OFFICE ENVIRONMENT

By Peter Kiarie

1
 Definition
Office environment refers to the physical, social and
psychological surroundings/conditions within which
office workers operate. It focuses on the office as a
place.

2
 Factors to consider when choosing
and planning office environment
1. Location: Refers to the general area where the office is
situated.
 Proximity/closeness of that office to transport facilities,
banks, post office etc.
 Convenience for customers, clients and staff.
 Availability of staff of the required type and level.
 Type of environment i.e. industrial, professional,
commercial or prestige.
 Freedom from hazards e.g. chemicals causing pollution,
fuel nearby creating a fire risk.

3
 2. Site:
Refers to the particular spot of the office.
Size of the office building in contrary to the space available.
Grounds/gardens
Space for parking for staff and clients.
Access for good deliveries.
Availability of services e.g. water, electricity, mains drainage
and telephone.

4
 3. Financial Factors

Capital outlay i.e. leasehold vs. free hold.

5
 4. Leasehold vs. Freehold
Advantages of Leasing
No capital cost required
No dealing with tenants
Ease of relocation decision
No maintenance responsibility.
No critical loss in the event of fire or disaster.

6
 Disadvantages of Leasing

The requirements of a small office may not be extensive

7
 Advantages of Freehold
Building can be adapted and altered to meet the
particular needs of the organization.
There may be a possibility of obtaining income by
renting a portion of the building until extra space is
needed.
Lends prestige to the organization
The outright purchase of a building is likely to provide
an investment.
Building can be planned.
Lends permanence.

8
 Disadvantages of Freehold
The building cannot be altered, decorated or modified
to meet particular needs of the organization.
Leases very often restrict subletting.
Heavy capital cost. It ties up a large amount of
capital which may not be desirable.
Relocation decisions may be difficult
Having to deal with tenant problems
Cost of maintenance

9
 OFFICE ACCOMMODATION
Refers to the system of planning the utilization of total office
space to accommodate or house office workers, machines,
office equipment, office stationery and forms and other
facilities such as space for corridors, foyers/reception areas,
lifts, staircases, fire exits, convenience facilities e.g. WCs,
cloakrooms, canteen, kitchen as well as space for various
offices. It focuses on office as a building.

10
 Factors to consider when planning office
accommodation
Size of the Building:
Suitability of the floor space:
Heavy office machines:
Consider the weight carrying capacity of the various
floors of the office.
Consider the projected or planned office layout i.e.
whether open plan, enclosed/partitioned/individual
offices and landscaped/panoramic view offices.
Consider space for corridors, foyer/reception, lifts,
stair cases, fire exits, cloakrooms, Water Closets,
kitchen or canteen etc.

11
 Departments with close working ties should be
contiguous i.e. should be located close to one another.
Departments with constant flow of visitors from
outside such as personnel and purchasing should be
located near the reception area and have direct access
from outside.
Board rooms and conference and interview
rooms/offices which need tranquility i.e. calmness
such as executive suite, boardrooms, conference
rooms as well as offices of managers should be
located in such a way that quietness is provided for.
Offices where centralized services are performed e.g.
typing pool, mail room, registry; reprographic room
should be centrally located.

12
 Offices which need maximum light such as cartographic
or drawing office should be situated near the top floor of
the building where they can receive natural light.
Washrooms/cloakrooms should be adequately distributed
throughout the office building and they should be
conveniently situated/located.
Cash office and management information systems should
be located safely in order to provide it with maximum
security

13
 OFFICE LAYOUT
It refers to the system of determining space requirements to
accommodate office workers, office machines, office
equipment, office furniture, office stationery and office forms
in order to provide the best working conditions for office
workers. It focuses on office as a room.

14
 Significance/Importance of Office
Layout
 It helps to increase or enhance worker’s productivity, effectiveness
and efficiency.
 It helps in maximizing the utilization of office space.
 It helps to improve and maintain staff morale i.e. positive collective
attitude of workers towards fellow workers, management, employer
and working conditions.
 It facilitates effective and smooth flow of office work.
 It facilitates easy and effective staff supervision.
 It enhances effective inter communication and easy contact between
and among workers.
 It facilitates better and more effective utilization of office machines
and equipment.

15
Principles of office layout (Factors to consider
when planning office layout)
 Regulate the flow of office work by arranging office desks in a straight line, a
circle or U shape. Simple and effective work flow plan restricts unnecessary staff
and paper movement. Arrange the work flow such that documents flow in a
straight line.
 Office floor space should be as free from obstructions as possible in order to
facilitate free and easy movement.
 Arrangement of office furniture should facilitate supervision of workers and avoid
uniformity over a large area i.e. arrange office furniture in clusters.
 Provide each worker with a working space of about 4.6m2 in order to facilitate
efficiency as well as the health of the worker.
 Office machines, equipment, forms and stationery which are used constantly
should be easily accessible.
 Provide adequate gangways (space between one worker and another) of 1 metre
wide.
 Adequate office lighting and ventilation should be provided.

