NIT-V OFFICE LAYOUT Structure 5.1, Introduction 5.2. Need for office layout 5.2.1, Objectives of the office layout 5.2.2. Principles of office layout 5.3. Factors in layout 5.4. Types of layout 5.4.1. Advantages of a good office layout 5.5. Office Accommodation 5.5.1. Principles of office accommodation 5.6. Location of office 5.6.1. Selection of office location 5.6.2. Principles of location 3.7. Factors in choosing location 5.8. Office building 5.9. Factors in choosing building 5.10. Answer to check your progress Questions S.11, Summary 5.12. Key Words 5.13. Further Readings 5.14, Self-Assessment Questions and Exercises 5.1 INTRODUCTION Although changing conditions in a locality may be beyond the control of the designer of an office building, they are not aways beyond the ability of a thoughtful planner to predict” -Leffingwell and Robinson After acquiring the building for the office, the important before the office manager is office space planning or office layout. According to Littlefield, “office layout may be defined as arrangement of equipped within the available floor space. It can be described as the arrangement of different departments, equipment and men within a given floor space with a view to make optimum utilization of space and ensure maximum efficiently of the office. 0 Office Layout NOTES ‘Self-Instructional MaterialOffice Layout NOTES GR Terry defines office layout as “the determination of the space requirements and of the detailed utilization of this space in order to provide a practical arrangement of the physical factors considering necessary for the execution of the office work within reasonable cost. Object of an office layout is to make arrangements for the placing of men, materials, machines, furniture and equipment within the available floor space of the office in such a way that everything can be utilized in the best possible manner. () The determination of correct amount of space for each employee and for machinery and equipment they use. (ii) The correct arrangement of furniture, equipment and machinery etc (iii) The best possible environment conditions. NEED FOR OFFICE LAYOUT Work that needs to be executed for each type of tasks requires the necessary equipment within the allotted space. The office layout has to be designed in such a way that it is comfortable as well as functional. A lot of money and time is invested in designing those layouts. There are various reasons bebind the need of having a proper office design layout, Impacts morale Studies have shown that layout of office impacts the employee morale which affects the functioning. When we say layout, it does not imply only the décor and facilities, but the relationships between people who work there and the general environment. Often this is referred as ergonomics. Impacts business As layout has an impact on the morale, it directly impacts the efficiency and thereby the business success rate. The more the people working there are happy, the better is the output. This is a direct link to the business success factor. Way the work is done The traditional style of work like working at one desk or work executed by only one person has been replaced by re-engineered organizational structure. The work or task at this modem age has changed due to globalization that is governed by the use of information technology. The tremendous developments in this technology have impacted the office working hours and way to perform the tasks. ‘Manage changes 70Businesses are prone to changes to manage the pressure of the market needs. To keep up with it, layouts are effective only when the changes can be accommodated within. Hence, having simpler layouts helps business to re-design whenever needed so that it does not affect the tasks being executed or the work done. Increase productivity Using office space effectively is important while designing office layouts. It should be such a way that it does not delay the work and job gets done quicker consuming less time. In other words, the flow of work is not interrupted. Facilitate Supervision When office accommodation and layout is designed to place managers or supervisor closer to their teams, they can meet or discuss issues immediately and get solutions. The communication gets smoother and quicker. Effective use of equipment Designing office equipment’s properly is indeed very important so that it is not underused or overused. Providing at the place where the work needs to be completed is crucial. The power consumption is evenly distributed and the noisy equipment is placed away from workplaces where silence is required. Hence, you would now know that the positioning of workstations is crucial. For this you need to pay attention to some of, the issues like the provision of sufficient space, assessing the needs of staff, the design of workstation; in short complete office design 5.2.1. Objectives of the office layout The minimum standards to be followed are: 1) To ensure proper utilization of space so that the spaces provided are effectively used. 2) To ensure that work flow is uninterrupted and there is the maintenance of steady flow. 3) To ensure that managers can supervise their team members in a better way. 4) To be able to provide a comfortable work environment which brings satisfaction. 5) To enable better communication between the team members. 6) To provide a safe working environment. 7) To have provisions for future expansions. 5.2.2. Principles of office layout mn Office Layout OTES ‘Self-Instructional MaterialOffice Layout NOTES The main principle behind the office layout design should be such that it occupies the available space in an economical way so that the aim and objectives of the organization or business is achieved. The layout must be effective such that the workstations are planned to be positioned such that data is being transmitted with minimal costs and information can flow with minimum delays or without interruption, The workstation has to be provided with items necessary for executing the job. Care has to be taken for storage of information and documents. Listed are some of the principles to be taken care while designing ‘Natural lighting Designing offices that face the north or east gets more of natural lighting. It avoids more consumption of power. Placing computers Desks having computers or desktops must be placed in such a way that staff sitting at it must not have their backs or