ADMINISTRATIVE

OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES:
● Advise management on the best location for an office;
● Identify the good environmet to establish an office;
● Apply the right colors in the office by paying attention to color schemes,
color combinations and the texture used;
● Choose the appropriate type of lighting system
● Create an office environment with sufficient amount of fresh air, as well
as recommend th place where air conditioning can be used productively;
● Design and plan the office environment in such a way that safety and
security requirements adhered to.
 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
● Organizations are more and more becoming aware that office environments should
become comfortable,safe and pleasant to work in so that offices can make a
contributions to organizational activity.

● Office environment has an important effect on the efficiency of the office workers,
his mental attitude and morale and at times, his/her health.

● Office manager should be familiar with some of the basic principles and practices
involved in the scientific planning of the standards of color, light, noise, and air
conditions.

According to Terry “ An individual’s performance is significantly conditioned by

the environment in which he works”
ELEMENTS OF THE OFFICE ENVIRONMENT

1. COLOR SCHEME
2. LIGHTING
3. ACOUSTICS
4. CONDITION OF THE AIR
5. INTERIOR DECORATION
6. FURNITURE
7. SECURITY
 SELECTING COLOR OF THE OFFICE

Colors in the office refers to the color of the walls, ceilings, floor
coverings, office furniture, equipment, and machines.

Good reflecting colors usually give the greatest worker and the
lowest light Also, color seems to have a psychological effect
on the emotional and sensory reactions of human beings.

Color coordinated offices aide morale, efficiency and

productivity, and greatly help to reduce tension for most of
those interviewed.
 Color has both a physical and psychological impact on
humans, Psychologically, it affects:
1. Efficiency 3. Health
Proper colors give the worker a
Color influences the mental
feeling of pride in his surroundings
and a desire to keep them neat and attitude of the worker since it
orderly. has a direct bearing on the
quantity and quality work
done

. Pres ti ge 4. Morale
2 eerful, a
nd
e, ch
Attractiv pearing offices This is closely related to the
ap
efficient i re fe eling of effect of color on health and
n sp
tend to i and trust. well-being since it influences on
ce
confiden the moral of office workers.
 Factors to Consider when Selecting Colors for the Office

4. Operation
1. Location of performed in
the office the office

2. Size of 5. Impact of
the office color

3. Shape of 6. Floor covering,

the office walls and furniture
 OFFICE LIGHTING

1. Sufficient
quantity 3. No Glare

2. Intensity 4. No Contrast
 Effects of Poor Lighting System in Office

1. Employees may get irritated

2. Higher rate errors and mistakes
3. Lower utilization efficiency and lower productivity of employees
4. Eye strain and eye-defects made to employees
5. Higher absenteeism
6. High labor turnover
7. Less safety and security
8. Decrease office and business unit
9. Low morale among the employees to employees
10 more fatigue to employees
 TYPES OF LIGHTING SYSTEM

1. DIRECT 3. INDIRECT 5.
GENERAL
DIFFUSE

2. SEMI- 4. SEMI-
DIRECT INDIRECT
 KINDS OF AUTOMATIC LIGHTCONTROL SYSTEM

1. Photocell 2. Sensor 3. Computer

- Measures amount of
-Senses the presence of -Technology turns
illumination in an area
people in an area turn lights on and off at
and adjust accordingly
lights on automatically predetermined times.

KINDS OF LIGHTING
Two Kinds of
1.Natural: 2. Artificial: Artificial Lighting
artificial lighti
natural light or ng 1. FLOURESCENT
may be used to
daylight is the best supplement na 2. INCANDESCENT
tural
form of lighting. light.
BENIFITS OF GOOD LIGHTING IN THE OFFICE

3.
1.
REDUCTION
INCREASE 5. HIGHER
OF FATIGUE
OUTPUT PRESTIGE

2. BETTER 4. BETTER
QUALITY EMPLOYEE
MORALE
Harry R. Moon and Rollie Cox list out the advantages of good
lighting system
as detailed below:
1. Improved quality control
2. Reduced absenteeism
3. Improved safety and security
4. More favorable first impression of the business.
5. Enhanced company image
6. Better employee morale
7. Increased space usage
8. Reduction of exposure to legal liabilities and better
space marketability for owner.
 Noise in the Office
• One of the top causes of dissatisfaction and loss of productivity in the
workplace is noise.
• Unwanted noise can result in annoyance, heightened stress levels and
reduced performance.
• The decibel is a unit measuring the loudness of sound. The maximum
decibel in an office should be 90.
 Includes use of proper
Proper ceiling, floor, wall and
Construction window covering materials
WAYS TO
L Sou n d
CONTRO
IC E N OI SE absorbing
OF F
Controlling devices
airborne and
unds
structural so

