offices that energise, connect, and inspire teams.

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