Gensler’s 2008 Workplace Survey shows that the physical work environment is an asset with a specific and quantifiable impact on business success. The results showed that top performing companies - those with higher profits, better employee engagement and stronger market and brand position - have significantly higher-performing
work environments than average companies.
- Gensler 2008 Work Place Survey
Looking for new ways to boost your profits? Consider the design of your work space. International architecture firm Gensler, surveyed companies in both the UK and USA to try to understand how the design of the work space influences the success of a business. Their most recent survey provides tangible evidence which links well designed work places to profitability, revenue growth and a strong corporate brand.
Distinguishing top performing companies from average ones; (based on criteria such as financial strength, brand identity and ability to attract and retain top talent) the survey’s results demonstrate that companies with the most effective work places are the most successful businesses.
So what does this all mean to you? You can consider your won work environment and whether or not it is moving your business forward or holding it back. Begin with an examination of your space on a functional level. Does your work place actually work? Is it safe and comfortable, does it allow you to perform the tasks that you need to do without the distractions of disorganization, physical discomfort or acoustical and visual privacy issues? Does your space balance your needs of focus and silent work with collaboration and socializing?
Setting up your workspace to function is key, but to be a top performing business, it is not enough on its own. How does your work space reflect you values and goals as an individual and as an organization? Ask yourself what inspires you, and gives you the creative and competitive edge, and are these qualities included in the space where you want to perform?
Time spent considering these factors can help you create, innovate and succeed by putting yourself into an environment which supports your goals and can bring your business to a higher level of performance.
Showing posts with label ergonomics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ergonomics. Show all posts
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Noise Costs
Yes it’s true, noise is distracting, 70% of workers indicated that they felt that if their workplace were less noisy they would have increased work productivity, according to a study conducted by the American Society of Interior Designers.
I sometimes wonder why we need to have someone else tell us what we already know. It seems that it is obvious that noisy environments result in decreased productivity. Yet despite many of us realizing this, we do not always consider this in planning our work environments.
While common sense may seem to be enough to make a decision, when it comes to spending money, sometimes we are asked for something more tangible than our beliefs to show that the investment will bring a positive return.
Think about your day, think about the times a loud conversation, a sound like a buzzer or ring, or even noise from outside your office broke your concentration. If the noise persisted you might spend some time being irritated and swearing to yourself or to an adjacent (and now also distracted) colleague about the completely worthless human being who was in some way responsible for this sound. Eventually the distraction passes and you return to your work.
How much time did you lose? How much frustration did you experience? Maybe you only lost a minute or two, but it adds up through the day and though the year and is compounded when others in your company are distracted by sounds too.
The noise problem is exacerbated by the increased move toward open office plans and shared space. While these designs have many other benefits, the acoustics issue must be addressed for this type of office to function at an optimum level.
So what can be done about all of this bothersome noise? First we must acknowledge that it is not something that we need to endure. We (the human workforce) are good at adapting, sometimes so good that we forget that we can be doing more to make the environment adapt to us. Additional impetus for resolving this issue comes in recognizing that noise is more than just an annoyance, noise is costing us money.
Now that we’ve identified the problem, we can devise a solution. Sound solutions can start with a simple examination of where the distractions are coming from. The ideal time to address these issues is in the planning stage of your office design or refurbishment, but smaller changes can reap benefits as well. Start with moving noisy fax machines, copiers and printers to an enclosed area, or adding some acoustic panels to existing walls.
If the problem is more serious, it might be worth examining what it is really costing you. Investments in environmental improvements are shown to pay for themselves again and again and in addition to increasing your profits (an easy thing to measure) you end up in space where you feel better. Feeling better may be a result that is not easy to quantify, but it can be the biggest reward of all.
I sometimes wonder why we need to have someone else tell us what we already know. It seems that it is obvious that noisy environments result in decreased productivity. Yet despite many of us realizing this, we do not always consider this in planning our work environments.
While common sense may seem to be enough to make a decision, when it comes to spending money, sometimes we are asked for something more tangible than our beliefs to show that the investment will bring a positive return.
Think about your day, think about the times a loud conversation, a sound like a buzzer or ring, or even noise from outside your office broke your concentration. If the noise persisted you might spend some time being irritated and swearing to yourself or to an adjacent (and now also distracted) colleague about the completely worthless human being who was in some way responsible for this sound. Eventually the distraction passes and you return to your work.
How much time did you lose? How much frustration did you experience? Maybe you only lost a minute or two, but it adds up through the day and though the year and is compounded when others in your company are distracted by sounds too.
The noise problem is exacerbated by the increased move toward open office plans and shared space. While these designs have many other benefits, the acoustics issue must be addressed for this type of office to function at an optimum level.
So what can be done about all of this bothersome noise? First we must acknowledge that it is not something that we need to endure. We (the human workforce) are good at adapting, sometimes so good that we forget that we can be doing more to make the environment adapt to us. Additional impetus for resolving this issue comes in recognizing that noise is more than just an annoyance, noise is costing us money.
Now that we’ve identified the problem, we can devise a solution. Sound solutions can start with a simple examination of where the distractions are coming from. The ideal time to address these issues is in the planning stage of your office design or refurbishment, but smaller changes can reap benefits as well. Start with moving noisy fax machines, copiers and printers to an enclosed area, or adding some acoustic panels to existing walls.
If the problem is more serious, it might be worth examining what it is really costing you. Investments in environmental improvements are shown to pay for themselves again and again and in addition to increasing your profits (an easy thing to measure) you end up in space where you feel better. Feeling better may be a result that is not easy to quantify, but it can be the biggest reward of all.
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