faces to the windows. Designing work tables It is preferable to seat staff not facing each other. It is said to disrupt work. Besides having minimum intrusion is better. Also reducing the field of vision of employee to other employees will reduce distraction. Also, they need to be provided with adequate lighting, ventilation, and ergonomic chairs and tables to prevent eyestrain and muscle aches. Flow of work By carefully studying the sequences of the tasks to be done, the design of the work space is imitated. If the person has to go back and forth in the space it will bring frustration and reduce output. Ensure that the flow of work is smooth and in one direction, Pleasant The most important of all the aspects is that design should be aesthetically pleasant. Do not concentrate on functionality alone but also on its looks. Space has to be optimally used. Provision of tools Assignments are completed quickly if they have the necessary space and tools to perform them. The work station should be spacious enough to accommodate their files, papers and their documents Having copiers and printers closer to them is better to avoid them frequently moving out and wasting their time. GroupingPlacing the same functional type of work together or closer to each other will help to reduce time wastage. The employees have the freedom to consultation and information easily so that work is handled efficiently. Hence, it is better to list out the functions or tasks that employees perform and design the office planning and layout accordingly. Open a private space The employer needs to verify which tasks require collaboration with one another and which set of tasks require concentration. Based on this, specific cubicles are designed with open or low separators and others with separate cubicles or traditional with closed doors. Making a separation between the two types is essential Informal and formal spaces Every work space does require employees to take breaks in between work. For this, communal spaces are designed that is closer to the work stations. These informal communal spaces are often built with more space to accommodate large numbers during coffee or lunch breaks. The informal communal spaces meant for conferences or meetings are often placed away from busy work space that is noisy. Security As it is aware that information is very critical to any business, care needs to be exercised to define a level of security and norms for workstations processing data. Mainly the storage of confidential and sensitive data has to be placed away from main work space and protected. Reducing risk Designing has to be such that it reduces the risk of accidents or falls, Allowing ergonomic norms of wiring and placing of tables, chairs, and work stations provide safe working conditions. The safet would be maintained. Reduce distances While figuring out the work space the distance between movements of each task has also to be considered. Movements like walking, carrying, pulling consumes time and energy. It causes exhaustion thereby reducing effectiveness. Hence, distances has to be reduced to minimize costs and energy. 5.3 FACTORS IN LAYOUT An efficient layout of an office can be designed only by the manager. When, the office manager should consider the following matters. 2B Office Layout OTES ‘Self-Instructional MaterialOffice Layout NOTES Space available. Number of workers. Volume of work. Nature of work. Number of workers in designation wise Types of machine and equipment used. Flow of work. Physical appearance Pete ee oe The shape of an office is an important consideration. The building or office space may be square, rectangular, long and narrow or L or U shaped. Generally, square or rectangular space is better than long or narrow space. The reason is that the latter requires much floor crossing. TYPES OF LAY The office layouts are broadly classified as general office layouts and private office layouts. The latest layouts are combination offices, a co-working office, narrative layouts, nodal layouts, neighbourly office, and nomadic office When talking about “what are the types of office”, the general office layouts are of two types + Open plan office layout + Landscape office layout Open plan office layout As the name indicates, the open office plan layout does not have walls or separators or passages. Cupboards, shelves screens, cabinets serve as separators between workstations. All staff are seated in the same direction. This is useful for teams and employees who are working on a similar project. The advantages of open plan office are: 1) To reduce costs and saves space. 2) To facilitate communication as there are no phone calls and fewer memos. 3) To adapt to changes 4) To help supervise all staff ) To increase the effectiveness of heating, lighting 6) To motivate staff within a group. The disadvantages of open plan office are: 1) Distracts people from work due to noise 2) No privacy for confidential matters 43) Impersonal atmosphere. 4) The spread of infections is easier The landscape office layout The concept is the same as open plan layout with the only difference being that the staff are seated in different directions unlike in open plan style. It was not preferred much as it did not give privacy and the staif working in such layouts complained of being exposed to noise and continuous movement of people around them. It was also said to have destroyed the conventional forms of politeness and being civil. It later was referred to as ‘modified\ open plan style’ with plants around and preassembled cubicles that can be moved accordingly to accommodate more people. The private office layout The private office layout refers to cellular styles where the interior walls stretch from floor to the ceiling. The space is normally occupied by one person, but depending on the company’s budget, two or three are accommodated. But mostly it is preferred seating for senior management to give privacy. Though it is considered as a privilege and prestigious to occupy, these type of offices are indeed a valuable place as it indicates a high level of confidence in the work of the occupants. The private offices are often given where privacy and confidentiality is required. Besides, these offices are secured well through proper locking systems. These types of offices are lined along passages or sometimes ad hoe according to space. The combination office It is a combination