OFFICE LAYOUT

AND OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT
THE PLANNING STAGE
• Are you troubled with deciphering the exact needs required when planning and
designing your office space?
•How do you distinguish what office furniture is needed?
•Which would you suits your needs best: a desk, work-station, or portable desk unit?
•Are you under estimating or over estimating the amount of space you will require?
•What is your working style?
•Do you have the tendency to “spread out” when you work?
•Do you like things out of sight?
•Are you more of a visual person?
THE PLANNING STAGE
•Are you currently juggling space for your computer and papers all in the same work
area?
•How much lightning is needed to work more efficiently and effectively?
•What type of lightning do you prefer?
•How much space will be needed for storing surplus supplies?
•Do you invest in lateral or vertical file cabinets?
•How do you calculate future growth and space needs when planning your office?
KEY CONCERNS IN PLANNING
AN OFFICE
•Spatial Design and Layout
•Electrical Requirements
•Lightning
•Ergonomics
SPATIAL DESIGN AND LAYOUT
◦ ISSUES TO CONSIDER WHEN SETTING UP YOUR
OFFICE
1. Establish primary and secondary work areas
for these tasks:
Paper work
Computer activities
Projects
SPATIAL DESIGN AND LAYOUT
◦ ISSUES TO CONSIDER WHEN SETTING UP YOUR
OFFICE
2. Plan for accessible file systems:
 Action files
Administrative files
Client files
Project files
Reference files
SPATIAL DESIGN AND LAYOUT
◦ ISSUES TO CONSIDER WHEN SETTING UP YOUR OFFICE
3. Allocated space for storage of office supplies:
Utilities; pens and pencils; staples; tape; paper clips; rubber
bands; etc.
Marketing materials: letterhead; envelopes; company literature
Fax supplies
Printer supplies
Copier supplies
OFFICE
DESIGN/LAYOUT

STRIP
OFFICE
DESIGN/LAYOU
T

CORNER
OFFICE CORRIDO
DESIGN/LAYOU R
T
OFFICE
DESIGN/LAYOU
T

L-SHAPED
OFFICE
DESIGN/LAYOU
T

U-SHAPED
OFFICE
DESIGN/LAYOUT
 ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS
Plan for electrical needs; Plan for electrical needs;
1. Outlets: Fax machines
Answering machines Lightning: ambient, task
Back-up Drives Miscellaneous Powerful Equipment
Computers Printers
Copiers Scanners
Electric Pencil Sharpener Space Heaters
External CD Roms Stereos
External Hard Drives Surge Protectors
External Modems Telephones
Fans Uninterrupted Power Supplies (Ups) Systems
ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS
Plan for electrical needs;
2. Telephone Lines:
Business lines
Fax lines
Dedicated data lines
LIGHTNING
Lightning is critical. Consider these key
sources:
Ambient light (overhead)
Task light (on work stations)
Natural light (sunlight/moonlight)
What is an OFFICE?
An office is a room where professional duties and administrative
work is carried out.
The details of the work depend on the type of business that you are
involved in, but will usually include using computers, communicating
with other by telephone or fax, keeping records and files etc.
Features of an office such as people, space, equipment, furniture
and the environment, must fit well for workers to feel healthy and
comfortable and to be able to work efficiently and productively.
ERGONOMICS
“The science that seeks to adapt work or working
conditions to suit the worker; the study of the
problems of people adjusting to their environment.”
VITAL CONCERNS OF
ERGONOMICS
According to Ergonomist Sally Longyear the following are the things of
importance to be aware of:
Are your eyes really tired at the end of the day?
Are your neck and shoulders often stiff and sore?
Do you ever feel pain or discomfort in your back while working in your
computer?
Do you feel tingling numbness or pain in your forearms, wrists, or hands?
Are your legs often stiff and cramped, or do you have swelling and numbness in
your ankles and feet?
Do you feel exhausted at the end of the day?
List of considerations that can be addressed
when establishing a work-station or area for
employees:
1. The employee need to be approximately 24-36 inches away from the screen,
where the neck is bent within a 15 degree angle, up or down. The top of the
screen should be just below the eye level.
2. The back and shoulders need to be relaxed and in a natural position, with the
worker sitting firmly against the back of their chair.
3. Elbows need to rest comfortably on arm rests, yet closely to the sides of the
body, in a 90 degree angle. Wrists need to from the arm at this angle as well.
Fingers are slightly curved upward, where the keying motion is motion is
gentle and comfortable.
4. Knees need also be at a 90 degree angle with the feet securely on the floor or
at footrest.
BUILDING AN OFFICE LAYOUT
•Improve office layout, right place of personal computers
and thermal control revealed the largest impact on
productivity.
•Optimizing worker productivity has moved up to become as
important as building location.
•Optimizing workforce productivity, organizational needs,
and building location are equally important.
•The key to unlocking productivity may lie in office facilities.
STUDIES SHOW
IMPROVEMENT BENEFIT
A 1% improvement in productivity… Equals 10% of the facility operating
cost, or the entire utility bill
Effective ventilation, adequate Can increase productivity by 6-16%
lightning good acoustics and superior
or indoor air quality…
Computer programmers with larger Performed 2.6 times better that other
workspaces and less acoustic and programmers in the company.
visual disruption…
The installation of new high Has shown a dramatic reduction in the
performance lightning ballasts… incidence of headaches and eyestrain.
Know the Costing of office Space
•It is equally important that you go into the process prepared and
with reasonable expectations.
•You must know the maximum and minimum amount of square
footage that fits your needs, as well as the floor requirements.
•The more that you require, the less negotiating room you will have.
On the other hand, make sure you, or the realtor find out important
information like the occupancy ratio over the last year.
•Leasing space for your company affects profit, employee satisfaction
and ability to grow.
AN OPEN OFFICE CONCEPT
ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES OF AN OPEN
OFFICE
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Open plan offices are more economical. Open space offices are noisier and can be
You are able to provide more work spaces more chaotic than close plan offices.
and place more employees in an office.

