Office Workstation, Space Planning and Layout

Millions of people's daily lives are directly affected by where-the places-they work each day. Organizations spend significant time, money, effort and energy to create workplaces that will help attract and retain top notch staff, enable them to work creatively and productively, and to do so in an efficient and economically viable way. According to a recent North American Survey, nearly 50% of workers rank their work environment as the most critical element of job satisfaction. In fact, they ranked environment above praise and recognition, compensation and benefits, job security, and promotions. This findings show employee is very concern about their work environment because they spent more time in the office.

In planning, designing, and managing their facilities, organizations need to take into consideration of layout offices and workstations, to support teamwork and collaboration, to manage uncertainty, or to find the right mix of individual and common space.

Below are the five major elements of Quality Office Space Planning and Design:

• Comfort - Assuring that workstations are adjustable and suited to the task of the employee, whether sitting, standing, spending hours at the computer or on the phone.
• Efficiency - Locating work teams in a convenient proximity, placing equipment near workers who use it most.
• Communication - Organizing each department in the most effective means of communicating internally and externally with co-workers and customers.
• Productivity - Maintaining a logical flow throughout the office.
• Effectiveness - Establishing clear goals and objectives for the work environment.

The plan for creating a comfortable, productive and efficient work area starts from looking for an office space. The estimation of number of employees to be placed and the nature of their tasks will help the organization to decide and finalize the office area plan. The organization need to assess their internal needs of the work space.

Below are some of the most common questions asked before an organization or individual start to design its work space:-

• What tasks will this person perform on a daily basis?
• What kinds of office layout? Cubicles or open spaces?
• What kind of storage will each person need?
• What tasks can be assigned to common areas?
• What office equipment or machinery needs to be nearby?
• What kind of office equipments would be placed on each employee’s desk?
• How much area is required for movement from one work station to another?
• Is cabling and wiring adequate?
• How much budget is available for the office furniture and furnishing?
• Consider on the lighting and electricity?
• Consider to go for ergonomic because it helps to create comfortable and stress free work stations which benefit the employees and enhance their performance.
• Keep space for expansions; plan a layout which can be changed in future with growth of human resources.

However, to save time in office space planning, you may contact professionals such as Versalink company to provide space consultancy and assistance to design your work space.