of open and cellular types where the individual and multicellular types co-exist. The offices surround the common spaces instead of being connected through hallways. This helps for individuals to concentrate or focus on work and also allow communication within the team, denoting the person(s) has to perform solo and group activity. Co-working office With laptops replacing personal computers, employees are increasingly becoming mobile with their work. The arrangement where the office is considered as a common sharing place where employees come and go. The worker is exposed to an open office style with no specific allocation of desks. It’s suitable for self-employed where the individuals can pay a small fee. This helps them to interact with customers and also enjoy networking. The narrative office 75 Office Layout OTES ‘Self-Instructional MaterialOffice Layout NOTES As story narrates about the character in depth, so does this style of layout that describes the “brand” of the company. This approach is to make the office itself get involved in the marketing of its brand wherein all the staff are considered as brand managers or front line staff The nodal office The office is designed such a way that it is considered as a hub or node for knowledge where all other offices are connected. The neighbourly office Here the office is designed to give a look like a familiar neighbour with a landscape with it. It gives a feeling of being social The nomadic office As the name itself suggests, the office design principles are typical of nomad style wherein the workspace is distributed within. 5.4.1. Advantages of a good office layout The following advantages can be derived by having planned layout * Better Goodwill * Better Morale Reduction of Cost in Office Maintenance Economic Stabilization Promotes Efficiency Improves Quality of Supervision Best Uses of equipment and Machines and Equipment Speeding of Inter-department Communication OFFICE ACCOMMODATION Every office manager is concemed about getting office work performed with the maximum efficiency and at minimum cost. This would be possible only if he makes a proper selection of employees, gives them a proper training and guidance, and places them in appropriate jobs. However, if the office staff is to work efficiently it must be properly accommodated, have a good working environment, and should be properly equipped with suitable accommodation. Modem equipment and proper working conditions are not in any way less important factor in improving efficiency and reducing costs. The place of work and its surroundings are important factors which affect the efficiency of employees to a large extent, Since staff has to stay for long hours in the office, and since it mainly does brain work and concentrates on the repetitive and monotonous activities of filling, indexing, dispatching, reporting etc., it’s inefficiency would normally be greater in those offices where accommodation is sufficient and the envionment and working conditions are congenial. 761. Principles of office accommodation While deciding about office accommodation, the office manager should bear the following principles in mind (i) The office must be located at some convenient place so that it may serve the entire organization in the best possible manner. (ii) Office space should be sufficient from the point of view the present and future needs of the organization. (iii) Due provision should be made for the conveniences and amenities required for the comfort and well-being of the staff, e.g. washing room, rest room, water coolers . canteen, ete. (iv) Service facilities like telephone, lift, intemal communication, etc, should be available in the office, while other like banking, transport, market, post office, etc, should be available near the office premises. 5.6 LOCATION OF OFFICE Every office manager should give a full and proper consideration to a suitable location for his office. This location or site is an important consideration because an unsuitable location may result a waste of resource and efforts and result in loss of time, inconvenience and any one to the office staff as well as to the persons dealing with it. The main aim of any office is to get the office work done with maximum efficiency at minimum cost. This aim can be achieved only when the office is properly located with good building and layout. The location of an office building ensures congenial working condition. Office employees may concentrate their mind in work under congenial working condition. It is an accepted fact that the office work is mostly brain work much of which is monotonous and repetitive in nature. So, unless good office layout and building is not provided, it will not be possible to perform the office work very efficiently. Moreover, the office clerk has to spend a large part of the day in the office for doing such work. Thus it is clear that providing adequate and suitable office accommodation is necessary for efficient performance of work. A systematic arrangement of office will give naturally maximum efficiency at a minimum cost on all occasions. Therefore, the top management of the company has the responsibility of providing proper and adequate office facilities to the staff so as to get maximum result. 7 Office Layout OTES ‘Self-Instructional MaterialOffice Layout NOTES 5.6.1. Selection of office location The provision of proper and adequate office location and layout is of basic importance in an office management. The office manager has to play the major role in determining the arrangements of office. The following points should be bear in mind in the selection of office location and layout. 1. The site or location of office building. . Securing suitable office building or space. . Size and shape of office. . Lighting. Layout of office. RY . Ventilation and air condition. . Facilities of office. aaa . Open office or private office 9. Staff and customer convenience. 10. Physical conditions of office. 1. Cost of office accommodation or space. 12. Sanitation. 13. Noise. 14, Health, 15. Safety. 