By David Pierce
Workers had offices not too long ago—fabric-box cubicles for most, maybe a door if you were important enough. The décor might have been drab, and the walls might have felt like they were closing in on you, but at least they shielded you from the hell that is other people.
Today, you might be stuck sitting on a bench with a sliver of workspace—the “open office.” Your computer screen is in any peeper’s eye line, and you might as well put your calls on speaker.
Critics of open offices say they are a scourge. Employees report feeling less connected, more distracted and less productive. Illnesses spread as in a kindergarten class. Some days, you give up and work from Starbucks or your dining room.
Luckily, getting to work no longer means going to work. Work happens over videoconference and Slack, on smartphones and laptops. According to Gallup’s 2017 State of the American Workplace survey, 43% of people spent at least some time working away from the office. If you haven’t, maybe you should: Employees who worked remotely as many as four days a week reported being more engaged in their jobs than those in the office every day.
Your porta-office starts with a backpack: Even if you aren’t supertidy, all this stuff should fit. PHOTO: DAVID PIERCE/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL