OFFICE ENVIRONMENT

We spend more of our waking hours with our colleagues at the work place than we do with our loved ones at home. Strange. But true. If we go about actually computing the hours spent in a typical day in our life, it might seem that, mathematically, we are at the work spot only for about seven or eight hours in a day. We must remember that about eight to ten hours a day of twenty-four hours are used up for sleeping and performing our daily ablutions. Two or more hours will be taken up towards the various mealtimes during the day. A further couple of hours are lost in transit to and from the work place. About an hour or more, especially in the mornings, will have to be discounted for the rat-race that takes place in mostly all households, more so when both spouses work, when the children leave for school/college, and the household chores have to be coordinated, especially in the metros, to synchronise with that of the daily help who breeze in for the crucial two hours or so when the household resembles a war zone! The rest of the day could qualify for Quality time spent at home, give or take half an hour to relax after a tiring day's work at the office - but, this too, depends on when the loved ones are back home (all the more relevant in these days when both are working parents). In many homes, Television intrudes into this phase, eroding into the time spent with family. When different members of the family have different working hours, this free time-space of the various family members does not overlap, and we are left with even lesser Quality time together. Thus it is obvious that we do spend more of our waking hours with our colleagues at the work place than we do with our loved ones back home! Therefore, the importance of a healthy Office Environment can never be underestimated.

The Anatomy of the work place:

Undoubtedly, the work place is where we eke out our livelihood. That does not mean that nothing else matters. Even the harshest of slave-drivers will have to concede that comfort is conducive to productivity. And greater productivity will result in greater profits, which, in turn, no company will grudge about. The work spot, therefore, must be located such that it is easily accessible from different parts of the city. Some employers arrange transport facilities from various parts of the city for their employees, especially in out-of-the-way locations, or where the timings are odd. The last thing any employer would want is a workforce that has already used up most of its energy in reporting to the office in the morning! The office furniture should be comfortable and the office layout streamlined. Mundane and repetitive chores will have to be minimal as well as the distances to be traversed within the office to complete these jobs. In certain work places, the cabin of the approving authority is so far away from that of the work force that unnecessary time and labour is needlessly spent covering this distance, several times a day, when a little more thought to the layout could have obviated such a situation! Larger offices should have intercoms for better communication and interaction without necessitating physical strain. The décor should be pleasing to the eye and the work area properly illuminated taking care to eliminate harsh shadows - especially on tabletops, computer terminals and wherever else work is going on. This reduces eyestrain and, therefore, fatigue. The selection of colours for the various components of the work area and the workstation is also crucial to maximizing work output. The right selection of channel music played at soothing audio levels has been proved to improve productivity. However, studies have shown that when the same music is played a little louder than the optimum level, it retards work efficiency. The interior designing must be carried out in such a way as to facilitate good and proper ventilation which is a necessity to ensure maximum productivity. In places where heavy machinery is in regular use, care should be taken to ensure that the noise level is at a minimum. Adequate lunchroom facilities with drinking water as well as hygienically maintained bathrooms must be provided.

The psychology of the work place:

Harmony in the inter-personal relationship between the employer and the employees makes all the difference between the success and failure of an enterprise. In a broad sense, the workplace is more like a joint family with its patriarch at the head and varied family members contributing to its functioning, with its own layers of power, seniority and weightage. The numero uno in the organization should be able to carry his team with him, without letting the different inter-personal interactions impede progress. In fact, an effective head would capitalize on the very nature of such interactions constructively, in order to promote a healthy sense of competition among cross-sections of the employees for the company's good.

As in anything else, healthier inter-personal relationships result in better productivity. When the employer and the employees understand each other better, there is more empathy exchanged and the voluntary helping hand is extended more freely in times of need. This can be found even among the employees themselves rising to the occasion to assist each other during crucial times, both officially and unofficially. Each person understands the viewpoint of the other and there is no question of any one capitalizing or exploiting the other. The work goes on for mutual benefit. Within the framework of responsibilities, there are no rigid boundaries and depending on individual workloads, the employees share the overall assignment and the job gets done faster and more efficiently.

In conclusion, if all these factors are taken into account and implemented, there can be no doubt whatsoever that all the time spent at the workplace with colleagues will yield greater productivity and also serve to make us better employees in particular, and better members of Society in general.