The Working Environment

Office Layout

Types of Office Layout

Cellular – this is a traditional layout

Small rooms Offices consist of 1 - 4 employees

Advantages

Private meetings can be held More secure – rooms can be locked Fewer distractions from other staff Noisy equipment can be put in another

room Staff can create their own environment

Disadvantages

Staff can feel isolated (lonely) from other workers

Staff may not feel part of a team Difficult to supervise staff Room size may be small and feel crowded

Open plan – modern and flexible way of organising work space

Large work area shared by different departments

Screen/dividers used to separate areas of work

Advantages

Easier to communication with others Equipment can be shared eg printer Easier to supervise staff Team working can be encouraged –

motivating staff Better use of space

Disadvantages

Lack of privacy More distractions – area can be noisy Security – difficult to restrict access to

information and equipment Heating and lighting may not suit all staff

Factors which affect layout choice

Number of employees in the firm Is the firm going to grow or reduce in size The type of work carried out The amount of money available

Can you explain how each factor

affects the layout

Points to consider

When chosen the layout should be:

Adaptable – be able to change Provide enough storage for staff to use Allow employees to move around easily Provide safe access to equipment and

resources (in line with Health and Safety) Provide security for belongings and

information

Pupil handout

Pupil handout

Centralisation

Examples include:

Reprographics Filing Mail

A specialist section for services used by the whole organisation

Advantage Staff are specially trained (experts) Noisy equipment is isolated Sharing equipment saves money Workload more evenly spread amongst staff

Disadvantage Time wasted getting to centralised area Work can be repetitive for staff Loss of contact between staff in centralised area

and other members of staffPupil handout

Pupil handout

Working Practices

Not all members of staff need to work in the office. Other working practices include:

Homeworking – an employee that does their job from their own home

Teleworking – an employee that does their job away from the office using ICT equipment Equipment

Quiz

Employee

Advantages Time and money

saved on travelling Flexibility in

arranging hours Work around family

commitments

Disadvantages Miss the social

aspect of work Distractions at home

can interrupt work May lack motivation

due to lack of supervision

Employer

Advantages Smaller premises

are required saving on rent

Staff tend to be more motivated

Can reduce absenteeism

Staff may stay with the firm if flexible working is offered

Disadvantages Cost of purchasing

equipment required Difficult to arrange

meetings Difficult to supervise

staff Difficult to ensure

Health and Safety and ICT support

Employees that work from home will still need to come into the office. The following areas are provided:

Hot Desk – a spare workstation that can be booked in advance. Equipped with a computer and telephone.

Hot Office – can be booked in advance and used for confidential meetings

Carrel – a small booth which allows staff some privacy. Can have ICT equipment

Touchdown Area – used by employees making brief visits to the organisation. They have computer access but cannot be booked in advance.

Café/Social Area – relaxed setting. Can be used for informal meetings.

Flexible Working

This describes all kinds of employment which is not traditional full-time (9am – 5 pm, Mon-Fri)

Part-time – someone who works fewer hours than a full-time equivalent

Job-sharing – one full-time job is split between 2 or more people.

Shift work – employees work at different times of the day/night to ensure the organisation remains open longer

Temporary Contracts – staff are employed for short periods of time (eg 6 months, 2 years). Saves wages – only employed for time required

Outsourcing – organisations buy in services instead of employing staff. Eg cleaning, security, reprographics and computer repairs

Advantages Improved morale –

staff make choices Can fit in family

commitments and appointments

Extra hours “banked” which can be taken off at a later date

Disadvantages Difficult to contact

staff outwith core hours

Meetings must be organised during core hours

Requires clocking in/out system

Flexitime – employee can choose their own start and finish times. But they must work core hours (eg 1000 -1200 hours and 1400 – 1600 hours).

Office Environment Changes

Staff resistance – unwilling to adapt to changes Cost of changing the layout Training costs Loss of productivity until staff get used to new

ways Health and safety issues to be considered

Management must fully explain any changes to staff.

Problems associated with change: