Productive design

Kurt Parry investigates the impact bad office design can have on employee productivity.

The productivity of a business and its employees has traditionally been measured in either mathematical terms or a formula that has been created by time and management consultants.

While they may measure output relative to the number of employees and the systems they use within a working environment, they often don't take into account the environment itself.

Efficient office design can increase productivity significantly and there's more to planning than simply knowing where to position the power sockets.

The logistics of an office layout must be the first and foremost consideration, but the psychological factor of the workers themselves plays a surprisingly large part.

Environments where staff feels claustrophobic or isolated can have a drastic effect on the bottom line.

Martyn Staniforth, a freelance office design consultant in Dubai, is often amazed at the lack of preparation he encounters. "I would say about a quarter of businesses - particularly small to medium sized - don't even consider the number of employees relative to the working space."

"There are certain stipulations which state that each member of staff must have a certain area of workspace. I have seen businesses try to cram in their staff without considering comfort, practicality and ultimately output."

"Many companies will even purchase or rent office space without any consultation at all."

Style over substance

Office construction and management can be all-encompassing, from concept to completion, but what constitutes the finished product? Is it when the last tile is grouted, the first employee walks in or the first sale is made?

For world-class FM companies, it is when the office is well-established, the company is productive and the employers and employees are happy.

John Buck is an expert consultant for ‘Plan Abu Dhabi 2030', the urban planning initiative that has already announced projects worth over US $500 billion (AED1.8 trillion).

He was involved in the construction, leasing and facilities management of the Sears Tower in Chicago and believes that the right working environment is paramount to a company's success.

"The design of an office building should result from the program of the users."

"Whether it's a large bank, like the Abu Dhabi National Bank or whether it's a stock exchange or Morgan Stanley, they have actual requirements for their office space, and those requirements dictate what the office building should be," he says.

But he believes the Middle East sometimes falls into the trap of creating icons rather than practical space.

"What I've found in this part of the world is that a lot of buildings are constructed without any regard to the programmatic needs of the end user."