A simple office redesign can deliver value in the workplace, it has been suggested.
Sameer Bhatia, founder of ProProfs.com, said that by repositioning furniture – based upon the practical needs of employees – organisations may be able to make small productivity gains.
Writing for Business 2 Community, he said certain tasks performed around the office can take longer to complete simply because of workplace inefficiencies.
“For instance, a much needed printer should be placed by the work station of the employee that needs it the most,” Mr Bhatia said.
This allows the individual in question to continue with their work while also handling printing projects, he noted.
Should the printer be positioned on the opposite side of the room, the time taken to walk back and forth can mount up over a period of a week, month or year.
Even if an hour can be saved in the mid-term, this is an hour where the employee is able to focus their attention on work and be productive.
“Managers should identify common barriers to workplace productivity and strive to overcome these,” Mr Bhatia stated.
“Entire work stations may need to be rearranged and the office environment gutted to provide a seamless flow of integrated worker productivity.”
He said the same reorganisation can be applied to company’s retail outlets, enabling customers to find, review and buy products with the fewest number of obstacles apparent.
Thinking about the arrangement of furniture and the placing of equipment is a relatively small task, but it could lead to a surprising improvement in efficiency over a period of time.