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OFFICE LAYOUT

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 OFFICE LAYOUT
INTRODUCTION

1. Office layout can be defined as the conscious planning and arrangement of

all available physical equipment within a given office space so as to achieve
optimum space utilization, comfort, free flow of work and aesthetic environmental
appeal.

WHY OFFICE LAYOUT ES NECESSARY

2. Office layout is necessary for the following reasons:

a- Comfort. Conscious and proper layout of an office ensures the
comfort of office personnel. Comfort has some influence on enhancement of
morale and productivity and the promotion of good health. If workers are not
comfortable accidents may occur frequently, damage to sensitive equipment
may also occur while health of workers may be endangered.
b. Facilitation of supervision. Good office layout makes supervision
easy. Apart from allowing the supervisor to have unobstructed view of his
subordinates in an open office, he is able to interact with them without much
ado.
c. Facilitation of inter-communication. Good office layout facilitates
smooth inter-communication among office personnel.
r
\. Efficient space utilization. Office space is expensive, and proper
space planning and utilization are necessary to achieve efficiency.

e. Systematic Work Flow. Poor office layout can cause delays,

interruptions, frustration, irritation and inefficiency. Good office layout is
therefore necessary for the promotion of smooth flow of work from stage to
stage.
f. Provision of appropriate environment. Office layout is necessary in
order to ensure that sections or functions which require certain conditions
are properly catered for. For example, a Confidential Registry should be
located away from the direct access and glare of visitors and unauthorized
people. A cashier's office should be so located, designed and laid out to
guarantee its security.
g. Provision of optimum space requirement. The status of a worker, the
work he does and the kind of furniture, machines and equipment he uses are
usually taken into consideration in space planning and allocation, and office
layout.

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TYPES OF LAYOUT
3. Three types of office -layout are highlighted here:
a
- Group layout. This type of layout can be found where workers
performing similar jobs are grouped together. Workers in a computer centre
are usually grouped together. A secretarial or typing pool, and collection of
accounts personnel using accounting machines in a place are also examples
of group layout.
b. Process layout. The location of machines can be organized in such a
way that works flows uninterruptedly from stage to stage according to a set
pattern. In a post room, for instance, receiving, sorting, recording and
distribution are sequential activities and the personnel performing them can
be contiguously seated for smooth process flow. In the accounts department,
preparation of vouchers/bills, checking, and auditing can be closely located
for steady work flow and reduction of bottlenecks. Where men, machines
and equipment are arranged according to the sequence of operation,
process layout is at work. The arrangement may be concentric, straight line
or horse-shoe.

c. Eclectic layout. This type of layout involves a combination of group

and process layouts; in other words the exclusive adoption of group or
process layout is deemphasized. Whilst an organization can have a typing
pool where all or many typists operate, it can still have typists or secretaries
attached to specific executives or offices.

PRINCIPLED OF OFFICE LAYOUT

4. A? good office layout is important for the comfort and efficiency and
prodi' vity of workers, no stone should be left unturned in the effort to have a
go' ayout. The menace of noise, for example, can be reduced by sound proofing
jle-gazing, installation of automatic doors, and rugging of the floor. Several
ephone bells ringing while one needs to concentrate can be very distractive.
A/here this is a problem, the telephone bells can be muted.
5. Towards achieving reasonable comfort for the workers, a minimum of 40
square feet of floor space per office personnel should be ensured while a
temperature of 18 C (65 F) which is the temperature considered to be suitable for
work, should be assured. Use should be made of air-conditioners, air filters, fans
and room heating devices (electric room heaters or central heating especially in
winter) in order to provide a suitable working atmosphere or temperature. It should
be noted that the higher the status or rank of a staff, the more his minimum floor
space requirement. However, other factors such as nature of work done, kind or
size of furniture and equipment used, tend to influence the floor space allocation
for personnel. It should also be noted that no one layout has been standardized
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and found suitable for all organizations. In other words as the size, goals,
financial position, objectives, equipment and staff strength of one organisation
differ from another, each organisation should determine what it considers to be «n
ideal layout in the prevailing circumstances. Moreover, what an organization
considers to be a suitable layout this year may turn out to be unsuitable in few
years' time. In consequence, and adjustment could become imperative as a result
of increased staff strength, acquisition of new equipment, expansion, adoption of
new systems, and Organization and Methods (O & M) study.

