Have you ever wondered, in your work day daydreaming, how the office got its start. Well I did and it prompted me to do a little research. Why were offices first needed? What kind of places had offices? The answers I got were interesting.
Offices coevolved with the development of new technology. When the railroad, telegraph and telephone were invented, it allowed for long distance communication. Offices were places to house this early technology. In general they became places to conduct business and for clerical work.
Office furniture also came with the need for offices. In 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the first office furniture was debuted. The staple items in the office are the office desk and chair. Early desks were roll top but with the invention of the typewriter, the desks we are more familiar with in most settings today evolved.
Twenty five years later, nearly 100,000 people were working as secretaries. So, it is apparent that this occupation was at the time, a novelty. Manual labor was the main work force up until that time. It may have been the office jobs that started the shift to more clerical jobs.
So, next time you are sitting at your desk in your office chair, think of the humble beginnings that started your profession. Whether you are a secretary, a lawyer, or a teacher, your desk holds a certain meaning for you. An office is a place for organization, or a place where deals are made. A place for conferences or a place for private meetings. The evolution of the office is fascinating when you look at where it all started to how far it has come today.
