“A positive working environment is a workplace that promotes employee safety, growth and goal attainment. These environments are most conducive to a successful workforce as they encourage employees to perform to their highest ability.”
Environment means surrounding, circumstance or influences. Office environment may be defined as the surrounding within which office work is performed and which affects the prestige of the enterprise, the health, the morale and efficiency of the workers. The main aspects of office environment are the office site, the premises itself, departmental planning, the layout, furniture, appropriate and safe working conditions and the atmosphere. A suitable environment stimulates and motivates the worker. An attractive and cheerful appearance of the office inspires a feeling of confidence in the enterprise
Conditions Suitable for Office Environment
A suitable office environment must ensure adequate standards in respect of the following conditions:
1. Cleanliness:
Cleanliness is said to be next to godliness. The cleanliness of the office is important because it affects the health and well-being of the workers. A clean environment promotes better quality of work and influences the neatness and accuracy with which the workers attend to their assignment. A clean office environment should be free from dirty, bad odor and infection.
2. Prevention of Over Crowding:
Office environment should be free from overcrowding. Each worker should have sufficient space in which to work effectively, comfortably and to ensure more efficient workflow. Overcrowding can hamper efficiency. It causes noise, gossip, mental strain and health hazard. These interferences lower the efficiency of the office work.
3. Temperature:
Excess heat and humidity cause drowsiness and discomfort. Excess cold, on the other hand, it uncomfortable and slows down work. This is the degree or intensity of sensible heat of the atmosphere in the office. The temperature of the office should be conducive for effective performance of duties. It should not be too warm or too cold. The right temperature in the office can be maintained by the use of air-conditioners, fans, electric room heaters, and reducing cold air from outside entering the office.
4. Ventilation:
It is important that there should be a constant flow of clean fresh air through the office because air composition in the office is constantly being polluted as a result of oxygen loss, body odour, temperature changes and the addition of carbon dioxide. Proper ventilation can be ensured by positioning doors and windows well so that there is always undisturbed flow of air, the doors and windows kept open when air conditioners are not installed.
5. Lighting:
Lighting in the office should be of the right quality, quantity and position. Lighting is important because office work involves writing, reading, close-figure work. Poor lighting or too strong light cause eye-strain, fatigue and could lead to inferior quality of work output.
6. Sanitary Conveniences:
Sanitary refers to the conditions that affect health especially with regard to dirt and infection. Therefore, sanitary conveniences are those suitable materials provided with a view to improving the sanitary conditions of office workers. Sanitary conveniences include toilets, cloakrooms, drinking water, urinary refuse disposal, washing basins, provision of spray with deodorizing and disinfecting liquids, etc.
7. Safety and Fire Precaution:
All office workers should be safety conscious. Causes of accidents in the office include carelessness, faulty machines, electrical faults, falling objects etc. Accident prevention can be enhanced through identification of potential causes by accidents in the office environment. Proper facilities to be provided at work place to prevent them from any type of accidents. First Aid facility also be available at office.
8. Drinking Water & Eating Facilities:
In office, there should be proper water facility for drinking. There should be separate canteen or any sitting place for eating lunch, breakfast or tea. Housekeeping maintains should be properly followed by branch manager from time to time.