How to Layout an Office
Planning your office layout carefully can help you maximize your available space and increase worker productivity. Poorly designed office layouts can cause workers to become bored, disinterested or frustrated, leading to a reduction in profits. Some people incorporate the ancient Chinese art of feng shui into their office layout designs to encourage a positive atmosphere and allow chi, or energy, to flow freely. You may need to change your office layout several times before you find what works best for you and your workers.
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Instructions
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Measure how much space you actually have to work with. Rooms and office areas can appear much larger or smaller than they really are, depending on what's in them, the lighting and the shape of the room.
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Measure office furniture and other large items, such as large filing cabinets, so you know the dimensions of the items you need to fit into the office.
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Decide what sections of the office space you want to use for your primary working areas. Consider the positioning of electrical outlets, light sources and phone jacks when determining where you want your primary work areas.
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Keep your primary working areas away from break areas and kitchens where workers gather. Desks and working areas that are too close to leisure areas can decrease productivity by causing distractions.
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Set aside space for office supply storage, files and large machines. Place machines you use often, such as copiers and fax machines, in easily accessible areas where there is enough room for several people to gather.
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Make sure workers have plenty of room to push their chairs away from their desks without bumping into anything else. Giving workers room to maneuver without constraints helps promote good ergonomics, which can lead to fewer injuries, aches and pains.
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Measure walkways to make sure there is plenty of room for at least two people to walk in opposite directions. The more people you have working in your office, the wider you should make your walkways.
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Consider using a clustered arrangement of desks or tables instead of the typical line of cubicles when designing an office layout to accommodate several workers. According to feng shui principles, open environments foster harmony and good energy flow.
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