5.6.2. Principles of location The office manager has to consider the present and future requirements of office while selecting a building for office. If an unsuitable location is selected, there is a great inconvenience caused to the office staff and to the customers. Besides the future expansion of an office is also difficult one. There is no hard and fast rule regarding the selection of the location of office. Even thongh, an unsuitable location leads to loss of time and effort and thereby reduce the efficiency of work. The problem of selection of office location is raised under the following circumstances. At the time of starting of business unit Change of office location due to increased volume of work At the time of expansion of business. The lease of an office building has expired. The owner of office building requires for his own use, wees 786. Shifting of the business from one place to another or one state to another 5.7 FACTORS IN CHOOSING LOCATI The location arises under one or the other of the following conditions (i) At the time of starting a business enterprise. (ii) The increased volume of work may require location plan are no longer sufficient for the expanding business, and therefore, the entire expansion of the existing office or a new location is necessary. (iii) The facilities provided in the original location plan are no longer sufficient for the expanding business, and therefore, the entire expansion of the existing office or a new location is necessary. (iv) The lease for the office premises has expired and the owner of the premises is not prepared to renew it. (v) Shifting of the business by the business enterprise fom one place or one state to another. 5.8 OFFICE BUILDING The problem of choosing the right location for the office premises is as complicated as that of getting a proper and suitable building to accommodate it. The office building should not only be of a proper size and shape, it should also be of such design as to serve the particular needs of the enterprise often, it is rather difficult to get a building which is exactly suited to the requirements of organization . 5.9 FACTORS IN CHOOSING BUILDING The management should try to obtain such premises which fulfill its requirements in the best possible manner. The construction of one’s own office building may be necessitated in the following. (i) When the business is large and well established. (ii) When the demand for the products in services of the organization is of relative stable character. (ii) When there is a cost advantage in the construction of the business premises. When a specific type of building is required for office purpose e.g., centrally air-condition, sound-proof or specially constructed for housing computers ete. 79 Office Layout NOTES ‘Self-Instructional MaterialOffice Layout NOTES Check your Progress 1. Define office layout 2. List out any two objectives of layout 3. Which factors determine choosing building 5.10 ANSWER TO CHECK YOU QUESTIONS 1. G.RTerry defines office layout as “the determination of the space requirements and of the detailed utilization of this space in order to provide a practical arrangement of the physical factors considering necessary for the execution of the office work within reasonable cost. (i)To ensure that managers can supervise their team members in a better way. (ii) To be able to provide a comfortable work environment which brings satisfaction, 3. (i)When the business is large and well established. (ii) When the demand for the products in services of the organization is of relative stable character. PROGRESS, 5.11 S| MMARY In this unit, you have learnt about the introduction of office layout, need for office layout, objectives, principles, factors, types of office layout and accommodation, location, factor choosing location, building and factor choosing of building. The basic aim before management is get the office work performed at a minimum cost with maximum efficiency. Office layout may be arranged of equipment within the available floor space. The layout plans may be made with the help of templates, cutouts and plastic models etc., Office location is an important consideration because an unsuitable location may result in a waste of resources and efforts and in loss of time, inconvenience and annoyance to the office staff and the persons dealing with them. The office building should not only be of a proper size and shape, it should be of such a design as to serve the particular needs of the enterprise. 5.12 KEY WORDS 80Office layout: Arrangement of equipped within the available floor space. It can be described as the arrangement of different departments, equipment and men within a given floor space with a view to make optimum utilization of space and ensure maximum efficiently of the office. The landscape office layout: The concept is the same as open plan layout with the only difference being that the staff are seated in different directions unlike in open plan style. Location: The right location for the office premises is as complicated as that of getting a proper and suitable building to accommodate it. Building: Every office manager should give a full and proper consideration to a suitable location for his office, Accommodation: Every office manager is concerned about getting office work performed with the maximum efficiency and at minimum cost. Office environment: Conducive surrounding including both inside and outside. Location: Representing a site or place. Lease: Contract letting for a term, Layout: Space planning within the available floor space. Office Building: a Plot of land acquired appropriate to the requirements of the organization built upon it §.13 FURTHER READINGS yee op aS Chopra, R.K. 1998. Office Management. Himalaya Publishing House, Delhi. Ghosh, P.K. 1998. Office Management: Principles and practice. Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi. George R. Terry. Office Management and Control. J.C. Denyer. Office Management. Kathiresan & Radha (2017). Office Management. Prasanna Publishing House, Chennai Carl Heyel. Handbook of office Administration J.C.Dennyer. Office Management 81 Office Layout NOTES ‘Self-Instructional MaterialModel Question 5.14 SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES Short Questions What is Office Layout? 2. What is meant by location of Office? 3. 4. Define layout Briefly explain as to how will you select a location Big Questions Sepaeune Explain principles of Office Accommodation. Describe the importance of office building? Discuss the importance of office layout? How will you decide the location of an office building What is office layout? What are its objectives and principles? Explain the types of layout Describe the procedure for designing the layout