Sound
Putting covers and
absorbing
equipment that creates
materials considerable noise

Masking Technique- includes blending of noise with non-

disturbing background noise
VENTILATION

• Ventilation in the office refers to the

supply of clean and fresh air in right
amount, at the right temperature and
of the right humidity.
• Proper Ventilation is an important
aspect of office environment, fresh
air must past at the office regularly.
Methods to maintain proper
ventilation

NATURAL
VENTILATION

ARTIFICIAL
VENTILATORS
TYPES OF ARTIFICIAL VENTILATORS
1. ELECTRIC 4. ROOM
FANS
Used to circulate air. HEATERS
Provided during winter.

2. EXHAUST 5. AIR
Expel the stagnantFAN
CONDITIONING
Suitable form of
air
from the room. ventilation.

3. AIR
Draw inCOOLERS
the air, passes
through water and
becomes cool.
 Advantages of Air conditioning
A. C.
B. D.

Maintains employee’s Keeps production

efficiency. cost low.
Protects the product
Safeguards
or equipment in the
employee’s health.
plan.
 CONDITIONING OF THE AIR CONSIDERATIONS

1 2 3 4
Air Circulation of Cleanliness of
temperature Humidity level
air air

68 degrees F. 50 percent. 25 cubic feet of air Installing air

per minute per purification systems
person. that remove germs,
dust, and dirt.
 r D e co r a tio n
Interio 1. A tasteful
colouring of walls,
a s t h e a r t o fa
a y b e d e s cribed doors and windows
m
re fu l d e c o r ation i ng , it
ca o mo r a b u i ld 2. Placing of attractive art
r i o r o f a ro
of inte t a n a tt r a c t ive objects, pictures, paintings and
e e n fo u n d t ha informative
h as b
o t o n ly a d d s to charts on the walls
decor n o o m , b u t h as a
a ra n c e of a r
a p p e n t h e p e o p le
o l o g i c a l e ff ect o
psych r i or d e c o r a tion 3. floor covering curtains
o rk i n g i n i t. Inte
w and wall hangings, etc.
involves :
 Interior Decoration
• Stimulates better performance on the part of workers
and creates a better impression on the minds or outsiders.
• According to G Mill's “The decoration of an office can have a
noticeable effect upon the morale of the staff. Drab surroundings
are depressing pleasant surroundings are conductive to good
work.
 Furniture
• Furniture
-is used to describe moving things designed to facilitate different
human activities.
• Office furniture
- is the basic facility with-which the employee identifies himself. It is
the duty of the office manager, therefore,to provide the right type of
furniture in the office.
 Guidelines or Factors to Consider in Selecting Office
Furniture.
1. Cost - The cost should be reasonable and affordable
2. Sustainability - The furniture is selected on the basis of the nature of job
performed on
them or the purpose for which they are required
3. Design- The design of the furniture should be functional as well as
artistic.
4. Durability- ordinary wooden furniture has longer life than steel
furniture.
5. Saves space - furniture should be selected in such a way that it doesn’t
occupy much floor
space.
 Guidelines or Factors to Consider in Selecting Office
Furniture.

