When the concept of individual cubicles for office workers was first introduced in 1968, it was part of a larger vision called the "Action Office." Before cubicles came along, many companies used an "open bullpen" approach, in which rows of desks were placed in a centralized and often impersonal arrangement. The inventor of office cubicles, a man named Robert Propst, envisioned improving workers' productivity by providing a customized workspace which minimized distractions. Workers in cubicles could spread out their assigned workload in a way that was most efficient, instead of relying on cramped "incoming" and "outgoing" filing systems.

Under the original "action office" concept, cubicles were meant to be grouped together according to the workers' needs for interaction. Some cubicles would be open and accessible while others would be soundproofed or shielded for what would be considered "head down" work. Under the original configurations, office cubicles would improve worker productivity by providing some privacy and customization, but the ability to communicate with others would still be a consideration.

Over time, however, the idea of using cubicles to unite workers with common needs gave way to economic concerns. Office cubicles now represent the most efficient way to utilize available floor space, which can be a major consideration in high-rent business districts. Cubicles may delineate individual work spaces, but they can also lead to morale problems as workers begin to feel confined in semi-private "nests" with little contact with the outside world. When worker morale is low, productivity also tends to suffer.

In short, office cubicles appear to improve worker productivity during the performance of "head down" tasks, such as word processing or filing, but could cause productivity problems whenever workers need to communicate freely with each other. In an effort to address this problem, a number of companies are now creating pods of cubicles designed to accommodate each department's specific needs. Those workers who need interactivity and open communication may work in cubicles without high walls, while those who need more privacy could have cubicles with high walls and even a door.

Determining if the use of office cubicles alone could have an impact on worker productivity can be difficult. There are a number of other factors, such as job satisfaction and experience, which could affect the productivity levels of individual employees. Some have speculated that office cubicles may have been an improvement over the open bullpen office configurations of old, but they have not been proven to increase worker productivity enough to call them completely successful.