OFFICE ACCOMODATION, LAYOUT AND ENVIRONMENTThe office should be established at such a place where customers can reach without any inconvenience. As far as possible, the central part of the city is an ideal place for office location. As the success of any business concern depends upon the location o f its office. Office activity needs to be provided where it can best serve the objectives of the organization as a whole. No doubt, a good location attracts many.LOCATION OF AN OFFICEAny decision involving wrong location of an office cannot be corrected at once. Further the office cannot command a good respect, and lose its image in the minds of those who have contacts for business. Hence, proper care and caution has to be taken by the Office Manager, for planning place for business.WHERE TO LOCATE OFFICE-URBAN OR SUBURBANOffice location is directly dependent upon the broader problem of location of the firm as a whole. The office manager has to consider a wide range of factors like markets, labor supply, local laws, power, taxes, trends in regional and local development, living conditions, availability of suitable local sites, commuting problems for employees, transportation facilities, better infrastructure amenities, etc. before choosing a location. It is better on the part of management to evaluate a number of possible locations to make a cost analysis for each alternative location. The management has to decide clearly regarding the location of office either urban or suburban area. In earlier days, managers desired to establish in urban areas. But in due course of time, on account of traffic congestion, unprecedented hike in overall cost, many offices have been located in suburban areas. Nowadays there has been an increasing trend to locate offices very near to their factories.Urban Location- it includes towns, cities of a region. Even areas of municipalities can be termed as urban location.Advantages1. Easy contact with other offices2. Increased image3. Easy access4. Transport facilities5. Banking, post office and other facilities6. Recreational facilities7. Other amenities8. Employees preferenceDisadvantages1. Overcrowding and congestion2. Difficulty to expand business3. Higher cost4. Demand for more pay5. Polluted atmosphereSuburban locationAdvantages1. Payment of lower rent for the office occupied2. Payment of lower allowances to employees3. Further expansion and modernization of office possible4. Less traffic and less over crowdingDisadvantages1. Inadequate service facilities such as banks, post and telegraph offices, railways, stations, markets2. Inadequate transport facilities-airport/port/railways3. Lack of communication facilitiesChoice of locationIn deciding about the actual location of an office, the management should bear in mind both the advantages and disadvantages of urban and suburban center. In most cases, the choice of location depends on the cost aspects. The best location is one which gives the maximum advantage at the lowest possible cost. Particulars on region, area, community, trends in business, requirements and expectations of customer and staff should also be considered prior to choice of location.Factors influencing locationThe success of the business concern depends on the location of its office. The office should be established at such a place where customers can reach without any convenience. The central part of the city is an ideal selection for office location. While selecting for the office, the following points should be taken into consideration.1. Convenience to customers2. Transportation facilities3. Safely and climate4. Postal, telegraphic and banking facilities5. Availability of sufficient space6. Need of the businessOFFICE BUILDINGThe location of the office building plays an important role in affecting the office environment. If office building is located at a far off place, it will affect the health of employees adversely. Similarly, if the office building is located in a dirty and noisy place, it will not be healthy.Advantages of own Building1. It represents a wise investments decision, especially where part of the building is rented on good terms.2. It lends prestige to the organization and enhances its credit worthiness besides improving its image in the eyes of the customers.3. As permanency is assured, the address need not be changed again and again due to growing needs of the business, since the design of own building takes care of the future needs.4. The building can be planned on the basis of present and possible future needs. Thus best possible use of accommodation can be made.Drawbacks of own building1. Ownership of building also presents other problems to the management, like payment of taxes and settlement of disputes with tenants, if part is rented.2. Own building may require huge investment which may not be within the easy reach of small or medium-sized business.3. High costs of maintenance may also prove too much for a small or medium-sized business.Advantages of leased building1. Maintenance responsibility2. No investment decision responsibility3. Ease in location changeLimitations of leased building1. High rents2. Wastage of space3. Not need- based4. Frequent shiftOFFICE LAYOUTAfter locating a particular site, the size and shape of the building have to be considered. The size and shape of the office must b conductive to the present requirement as well as for the future expansion. It will be appropriate to choose a square or rectangular space for office.Importance of Office LayoutIt is an accepted fact that office workers, like any other type of workers, can work with maximum efficiency only when the environment and conditions under which they are congenial and they are provided with suitable equipment for performing their work. It must be remembered that office work is mostly brainwork much of which is monotonous and repetitive in nature. Concentration of mind is essential for such work. Moreover, he office clerk has to spend a