So, because the department is minimally interested in moving us to an entirely new building, one that is larger and able to accommodate all the people we now have in the office, the powers that be have decided to put cubicles, permanent ones at that, in two of the office's four conference rooms. This past Saturday, when a bunch of men I had never seen before were in and around the office, I saw that they were doing something in one of those two conference rooms. Today, I happened to see what exactly they were doing. I didn't see their work yesterday when I came in for those few hours because the door to that conference room had been shut. That same door was open today. I opted to take a peek.
I didn't take any measurements of that conference room, but it looks like it could be somewhat crammed for the eight people who are likely to occupy that new work space as soon as this week. That particular conference room is the second smallest conference room in the building, but they were able to install eight small cubicles in there. Years ago, that conference room was the coldest spot in the entire office. That is no longer the case and hasn't been for several years. Now, the thought is that this is going to become one of the warmer work areas in the office, especially when all eight people are physically working in there.
The other conference room, the smallest one in the building, now has three small cubicles in it. With the way that two of those cubicles are configured, once all three people in there are seated, two of those people's chairs are going to bang into each other often. This is also expected to be one of the other hot spots in the office, not only because of the size of the space, but because the room itself will absorb much of the afternoon sun. It happens to be along the southeast side of the building and is one of the many rooms that feels that sun on that side of the building.
I still sit near a window and when the air conditioning decides to stop working (which I anticipate that it will - it's only a matter time, given my recent history with the air conditioner not working when it ought to), I too will feel the same heat that I referenced earlier. Until then, I will not complain. From what I've seen in those two conference rooms, there are eight people in that office whose lives are going to change when they find themselves assigned to those conference room cubicles. I anticipate that their complaints will be forthcoming.
I've been assigned to this office for many, many years. I've seen many people come and many people go. Maybe it is time for the department to secure us a larger building? Being that no one would have ever anticipated that cubicles were going to be placed into two of the office's conference rooms, the desperation is clearly there and now it's on display. I guess the next worst thing that the department could do would be to start assigning two workers to a cubicle and rumor had it that this was actually a consideration as recently as two years ago.
Now that I think that anyone will ask me for my opinion, because frankly, as good as my work is, no one cares about my opinion or what I think, but in the unlikely event that management should ask me, I'll glad tell them my opinion.
I don't know if putting people in what could very well look like a closet is the best option to overcome the challenge of housing so many workers. You almost look forward to people leaving so that there won't be as many people in the building and you won't have people working in a closet-like space.
I had actually joked once, many years ago, that management could start stationing workers in the lunch arbor outside, should the inside of the office become full. The lunch arbor, while hot at times, has a roof and could theoretically protect those sitting there from the elements. But I imagine that that kind of heat would still be unbearable when those summer months roll around. It was a joke years ago, but now, I'm thinking that this could become a reality in due time, especially if we're going through the motions and putting cubicles in conference rooms.
I don't know anymore. I don't know if trying to make sense of this is worth the thought or the energy.
What I do know is that my cubicle is not currently located in a broom closet.
Give it time?
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