According to a study recently conducted by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) in Houston, the number of square feet per office space per person has been shrinking steadily since 1997. Similar studies are emerging all over and confirming that sinking feeling that your neighbor really is, literally, breathing down your neck. As a response to calls to cut costs in all quarters, companies have been squeezing more people into less space. From shared offices and open floor plans with an increasing number of work stations, to downsized corner offices, everyone, yes even senior management, is feeling and being affected by this space crunch.

What can you do to survive this shrinking office phenomenon? Consider investing in a corner desk. These L-shaped or triangle shaped marvels are wonderfully efficient when it comes to utilizing every precious inch of space that you have. They are a simple and practical solution to your looming space problem. The space saving nature of the corner desk is apparent not only in its basic shape. Many models come with built in shelving, drawers and even multiple levels. This helps counter-act the problem of smaller horizontal floor areas by providing you with an increase in usable vertical space.

Corner desks also help create a better work environment. Because they delineate your work space from your coworkers on two sides, the resulting work area feels more private even if it is smaller. They enable you to feel snug and cozy rather than over-crowded. Allowing yourself a clear personal space, reduces the stress of working in close quarters and thus enables you to focus better and boosts over-all productivity. There are also some models of the corner desk that allow you to modularize, that is add on segments to the basic shape to customize your desk to meet your exact needs. Modularization allows you to further expand or augment your working area and in a situation like this, every little bit counts.