large part of the day in the office doing such work.Principles of Layout1. Work should flow continuously forward, as nearly as possible in straight line.2. Departments that have similar functions or frequent contact with each other should be located near one another to reduce travel time. 3. Central service groups such as stenographic pools should be conveniently located near the employees and departments who use them.4. Furniture and equipment should be arranged in a straight line, with any angular placement of desks and chairs reserved for supervisory personnel.5. Space allowances should be adequate for work needs and employment comfort.6. Furniture and equipment of uniform size make for greater flexibility and more uniform appearance.7. All employees should face in the same direction, with supervisors placed to rear of work groups.8. Desks should be arranged so that no employee is compelled to face an objectionable light source. Illumination should strike the employees work area from above and slightly behind the employee.9. Units that utilize noisy equipment, such as data processing or telex machines should be located on separate rooms to avoid disturbing other work groups.10. Work groups that have frequent contact with the public should be located in easily accessible place.11. Large, rectangular blocks of space facilitate work flow and provide greater flexibility.12. Departments in which work is necessarily untidy be kept away from public view.13. Suitable light and air conditioning for all employees should be provided.14. Necessary private offices should be located where they are least interfered.15. Personnel and equipment needs, both present and future should be considered when determining space requirements and layout.16. Water fountains, bulletin boards, and vending machines should be placed where they will cause the least congestion and distraction.17. Rest rooms, and lounge areas should be conveniently located.Office Layout Recent Trends1. Landscape Offices they look pleasant and attractive. It is an open office that the arrangement of straight lines of desks divided by straight gangways. Landscape offices are well suited to the requirements of technical specialists, management information services etc.2. Movable Partitions they are now being used in establishing private offices. Movable partitions of ceiling, partial or counter height made up of metal, wood, glass or plastic materials are used segregate private office areas. They are less costly and lend themselves to flexible use.3. Modular Units they occupy less floor space; enhance work efficiency by eliminating unnecessary motions. The most popular type of modular desk is the L-pattern desk with a flat surface.Open Office and Private Office It should be decided whether each department will be provided with separate rooms or all the departments of the office will be accommodated in one large hall.Open Office- an office refers to a large room where all the departments men and equipments are housed under a single roof without partitions or walls separating them.Private office- private offices are small rooms occupied by departments. Each department will be placed in a room. Such rooms are allotted by considering the nature of confidential matter to be deal in, or for top officials.OFFICE ENVIRONMENTThe environment, in which the office employee performs office services, is known as office, environment. It includes, working place, working condition, working hours, working equipments, training facilities and incentive payment system.Advantages of Good Office Environment to the Employees:1. Easy in work2. Simplicity in work3. Improvement in mental and physical fitnessAdvantages of Good Office Environment to the Areas Concern:1. Increase in production2. Increase in profits3. Increase in efficiency4. Improvement in employees relations5. Reduction in employees turnover6. Reduction in employees absenteeism7. Increase in the goodwillPhysical ConditionsA. Lighting the most important physical condition in the office is lighting. The lighting should be suited to the requirements of every individual office. The requirements vary according 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.Good quality light it is relatively free from glare, diffused evenly about the seeing area. Brightness should be fairly uniform rather than varying greatly from one portion of office to another.Sources of Light the important sources f light are incandescent light and fluorescent light.Normal lighting for maximum advantage, the office must try to use the natural light or daylight. Large windows, adequate number of skylights, bring coloring of walls and the ceiling may be used to get the maximum advantage of natural light.Artificial lighting the cost of installation and maintenance of artificial light is high. Artificial lighting is used where the rooms do not allow natural light to penetrate in adequate quantity (record rooms, stairways and basements). However, artificial lighting is not healthy and strains the eye of employees.Types of artificial lightingAdvantages of Good Office Environment to the Employees:1. Direct lighting2. Semi-direct3. Indirect lighting4. Semi- indirect5. GeneralBenefits of Good Lighting1. Increased output2. Better quality of work3. Reduction of fatigue4. Better employee moraleB. Ventilation it refers to supply of free air at the right temperature 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. Offices are often allowed to become too hot and stuffy, causing drowsiness resulting in slower and less accurate work.C. Color Conditioning it is generally believed that colors convey feelings. Different combinations not only add to the appearance of a room, but also have psychological effect on the people who are working in it. Drab surroundings are depressing for the employees. Bright and cheerful colors have a cheering effect on them on them resulting in more and better work. Soft, cool colors the most suitable for offices.