6. Comfortable- the efficiency and morale of employees are increase by

providing.
comfortable furniture.
7. Appearance- the physical appearance of office furniture should be
attractive and modern
so that it adds to the look of the office.
8. Hygiene- it should be easy to clean the furniture and the floor under it.
9. Weight- The placement of office furniture should be lightweight to be
moved around
easily.
 Guidelines or Factors to Consider in Selecting Office
Furniture.
10. Finish - glossy surfaces should be avoided because they create glares and
tension.
11. Fire Risk- The wooden furniture has more fire risk than metal furniture.
12. Saving Human Resources - Some furniture has built in file units which
offers opportunity
to save movement and walking of the employees. Such furniture provides an
economy in
working.
13. Safety- the furniture should be safe to use. There is no safety in using
plate glass topped
furniture.
 Different Types of Furniture
Desk - It provide a suitable surface for writing, checking, sorting, examining and
conferring.
- They provide storage space for supplies, stationery and the papers and files that are in
use.
- Modern office method are based on the 'clear desk' concept.
- the use of standardized and uniform desk gives a harmonious look to the office

1. Executive desks
- are made in accordance with the taste of the
executive, and are valued mostly for their
good looks.
- Generally speaking, double pedestal desks
with a width of 150 cms. to 180 cms. a depth of
85 cms. and a height of 75 cms.
 Different Types of Furniture
2. Special Purpose Desks - designed for
special use in offices and include the typist's
desk calculating machine desks, collating
desks.

- A typist's desk is the most common and

perhaps the most important of this type and
may be of the following types:

w ith a
fitte d D. Desk with a
A. Standard flat B. Desk with a fixed . D e s k
e ll into
C
p s i ble w riter fold-away
topped, single sunken well for the co lla e w
t h e typ
or double typewriter, whic
h
ed; mechanism
is fix
pedestal;
 Different Types of Desk
3. Built-in Furniture - floor space can be conserved by the use of
built-in or of collapsible furniture.
- fitted furniture not only saves space but economy is achieved
in the material used for its construction.

4. General Clerical Desks - mostly

pedestal desks of 120 cms. by 75 cms.
with three or four drawers on one side.

- In some offices, doubles pedestal

desks are provided for the clerical staff.
 Modular or System Furniture
- has become very popular in Western countries.
- provides greater desk area and takes up the minimum floor space.
Example:
• Interlocking desk furniture - offers as much as 25 percent more desk area,
and effects a saving of up to 33 percent in floor space.
- modular furniture costs less per square foot of working area.
- one great limitation - it encourages talking among clerks and workers but
can be overcome by erecting screens between individual desk units.
 Need for Safety in Office
1. Fire Precautions – Adequate fire precautions should be taken to preserve the office
records and documents.
2. Regulating Entry – There must be a single entrance for visitors. Entrance must have a
watchman or security guard.
3. Security Arrangements – Extensive security arrangements should be mase in large
organization. Many caretakers, guards, and housekeepers are employed to take charge
of
the building after office hours.
4. Safeguarding Premises – office premises should be well guarded against security risks.
5. A Fidelity Guarantee Insurance – An employee may indulge in defalcation, fraud, or
embezzlement.
 Need for Safety in Office
6. Cash or Bond Security – Generally, an employee who is handling cash required to
deposit specified amount of money with the organization or to execute a guaranteed
bond
from some responsible or reputed person or persons as security.
7. Reference Checking – The employer may check the reference given by the candidate
while recruiting employees.
8. Identity Cards – All employees must be given cards or badges; they are requested to
keep
the cards or badges during office hours.
9. Safes – Well-built and completely locked safes are very good protection against fire
and
theft.
SECURITY EQUIPMENT

One of the vital functions of a modern office is to keep and preserve

documents and records for future guidance or reference.
All documents or records of office should therefore, be kept under proper security.
In addition, the following modern security equipment as available for office as
security device shall be installed which is listed below.
SECURITY EQUIPMENT

Cameras
1. CCTV
F i re A l arm System
2.
. S p y P e n Camera
3 System
r u s i o n
4. I n t
n a ge m e n t System
Ma
5. Visitor n i to r in g System
M o
6. Guard d S e c urity Syste
m
is e
7. Custom urveillance System
ity S ol System
8. Secur e s s C o n t r
tric Acc
9. Biome S e cu r ity System
e Based ent System
10. Mobil a n a g e m
. B i o m e t ric Time M
11
SECURITY EQUIPMENT

All office records, however, do not enjoy the same importance. Important and
valuable documents such as share certificates, debentures, deposit
receipts, title deeds, bills of exchange, promissory notes, contracts,
cheque books, registration documents, etc., are kept in office safes or
bank lockers. Other documents like office files, correspondence, etc., are kept
in safe places so that outsiders may not have access to them.
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LISTENING