“Offices For Introverts” Designed By Someone Who Doesn’t Understand Introverts

UPDATE: The introvert offices do include options for opaque walls.

I was so happy to see The Atlantic’s piece An Office For Introverts, which promised that design firm Steelcase had created a series of offices designed with the corporate introvert in mind.

After seeing the designs, I’m not sure that Steelcase understands what introverts need.

The offices include comfy chairs so introverts can “sit how they want,” and natural materials for a “calming state of mind.”

They also include glass walls. Every single introvert office is a fishbowl.

Here’s the deal, Steelcase: the ideal office for introverts includes four opaque walls and a door that shuts.

Introverts do not want people to watch them work. They don’t want people to stop by the transparent wall of their comfy-chaired cubicle and kinda look, just check in to see if they’re busy, and then maybe linger a bit, and then say “Hey! Are you busy?”

They also do not want their co-workers to know that they have spent the past half hour at their standing desks typing and bouncing around to The Doubleclicks’ newest song, This Is My Jam. They don’t want people to see any of that.

They just want to work in peace. Is it that hard, to just let us work in peace?

UPDATE: The Atlantic just updated their own article to say “Steelcase really wants you all to know that the glass can become opaque.” There are pictures. This looks a bit better for introverts.

Photo: Elma

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