Typical status markers in the enclosed office hierarchy include: workspace location, accessibility to others, total square footage of floor space, the quantity and quality of furnishings it contains, and the extent to which its occupant may personalize the space.

Often, an office on a higher floor, or one with more windows, will signify prestige.

The significant factor unique to all enclosed offices (versus open office work areas) is the ability to control access by opening or closing the office door. This single feature denotes power.

The real issue seems to be not enclosure, but control over accessibility. The ability to control access and interactions is not only a function of the physical environment.

An administrative assistant or other support staff, for example, often plays an important role in screening access. A person’s job activities, often varying during the course of a day, also alter his or her desire for privacy at any given time.

Researchers conclude that the experience of privacy is a function of those things required, along with what is available, and acceptable, within a given environment.

"Different job requirements affect not only how much privacy people need, but also what they perceive privacy to be."