4. Improvement in employee5. Reduction in employee6. Reduction in employee7. Increase in the goodwillPhysical ConditionsLighting the most important physical condition in the office is lighting. The lighting 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.Good quality light- it is relatively free from glare, diffused evenly about the seeing area. Brightness should be fairly uniform rather than greatly from one portion of office to another.Sources of Light the important sources of light are incandescent light and fluorescent light.Normal Lighting - for maximum advantage, the office must try to use the natural or daylight. Large windows, adequate number of skylight, bright coloring of walls and the ceiling may be used to get the maximum advantage of natural light.Artificial Lighting the cost installation and maintenance of artificial light is high. Artificial lighting I used where the rooms do not allow natural light to penetrate in adequate quantity (record rooms, stairways and basements). However artificial lighting is not healthy and strains the eyes of employees.Types of Artificial Lighting1. Direct lighting2. Semi-Direct3. Indirect Lighting4. Semi-Indirect5. GeneralBenefits of Good Lighting1. Increased Output2. Better Quality of Work3. Reduction of fatigue4. Better employee moraleB.Ventilation it refers to supply of free air at the right temperature of right humidity. Ventilation is one of the most common office problems draughts can cause more strong feeling than any other aspects of the environment. Offices are often allowed to become too hot and stuffy, causing drowsiness resulting in slower and less accurate work.C.Color Conditioning it is generally believe that colors convey feelings. Different combination not only ad to the appearance of the room, but also has a psychological effect on the people who are working in it. Drab surroundings are depressing for the employees. Bright and cheerful colors have a cheering effect on them resulting in more and better work. Soft, cool colors are most suitable for offices.Floor Covering there are many factors to be taken into account when buying floor covering for an office, and cost may be the deciding one. Safety is also very important.Curtains are provided in some offices, particularly in executive suits and offices. Apart from the pleasing atmosphere created by curtains they also provided the means of absorbing sound. Ease of cleaning is also important.D. Air Conditioning is usually the most suitable form of ventilation. It contributes the mental activity in boost the efficiency. It is costly system, but it eliminates the problem of cleanliness, heat, ventilation, humidity and noise, etc. An air-conditioning system controls the circulation, temperature and humidity of air and removes the foreign substance of an enclosed area. Air-conditioning system fall into two categories package and central. Central systems serve entire building, while package units are commonly used in small offices.E. Reduction of Noise-Noise affects the efficiency of the average office worker. Clerks may be unconscious of the noise, but they cannot get away from its effects. Experiments have shown that when noise has been dead end, errors in clerical work have been reduced, volume of work increased and its quality improved; the worker has also enjoyed better health. Noise may be internal or external depending upon the area from which it is generated.Internal noise is created by1. Movements of machines2. Movements and conversation of clerks, peons, visitors etc.3. Cracking doors.4. Calling bells, telephone bells.5. Shifting of furniture from one place to another.Measures to reduce internal noise1. Carpets, rubber or coir mats spread on the floor will reduce the sound cause by the movements of the clerks and other people.2. Below the office machines which create noise on operation, felt pad can be placed which reduce the noise.3. Calling bells can be replaced with buzzer.4. Banging or cracking doors should be fitted with rubber or felts stops to reduce sound.External noise is created by1. Streets sound 2. Noise from moving vehicles3. Noise due to opening and closing of doors and windows.Control of noise1. Office can be located in a quiet place. 2. Sounds absorbing materials for office floors, ceilings and walls can be used.3. Doors can be fitted with door closers and rubber lining or with hydraulic controls.4. From the main office, telephone switch boards should be housed far away.F. Cleanliness- it is the office managers task to see that the offices are kept clean, the cleaners employed are properly supervised and that they are provided with adequate equipment.G. Safety Provisions- the office manager should make safety provisions in the office. The reason is that employees can meet with accidents and injury themselves.1.Sanitary Requirements5.Toilets2.Overcrowding6.Canteen3.Drinking Water7.Restrooms4.SpittoonsFire precautions offices can contain a vast of highly flammable material and there are serious fire risks which must be guarded against. The following precautions should be taken in this regard:1. Fire