Communication is easier between work People passing to and fro can also cause
stations and department. distraction of employees.

Things are easier for the supervisors, as In an open office space, security is
everyone is in the a centralized area. reduced.

Managers and senior managers are in Privacy is difficult to obtain with an open
constant contact with the staff. office plan.
ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES OF AN OPEN
OFFICE
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Expenditures are economical when it Sicknesses and infections can spread like
comes to money that is put out for air wildfire in an environment like an open
conditioning and electricity. office plan.
If the layout of the office needs to be Lightning, heating, and air conditioning to
changed, it can be done quickly and with suit all of employees’ tastes can be
minimum effort. difficult to achieve.
Senior staff or employees which have been
with the company longer than most will
most likely feel as if they are entitled to a
private office.
OFFICE ENVIRONMENT AND
HEALTH

•The office environment is a combination of lightning,

temperature, humidity, air quality and decoration.
•The office can be healthy and comfortable place to work in
if the correct combination of these element is maintained.
ELEMENTS OF OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT
TEMPERATURE
• A comfortable office must be maintain (between30-26 degree
Celsius).
• Office temperature can be localized.
• A desk situated in direct sunlight will be much warmer that the
average temperature in the office and a desk situated directly
under an air conditioning vent can be cooler than average.
• Additional windows, skylights or glass partitions in offices should
not allow excessive temperatures during hot weather.
ELEMENTS OF OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT
HUMIDITY
• Low humidity can cause dryness of the eyes, nose and throat and
may also increase the frequency of static electricity shocks.
• High humidity, above 80% can be associated with fatigue and
report of “stuffiness”.
ELEMENTS OF OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT
VENTILATION
• Office should be ventilated either naturally or artificially.
• Where mechanical ventilation or air conditioning is provided, make
sure the system is regularly checked, kept clean and well
maintained to prevent growth of legionella bacteria or other
organisms.
Contaminated Air
• Contaminants in the office can include bacteria, viruses, mould spores and
dust, solvent vapors or chemical generated or used in the building.
• Appropriate control measures for the reduction of air contamination
include:
Effective air filtration
Ensuring that the adequate amounts of fresh air enter the building,
Maintenance of air conditioning units including regular cleaning,
Preventing the obstruction of vent,
Locating equipment using solvent in non-air conditioned area with substantial air
movement and/or installing local exhaust ventilation
Smoking
• Environmental tobacco smoke is an indoor contaminant and there
is growing recognition that non-smokers may suffer adverse health
effects through inhaling tobacco smoke.
• Procedures such as consultation, education programs and the
allocation of the designated smoking areas are recommended for
the development of an effective no-smoking policy.
Ozone and Photocopies
• Modern photocopies and laser printers are fitted with an ozone
filter and do not present any hazard to health provided they are
properly maintained.
• It is recommended that photocopies are not placed on or in-close
proximity to the personal workstations of office workers because
of possible discomfort from the heat, light, and noise generated
during the photocopying process.
Lightning
• Adequate lightning must be provided. When artificial lightning is
used it should be sufficient so as to avoid visual fatigue and
prevent glare or refraction into the workers eyes.
Suitable light level standard for interior lightning
General background 200 lux
Routine office work 400 lux
Work with poor contrast (proof reading) 600 lux
(lux is a unit used to measure the intensity of light hitting a surface)
Lightning
• Light should fall from side rather than from the front to
avoid refraction on the work surfaces.
• Glare causes visual discomfort and is usually caused by
light sources which are too bright or inadequate shielded.
• It is advisable to ensure that lights are cleaned at regular
intervals at least every 6-12 months.
Color
• Study after study has shown that color influences not just
