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The top organizations of Bangladesh today – the crème of the crop – have adopted several laws of office space design that elevates their employees’ mood, outlook, and yes, productivity
There is no organization or business in the world that does not demand efficiency from its employees – be it a conglomerate, a corporate house or even a start-up. After all, it is productivity and efficiency that help organizations achieve their pre-set goals.
However, even though employee efficiency is emphasized greatly, most employers disregard the importance of office space planning and its role in influencing employee productivity. To many, the thought of properly orientating their office space plays second fiddle to everything else – and it is just an aspect that does not require much attention. To them, it is, after all, “setting things down.” That is where those employers get things wrong.
The top organizations of Bangladesh today – the crème of the crop – have adopted several laws of office space design that elevates their employees’ mood, outlook, and yes, productivity.
Fitting the job to the man
“Ergonomics” is always the first topic that should pop up in any conversation about efficiency in the workplace. After all, this is what the field is all about. While a number of organizations in Bangladesh tend to mould an employee to the work environment, the correct path is the opposite. It is the job, i.e. the work environment, that should be changed to better fit people and the type of work that needs to be done. The “human factor” guides how office space design should be.
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For example, arranging different departments of the organization haphazardly will yield an inefficient result. If, say, two intertwined departments, which have to regularly work together, are far apart from each other instead of being beside each other, it curtails the productivity of both the departments, vis-à-vis the organization. This is particularly important for larger companies or businesses that have separate sales teams within them. That is because noise can be a huge disturbing factor to a number of different jobs.
For example, it is a sales team’s job to connect to potential clients and build up relations, which can create a lot of noise in the workplace. Considering the scenario, the best approach would be to keep the sales team away from the general departments so as not to impede their work flow. So, depending on their needs, different sections need to be separated or kept together to maximize the efficiency of the employees.
Modern requirements
Offices of today need to be “high tech.” Any office that is not, is losing efficiency every moment. Regardless of company type and size, the digital age of business requires every organization to be properly equipped with the instruments of connectivity and success. A
lmost every business today needs to quickly connect to clients, vendors and other similar organizations. A brand or business without an online presence is considered backdated by consumers. And why would it not be? The internet provides convenience. In the past, if there was a document that urgently required signatory information from the managing director or owner while they were absent, the entire job was at risk of falling behind. But today, thanks to the internet, digital scanners and even smartphones, the required approval can be acquired any time and from anywhere in the world within just a few minutes.
That is why it has become imperative that every organization that wishes to be efficient and successful provide their employees with high-speed connectivity and digital equipment like scanners, printers and personal computers – not to mention these must be set up to be compatible with each other to streamline processes.
Aesthetics for the psyche
Lights, colours, décor – these are just as much for aesthetics as they are for productivity. Spending eight to nine hours in a place, five to six days a week has an undeniable impact on the psyche of individuals. The tone and aura of the workplace can lighten and darken employees’ moods, help them concentrate on their work or make them forgetful. Greenery, for example, helps keep people relaxed.
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Our connection to nature and the calming effect of plants reduces anxiety during those long work hours, and keeps gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter levels stable by preventing it from falling too low.
Colours are another aspect that is said – with the backing of a few scientific studies – to have a significant impact on employee productivity as well. Dull or cold colours, for example, have a negative effect on productivity; they convey an aura of despair and lethargy. Meanwhile, vibrant colours such as red invoke more emotion and passion than other colours. Yellow, on the other hand, is found to boost creativity and is an ideal colour for workspaces where creative tasks are a focus.
Last, but not least, ample lighting is mandatory in any office space design as it keeps the employees active and alert – which, in turn, will allow them to be more productive and efficient. The best course would be to make sure it is “natural light” from outside. But if that is not possible, artificial light will have to do. This can be helped by having large windows in place or, if that is not an option, installing glass that allows more light to pass is a good alternative.
(DT)