6. The following principles should be considered and adopted in order to

, ensure a well-planned office:
a. Work flow. Any arrangement or layout adopted should ensure
continuous or uninterrupted flow of documents, communication and work.

b. Supervision. The layout should facilitate supervisor/supervisee

contact or interaction.

c. Freedom from obstruction. Passages or gangways should be free

from things that are likely to impede free movement. Telephone cables,
electric cables and other obstructive items should not be allowed to litter the
passage.
d. Provision of gangways. Every layout should ensure that staffs have
recognisable pathways which enable them to reach their seats and move
from c ,e position to another when the need arises to do so. In fact, in times
of d ,iger such as fire alarm etc staff should be able to evacuate without
c sing further commotion and danger.
•i. Balance and aesthetic appeal. The layout should ensure that the
office environment is pleasing, attractive and orderly.
f. Minimization of movement. Arrangement should ensure a saving in
s time and physical energy involved in moving from one point to the other. A
good layout ensures that distractions, noise, and malingering that occur
, through unnecessary movements are eliminated.

g. Equipment placement. File cabinets, telephones, machines and

equipment should be located near those who are to utilise them. To do
otherwise is to cause a lot of inconveniences and sow the seeds of
inefficiency.
h. Flexibility, Nothing is static, and change is inevitable. A suitable
layout today may turn out to be a primary or secondary cause of inefficiency
tomorrow. In consequence, the layout must take cognizance ofthe possibility
of expansion and adjustment in the future.

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i. Segregation of noisy machines. Noise has a tendency to distract

one's attention, reduce one's concentration, cause mistakes to occur, as well
as irritability. Where there are two or more manual typewriters and a
duplicating machine in an office shared by other employees, the noise
emanating from the clattering keys of the typewriters and the rattling
movement of the duplicating machine can sometimes distract the attention of
other staff. Such noisy machines should be isolated or put away from other
staff in a partitioned room or sound-proof enclosure.

j. Optimum illumination. Clerical and administrative work requires good

and well-lit environment. Good interior decor or the general colour scheme
for the walls, curtains, window blinds and furniture adds to the effectiveness
of room illumination. Dull or dark paints should not be used for painting the
interior of offices. Poorly lit office environment or poor visibility can
complicate sight problems. Where an office is well illuminated however, tall
objects (eg cupboards, cabinets) should not be allowed to block the light or
cast shadows on the tables of workers. In relation to illumination, four things
are to be avoided, namely dullness, shadow, glare, and heat. Glare refers to
very strong light which has an unpleasant effect on the eyes. Excessive heat
from electric bulbs can cause discomfort, unnecessary perspiration, and
even glare. On the other hand, fluorescent lighting has been found to be
economical, soft and glareless, and evenly diffused.

k. Good ventilation and natural lighting. Good ventilation promotes

health. Ventilation should be taken care of in the office layout exercise.
Cross VP itilation allows free inflow of fresh air and outflow of stale air. Heavy
equipr ^nt should not be used to block windows. Work requiring more light
car a located close to windows for the reception of natural light. Natural
,;
, is very helpful in the event of artificial (electric) power failure.
Safety consciousness. In arranging the office, employees should not
be made to sit behind a door which opens inward, nor must machines be
placed on the table behind such a door. This is to prevent damage to
equipment and injury to employees.
m. Freedom from distraction. Seating arrangement should as much as
possible be made in such a way that office staff are not directly facing
windows. Facing the window tends to open them to the temptation of
peeping through the window every time they hear a familiar voice, see an
acquaintance or friend thereby losing concentration and making mistakes.
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RACTICAL APPROACH TO OFFICE SPACE PLANNING
7
. Securing the best and most comfortable and aesthetic layout often depends
3 great deal on preliminary study of the nature and size of accommodation, the
lumber and categories of staff and the nature of work performed. The following
vill guide:
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a. Assign responsibility. If for example, it becomes necessary to move
from one office location to another, a committee should be set up to ensure
smooth movement and resettlement. The commander is usually charged
with the responsibility of space planning and allocation.

b. Consultation. The commander consults with staff officers,

supervisors or sectional heads on their respective space requirements.
These are noted and considered in relation to space availability.

c. Blueprint and drawing to scale. The guidelines submitted by staff

officers supervisors or sectional heads may form the working paper or
blueprint for space allocation. It is not unusual to find staff officers,
supervisors or sectional heads over-booking their space requirements, but
the extent to which their demands are met is contingent upon the totality of
the space available. Where demand for space exceeds supply it becomes
incumbent on the commander or the head of the committee on space
allocation to allocate space judiciously, rationally, and equitably. Office
space standards can be used as guides in office space allocation; for
example, clerical workers and typists require 60 to 80 square feet of floor
space. Supervisors or sectional heads require about 120 square feet of floor
space while staff officers and commanders require 300 square feet and 400
square feet of floor space respectively. When space requirement has thus
been determined, a drawing to scale should be undertaken.

d. Templates. When the drawing to scale has been done, the use of
te .plates or models may become necessary so as to ensure a good layout.

e. Submission for approval. After all these had been done, the
proposed layout is submitted for approval. If one department or unit alone is
involved in resettlement exercise, it might suffice for the commanders, staff
officers, supervisors or sectional heads in control to plan and execute.

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