the work environment ergonomics – is an attempt to look at the office environment, and its impact...
Post on 29-Dec-2015
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The Work Environment
• Ergonomics – is an attempt to look at the office environment, and its impact on the individual.
• As a result many organisations have re-designed the work environment, placing more emphasis on factors such as health and work productivity – poor office layout, ventilation, lighting and even décor.
Office Layout
• There are 2 main types of office layout:
Cellular Open Plan
This type of layout consists of individual offices
An open-plan layout can be totally open – without any kind of partition of space at all
Or ‘landscaped’ which uses plants, furniture and partitions/screens to create work areas within one large space
Cellular Layout
Advantages Disadvantages
Status
Quiet – can close the door
Difficult to supervise activity
Can regulate heat/light to suit own needs
Wastes space
Cannot share resources eg printers
Privacy
Employees may feel isolated
Uneconomic eg lighting/heating
Open Plan Layout
Advantages Disadvantages
Easy to supervise
Can be designed to suit workflow and work groupsResources can be shared eg printer/copier
Staff do not feel isolated – social layout
Can be noisy
Lacks privacy
Less wasted space
Does not give status of ‘own office’Cannot regulate heat/light to individual needs
Work Flow• No matter what office layout is chosen, it
must ensure the correct workflow.
Workflow describes the flow of people and paper around the office
If the layout leads to unnecessary movement around the building and results in delays, hold-ups and frustration then there is a problem of design
Good Design Principles
• Locate associated work areas together eg sales and marketing
• No unnecessary physical barriers to get from A to B
• Common services/equipment sited centrally for all to use
Design should meet employee needs
• Open-plan layouts should be landscaped to ensure the disadvantages of this kind of layout are minimised and the advantages maximised. For example,
Built-in private areas
Use ergonomically designed furniture to allow privacy (desk dividers, modesty panels
Locate group workspaces to house teams/sections together
Ergonomic Environment• The working environment should take account
of individual needs, including health and safety issues.
• Features of a good ergonomic environment include:
Systems furniture – desks/chairs that adjust to fit work, equipment, individual requirements
Wall colours which are relaxing, minimise glare, and please the eye
Lighting – non-glare, desk-top lamps where appropriate
Ventilation – good circulation or air, but no draughts
Noise control – appropriate choice of glazing, walls and floor coverings to reduce noise
Workstations which ensure privacy and ownership of space
Protective equipment for use with ICT eg wrist-rests, anti-glare screens
• A well-designed, well laid-out ergonomic work environment reduces the risk of ‘sick-building’ syndrome and has a huge impact on both the individual and the organisation– Improves morale and motivation and helps
productivity– Ensures effective flow of work– Promotes health and safety at work– Gives a positive image for the organisation– Can be cost-effective as a result of the above
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