office layout

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Administrative Office Management, 8/eby Zane Quible

©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Office LayoutOffice Layout

Chapter 4Chapter 4

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Benefits of Efficient LayoutBenefits of Efficient Layout

1. Provides effective allocation and use of floor space.2. Creates a pleasant working environment.

3. Has a positive impact on clients.

4. Facilitates efficient work flow.

5. Provides efficient, productive work areas.

6. Facilitates future expansion when needed.

7. Facilitates employee supervision.

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New Work-Arrangement Concepts ImpactingOffice Layout and Design

Telecommuting

Work-Based Teams

Hoteling

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TelecommutingA work arrangement thatallows employees to performsome or all of their workoff the premises.

Layout Impact

Employees will not needa full-fledged office on the premises.

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Work-Based TeamsA work arrangement in whichemployees do much of theirwork in a team environment.

Layout Impact

Requires an open environment thatfacilitates ready communication and a greater number of small conference areas.

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HotelingA work arrangement that involves employees who spenda significant amount of theirtime off premises.

Layout Impact

These employees can often function using a work carrelwhen on the premises.

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Factors to Consider in Undertaking PreliminaryPlanning for Layout

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(1 of 7)

Tasks The work employees perform hasa significant role in determiningthe type of office facilities theyneed.

Work flow The flow of work through anoffice affects the placement of employees and the equipment theyuse to carry out their work.

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(2 of 7)


(2 of 7)

OrganizationChart

It is used to assess the lines ofauthority in the organization aswell as to identify the job relationships among employees.

Projection ofEmployees Needed in theFuture

This helps determine the type andamount of additional officespace that will be needed in thefuture because of growth.

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CommunicationNetwork

The nature of telephone, e-mail, and face-to-face contactbetween individuals.

DepartmentalOrganization

The location of departments inrelation to each other and withinthe organization affects organizational efficiency.

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Private andGeneralOffices

Installing more private offices and fewer general offices presents greater challenges for designing layout.

SpaceRequirements

The space requirements of individuals and/or departments help determine the total amount of office space to provide.

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(5 of 7)


(5 of 7)

SpecializedAreas

A variety of specialized areas within the organization have their own layout requirements.

SafetyRequirements

The layout needs to facilitate the efficient movement of employees from one area to another.

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(6 of 7)

Barrier-FreeConstruction

Use of federal funds in office building projects requires that they be accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Expansion Because organizations generally expand in size, the ability to accommodate this growth must be planned for in designing layout.

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(7 of 7)


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EnvironmentalConditions

Such conditions as color,lighting, air conditioning, and noise control must be considered.

Equipmentand Furniture

Because equipment and furniture consume space and affect work efficiency, they must be considered in designing layout.

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Open OfficeConcept

Is based on the nature of the relationship between theemployee and his or her jobduties.

Involves ErgonomicsInvolves Ergonomics Involves CyberneticsInvolves Cybernetics

Helps ensure that employees’ tasks, tools and equipment, and thephysical environmentclosely match needs.

Means information flowor processes are con-sidered when designing layout.

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Benefits of Open Office Concept(1 of 2)


1. Cost of changing layout is much less than changing conventional layout.

2. Initial cost of installing open office layout is much less than conventional layout.

3. Elimination of permanent walls and private offices increases amount of usable floor space by as much as 15-20 percent.

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4. Improves office productivity by-increasing efficiency of work flow.-improving communications.-improving worker morale.-enhancing feeling of worker involvement.-creating a more comfortable work environ-

ment.

5. Helps conserve energy because systems are not impeded by permanent walls.

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Modular Work Station Approach

Uses panel-hung furniture components to createindividual work areas.

Is especially suited to situations that requireconsiderable storage space.

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Cluster Workstation Approach

Uses clustering of work areas around a common core,such as a set of panels that extends from a hub.

Is especially suited to situations in which employeesspend a portion of their work day away from theirwork area.

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Landscape Approach

To a certain extent, is a blend between the modularand cluster workstation approaches.

Makes abundant use of plants and foliage and usesa minimum of private offices.

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Tools Used in Preparing LayoutTools Used in Preparing Layout

Templates

Cutouts

Plastic Models

Magnetic Board

Computer-Aided Design (CAD)

office layout

Documents