16
  Segregate/separate noisy machines such as typewriters in separate
rooms.
 Provide security for expensive office machines e.g. computers.
 Office should be easy to evacuate i.e. run away incase of fire
outbreak, burglary or emergency.
 Office furniture, machines and equipment should be arranged to
facilitate easy cleaning.
 Office layout in terms of its design and arrangement should be
balanced and attractive so as to portray the positive corporate
image of the organization.
 The reception area should be situated at the main entrance of the
office building or floor. Such area should be attractively arranged
and properly furnished.

17
 Types of Office Layout
1. Open Plan Office
 It refers to a large room shared by many workers of the same
or different sections/departments e.g. banking hall, typing
pool, mail room, registry and general office.

18
 Advantages of Open Plan Offices
 It facilitates smooth and more effective work flow in conformity
with straight line principle of work flow.
 Workers can locate and contact one another easily.
 It facilitates easier and more effective staff supervision.
 It saves office expenses or overheads such as lighting, heating,
rent, air conditioning etc.
 It facilitates easier and more effective utilization of office
machines and equipment i.e. it enhances their easy sharing.
 It maximizes office space utilization.
 It is cheaper and easier to maintain and clean.

19
It maximizes office space utilization.
It is cheaper and easier to maintain and clean.
Such office is easy to landscape.
It is easy to convert i.e. partition/repartition to suit organization’s
requirements.
It facilitates easier and more effective inter communication
among workers.
It is economical in terms of initial building cost and also in terms
of running/maintenance costs.

20
 Disadvantages of Open Plan Office
Layout
It is not prestigious since it lacks status symbol.
It tends to lower morale of workers since it is too
open and is usually poorly furnished with inferior
furniture etc.
It is noisy and this tends to interfere with the worker’s
concentration.
It has several distractions/interruptions such as staff
movement, inflow and outflow of visitors.
It tends to be crowded/cramped and it affects
worker’s health.
It is unsuitable for confidential work.
21
 It does not provide privacy for workers.
It tends to be unhygienic e.g. contagious diseases such as
typhoid, dysentery, diarrhea, meningitis, common cold;
TB etc. can spread faster and more easily.
It is difficult to provide ventilation to suit each worker’s
needs.
It encourages gossip/grapevine; simple minds discuss
people, ordinary minds discuss events and great minds
discuss ideas.

22
2. Enclosed/Partitioned/Cellular/Individu
al Office
It refers to an office or room used by one person or shared by
two or three workers. Such offices are usually meant for
managers, senior executives and other categories of superiors
of an organization. Usually, doors leading to such offices bear
designations/titles of the occupants and sometimes even
names of the officers occupying them.

23
 Advantages
It enhances prestige i.e. it provides status symbol for the
worker using it and this tends to motivate the worker.
It provides privacy/seclusion to workers.
It is suitable for confidential work.
It has fewer interruptions than open plan offices.
It tends to enhance staff morale since such offices are
adequately furnished and provided with necessary
facilities.

24
 The spread of contagious/infectious diseases is relatively
lower and such offices are usually hygienic.
A worker can provide ventilation to suit his own
requirements.
It is less noisy than open plan office.
It is spacious i.e. it is not crowded/cramped as open plan
office.

25
 Disadvantages
It tends to result to uneconomical use of office space.
It increases office expenses e.g. lighting, rent
Workers find it difficult to locate and contact one
another conveniently and easily.
Makes it difficult to share office machines and
equipment e.g. telephone.
It is costly to maintain.
It is difficult to landscape as compared to open plan
office.

26
 3. Landscaped/Panoramic View
Office
It refers to an open plan office which has been highly
improved by providing certain/additional facilities such
as: wall to wall carpeting, installing indoor plants,
installing acoustic/soundproof ceiling, tiles and screens,
flood-lit ceiling, furnishing, machines and equipment
and symmetrical arrangement of work stations i.e.
working desks and chairs are arranged in clusters each
facing a different direction.

27
 Advantages
It has a high standard of furnishing and equipment which
are arranged in such a way that they enhance the morale of
workers.
Noise is highly reduced by acoustic screens and ceiling
tiles, wall to wall carpeting etc.
Workers are provided with spacious working conditions.
Within each working station/area, a worker can arrange his
work station to suit his own taste.

28
 Office landscaping creates a pleasant and conducive work
atmosphere which enhances a worker’s productivity,
effectiveness (success, usefulness, value) and efficiency
(competence, good organization).
Such office portrays a positive/good corporate image of
an organization hence it is used as a marketing tool.

29
 Disadvantages
It is expensive in terms of furnishings and provision of
other required facilities.
It is costly to maintain.
It is costly in terms of space utilization.
It is also costly in terms of payment or rent.

30