Lesson 3: Office Accommodation and Work Environment

Office Accommodation

• It is the process of selecting an appropriate building in a favorable location,  establishing different sections and departments, proving or arranging resources in a scientific way.

• The purpose of office accommodation is to create sound working  environment and to bring efficiency and rapidness in office work.

• Office employees spend longer time in the  office.

• Bad accommodation can cause boredom and frustration among  employees. Bad environment also may cause bad impression to outsiders.

Shape and size of office building

selection of office building.

An office should have an adequate space to accommodate all  employees, machines, equipment, and furniture with enough space  for flexibility. 

It should be considered taking the base of both present  and future needs.

Lighting and ventilation

• selection of office building.

• An office building should have adequate lighting and ventilation. 

• It helps to increase efficiency and enhance worker’s morale. 

• Well-lighted  and ventilated accommodation puts less pressure on the employees and  also reduces the physical and mental strain and consequently the  efficiency is increased.

Convenience to customers and employees

selection of office building.

• While selecting office building, one should consider the  convenience of  both customers and employees. 

• It should not be far from the related trade  center, must have proper toilet and canteen services and food hospitality  and utilities.

Cost

selection of office building. The cost of a building impacts on the total budget of an organization. It should be within its budget.

There should be a balance between the requirement of space, capacity of the organization and the cost for covering the expanses.

Flexibility

selection of office building.  of office building in its shape and size should be considered  while selecting the office building. It must also match the nature of  organization. 

Layout Facility

selection of office building. The efficiency of manpower and machines depend upon the layout.  Proper  layout also creates office attraction. 

Proximity to customer

Selection of Office Location. The office should be accessible to customers. 

• Customers prefer short distances to make business inquiries. 

• The office should be  accessible to other parties who are their  regular contacts.

Distanced to related business

Selection of Office Location.

• It is desirable to locate the office near the  offices of related business. 

• It should be established in the same line of  trade.

Availability of infrastructure 

Selection of Office Location. 

• Infrastructure should be made available where the office is located.

• It consists of transport, communication, power, water and  parking facilities.

Nature of business

Selection of Office Location.  affects the location of the office.  

• Ideally, the office of a manufacturing business is located near the source of raw materials, labor, and service facilities.

• The office of the trading and banking business is located in commercial centers near the customers. 

• The office of perishable goods business is located near the market for such goods.

availability of human resources

Selection of Office Location. The needed human resources should  be available for the office. 

• They can be skilled, semi-skilled and  unskilled. 

• All facilities must be available for the employees.
  

Environment

Selection of Office Location.

• The office location should have a healthy environment.  

• It should not be near polluted rivers or waste disposal sites. 

• It  should be free from noise, dust and pollution.

Cost of space

Selection of Office Location. 

• Sufficient space should be available at reasonable  cost for the office. 

• Space should be available for future expansion.

Government laws

Selection of Office Location. The selection of location should comply with government laws and regulation at national and local levels.

Office Layout

• It refers to the systematic arrangement of office amenities. 

• It also refers to the arrangement of staff, machines, equipment, furniture  and other physical facilities within the limit of available  floor space.

• Its purposes are to utilize space in the best possible  manners, to make the office attractive  and to increase efficiency of the staff.

• It is defined as the arrangement and positioning of men,  materials, machines and money to the optimum level.

Purpose of Office Layout

• To utilize the floor space properly

• To run the office work smoothly

• To help for the motivation of employees.

• To help for the minimization of physical hazards and  accident

• To make proper supervision

• To maintain the attractiveness in impressing the customers and visitor.

• To provide provision of comfort and satisfaction of  employees

• To help provide security

Principles of Office Layout

• Principle of flow of work

• Principle of free movement and observation

• Principle of effective supervision:

• Principle of departmental relationships

• Principle of flexibility

• Principle of maximum utilization

• Principle of pleasing appearance

• Principle of good ventilation

• Principle of good lighting

• Principle of safety

• Principle of service facilities

• Principle of providing private offices

Office Environment

• we mean “Working Environment”.

• The environment, in which the office employee performs office services

• OFFICE ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES:

  • Working place

  • Working condition

  • Working hours

  • Working equipment

  • Training facilities

  • Incentive payment system, etc.

Advantages of a good office environment to the employees

• Ease inwork

• Simplicity inwork

• Improvement in mental and physical fitness

Advantages of a good office environment to the organization

• Increase in production

• Increase in profits

• Increase inefficiency

• Improvement in employee relations

• Reduction in employee turnover

• Reduction in employee absenteeism

• Increase in goodwill

Lighting 

Physical conditions. The most important physical condition in the office

• Should be suited to the requirements of every individual office.

• The requirements vary according to the size of the office, the height of the ceiling, the type of work being performed there, the number of people in the office, and the positions of desks, machines, etc.

Ventilation

Physical conditions. Refers to the supply of free air with the right temperature and of right humidity.

Ventilation is one of the most common office problems; draughts can cause more strong feeling than any other aspect of the environment.

One of the requirements of good ventilation includes having a constant flow of fresh air to remove staleness without causing draught.

Color Conditioning

Physical conditions. Colors convey feelings.

• Different color combinations not only add to the appearance of a room, but also has a psychological effect on the people who are working in it.

• Bright and cheerful colors have a positive impact on employees, leading to increased productivity.

• Soft, cool colors are the most suitable for offices.

• Color can also be used to provide some degree of individuality; each section, department or entire floor of an office can be given its own color scheme.
  

Air-Conditioning

Physical conditions.  is usually the most suitable form of ventilation.

• It enhances mental activity and boosts the efficiency of employees.

• It is a costly system, but it eliminates the problems of heat, ventilation, humidity, and noise etc.

• An air-conditioning system regulates the circulation, temperature, and humidity of air in an enclosed area, while also removing foreign substances.

• Air-conditioning systems have two categories: package and central.

• Central systems serve the entire building while package units are commonly used in small offices.

Reduction of Noise

Physical conditions. Noise affects the efficiency of the average office worker.

• Clerks may be unconscious of the noise, but they cannot get away from its effects.

• Noise may be either internal or external, depending upon the area from which it is generated.

Cleanliness

• Physical Conditions. It is the office manager’s task to see that the offices are kept clean, the cleaners employed are properly supervised and that they are provided with adequate equipment.

Safety Provisions

Physical Conditions. The Office Manager should draft safety provisions in the office.

• Employees may injure themselves and meet accidents.

• Most of the accidents in the office occur due to:

  • Slipping or falling 

  • Collision obstructions 

  • Handling of equipment

  • Fire

  • Bad light fittings