Productivity
Independent research shows that 60% of staff's productivity is affected by office design. Therefore, the feel, the style or look and the flexibility of your workplace is vital to the overall performance of your company.
Trying to get the best out of your employees is difficult. Every day your employees come to work, you expect them to be productive. Are they?
Spatial Arrangements
The objective of good space planning is to achieve the most appropriate and cost effective solution to meet your specific needs while maximising the use of space, facilities and equipment.
Good space planning deals with issues like, how much space is available, what functions need to be carried out. how people, teams and departments act and interact with each other.
Communication:
Promote productivity through creating collaborative workspace areas where team members can still chat during work but also provide the appropriate level of privacy to concentrate when needed.
Workstations:
Promote productivity through creating collaborative workspace areas where team members can still chat during work but also provide the appropriate level of privacy to concentrate when needed.
Workstation Furniture
The elements that make up a workstation are; desk, swivel chair, privacy screen and monitor.
Together, proper design and the use of these furniture items can increase a persons productivity.
Job Requirements:
Even in small offices, there are different types of work. For example, the privacy and storage needs of a receptionist will differ from that of an IT developer.
Ergonomics:
Seat staff comfortably - provide the appropriate desks and chairs, with options for personal control and adjustability to allow them to satisfy their own level of comfort.
Noise levels
Speech has been identified as a leading factor which lowers people's concentration and can increase stress levels. Creating adequate noise privacy is key especially when designing open plan spaces.
Demographics
Are employees predominantly male or female? Keep in mind women are less distracted by noise than men.
Desk Screens
Provide appropriate privacy screens that block the direct path of speech from one employee to another.
Enclosed Spaces
Allow employees to carry out noisy activities, like video or private phone calls in dedicated areas.
Sound Absorption
Use appropriate flooring, wall and ceiling materials to optimise sound absorption and reverberation.
Lighting
Productivity can be affected by low lighting and more importantly a lack of natural daylight.
Natural / Artificial:
Most people prefer natural light to artificial lighting. Maximise daylight by locating desking close to windows, as natural daylight does not normally go beyond two workstations deep.
Luminance:
This is the amount of light reflecting off a surface, which affect the perception of brightness. It is best to use colours that have a high surface reflectance.
Temperature
Pleasant office temperature and oxygenated air positively affects productivity. However complaints about thermal and air quality are common, especially in open plan offices.
Fresh Air
The mechanical ventilation system must have the capacity to provide the required volume of air for the number of people in that particular space.
Air-Conditioning
The air-conditioning system should have a balance of heating and cooling, whilst allowing individuals to control how warm or cold it is.
Temperature
Indoor temperatures usually range between 20-25oC. However, one set of thermal conditions will not suit everyone.
Conclusion
Inevitably, some design goals will conflict with others. For example, maximising window exposure will benefit lighting and visual comfort, but may lead to complaints about thermal conditions.
However, with an experienced interior designer, you will not only fulfil the needs of your employees, you will help to boost their productivity.
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