exists should be marked clearly.2. All members should be informed individually on how to find the nearest fire exit in the event of a fire alarm.3. The fire alarm should be tested regularly.4. Adequate fire extinguisher should be installed.5. Staff should be trained to use fire extinguishers.6. Fire extinguishers should be inspected regularly to ensure they are in proper working order.7. Each member of staff should be provided individually with a carefully prepared procedure sheet planning what to do in the event of fire.8. The telephone operator should be aware of the procedures in case of fire.9. Fire drills should be held regularly.10. An automatic fire alarm system should be installed.11. Ash trays should be provided to avoid placing lighted cigarette stumps in waste paper baskets.12. The main electric switch in the building should be switched off when the offices are not occupied.13. Flammable materials should not be left in the sun.14. A fire prevention code should be issued to all staff incorporating items such as switching off all machines at night unplugging them from the power points; ensuring that all heaters/fires are switched off.Benefits of Good Physical ConditionsIt was discussed earlier that the staff do better work in good conditions. Apart from any aesthetic considerations, it is sheer good economics to provide the best working condition possible within the limitations of finance in the type of accommodation. Since people spend almost a quarter of their lives in the office, it is reasonable to expect them to have a pleasing, as well as functional surroundings. It has been said that if the working environment made as similar to home as possible, people are much more willing to spend more time in it and to work harder. The result will be a group of people reasonably happy with their working environment, cheerful, able to concentrate and give their best.OFIICE FURNITUREThere are four main criteria which forms the basis of judgment as to suitability of office furniture, 1.) it is functional, 2.) It is attractive, 3.)It is hard wearing and 4.)It is cost within the budget.Basic ConsiderationsThere are a number of basic factors which should be considered when buying of office furniture1. 2. Design3. Saving in Space4. Appearance5. Comfort of the office worker6. Capital outlay7. Durability8. Fire risks9. Weight10. Hygiene11. Safety

Desk MaterialsDesks are made in various types of material. The three most commonly used are wood, metal, and fiber glass, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.1. Wood is attractive but maybe heavy, easily scratched, and not fire resistant.2. Metal is hard wearing, fire resistant, but cold and can get chip unless anodized metal is used.3. Laminated plastic/fiber glass is hard wearing, light in weight, and fire resistant, but some types may scratched easily.Types of Desks1. Executive Desks it depends on the taste of the executive, and is made with appearance very much in mind.2. Special purpose furniture it is designed for special purpose in offices includes typist desks, computer desks, copier machine desks, and so on.3. Built-in-furniture maximum utilization of floor space may be obtained by the use of built-in furniture. Materials are also saved in its construction.4. General clerical desk ideally the size and design of a desk should be suitable for the work to be performed on it.Modular Desks provides greater desk area and occupies minimum floor space.CONCEPT OF 5S AND OFFICE MANAGEMENTSeiri(Sorting)He first step of the 5S process, seiri, refers to the act of throwing away all unwanted, unnecessary, and unrelated materials in the workplace. People involved in Seiri must not feel sorry about having to throw away things. The idea is to ensure that everything left in the workplace is related to work.Seiton(Systematic arrangement)Seiton, or orderliness, is all about efficiency. This step consists of putting everything in an assigned place so that it can be accessed or retrieved quickly, as well as returned in that same place quickly. If everyone has quick access to an item or materials, work flow becomes efficient, and the worker becomes productive.Seiso(Spic and Span)Seiso, the third step in 5S, says that everyone is a janitor. Seiso consists of cleaning up the workplace and giving it a shine. Cleaning must be done by everyone in the organization, from operators to managers. It would be a good idea to have every area of the workplace a sign to a person or group of persons for cleaning.Seikitsu(Standardizing)Seikitsu, the fourth step in 5S. more or less translates to standardized clean up. It consist of defining the standards by which personnel must measure and maintain cleanluness. Seikitsu encompasses both personal and environmental cleanliness. Personnel must therefore practice Seikitsu starting with their personal tidiness.Shitsuke(Self discipline)The last step of 5S, Shitsuke, means Discipline. It denotes commitment to maintain orderliness and to practice the first 4S as a way of life. The emphasis of Shitsuke is elimination to bad habits and constant practice of good ones.