mood but also wellness and productivity.
• The impact of well-designed environment on emotional
well-being is becoming widely known and widely
accepted.
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF COLOR
Office spaces support several kinds of every human needs.
These include functional needs such as the ability to concentrate or
to collaborate, and ergonomic needs such as the ability to work
comfortably with minimal fatigue.
Office spaces also speak to emotional needs ranging from the need
from personal space to feeling of self-worth.
All of these needs—functional, ergonomic and emotional – must be
considered when color is used to lend shape to office environments.
COLOR determine the level of reflectance
as follows:
•White reflects 75% or more of light
•Light colors 50% - 75% (subdued cool colors)
•Medium colors 20% - 50% (bright warm colors)
•Dark colors 20% or less
WHITE or OFF-WHITE is recommended for ceiling as they should
reflect greater than 80% of light.
Floors should be reflected less than 20% of light and therefore
should be dark colors.
Office floor space
• Workstation should be comfortable with safe and suitable
chairs and sufficient space.
• A good rule of thumb for personal space is to allocate 6.25
square meters per individual workstation, including
furniture and fitting, but excluding passageways and
amenities.
Welfare Facilities
• Welfare facilities like eating facilities, sanitary facilities,
washbasins etc. should be available.
• Ensure adequate facilities for building water and taking
meals are provided for office employees or ensure they
have reasonable access to these facilities.
Cleanliness
• The standard of cleanliness required will depend on the use to
which the office is put.
• Floor and indoor traffic routes should be cleaned and at least once
per week.
• Any waste materials that accumulates should be removed on a
daily basis.
• Ensure contract office cleaners are given the same health and
safety protection as regular office worker.
NEW DEMANDS IN AN OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT
THE CHANGING NEED FOR OFFICE PROPERTY IS BEING INFLUENCE HEAVILY BY
THE UNIVERSAL ADOPTION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY:
•The vast array of mains and signal cables needs to be managed
•Extra heat from the equipment needs to be controlled or removed
•New health and safety risks include electrical hazards, sitting positions,
eyestrain, lack of breaks and RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury)
•Information security needs to be considered amongst other security needs
•Constantly changing businesses and processes demand flexible accommodation
CABLING
The need to route power, telephone, and data cabling to every
workstation puts a severe strain on the hidden ducting in
buildings.
Various techniques have been adopted to ease the burden, such
as structured or floor wiring, cordless telephones, and wireless
data networks.
Various techniques are employed to minimize rigidity and space
loss such a peripheral, ceiling or floor fed wiring, with wiring
cabinets on each other.
FURNITURE
Technology has an impact on furniture. It is unlikely that a
building will be able to support wiring for technology at any
random point where a desk is to be placed.
The furniture therefore has a role in distributing the wiring
from the nearest point to the desks in the cluster.
Furniture also provides noise attenuation and visual
barriers and supports the safe working environment
demanded by health and safety regulations.
NOISE
Noise in offices can affect concentration, can be an irritation,
and can be a source of stress in some people.
With the development of quieter equipment especially
printers, noise level in offices have generally decreased.
However, in open-plan offices it can still be a problem with
the noise mainly due to people.
Screen and good quality flooring and ceiling tiles can help to
absorb noise.
BREAKS
It is very important that you take breaks from your work
during the day.
Working in a computer involves sitting in a fixed posture
and however ‘good’ that posture is, our bodies are not
designed to stay still in one place for long.
It is better to take a break from time to time.
EYESIGHT
You should make sure that you have your eyesight tested
regularly, and if you need glasses, they should be
appropriate for computer work.
Your eyes need as much of a break from looking at the
screen as your body does from being in a fixed posture.
You can give your eyes a rest by simply looking away from
the screen – look out of the window!