knox unit 2a pupil notes

8/4/2019 Knox Unit 2a Pupil Notes

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KNOX ACADEMY

STANDARD GRADE

ADMINISTRATION

UNIT 2a

OFFICE LAYOUTS

PUPIL NOTES


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Standard Grade Administration 2 Knox Academy

Standard Grade AdministrationUnit 2a: Office Layouts

These notes require you to fill in the blanks in certain places. There is aseparate task book, which you should not write in answer questions from

the task book in your jotter.

Types of Layout

There are two main types of office layout:

Cellular also known as traditionalor enclosed Open-Plan also known as landscapedorflexibleCellular Office Environment

This is a traditional method of organising the workspace where each

individual employee works on their own or with a few other employees withina room.


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You need to know the advantages and disadvantages of a cellular layout:

Advantages Disadvantages

Enclosed offices allow forprivacy for confidentialmeetings

There are fewer distractionsfrom colleagues

Noisy equipment can be putinto a separate room

Rooms can be locked torestrict unauthorised access

Employees often feel isolatedfrom other colleagues

Employees may feel that theyare not part of a team

It may be difficult to superviseemployees who are all workingin separate rooms

Time may be wasted with workhaving to pass from room toroom

Open-Plan Office Environment

This is a modern method of organising the workspace where a large number

of employees work together within the same large area.


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You need to know the advantages and disadvantages of an open-planlayout:


Team working may beencouraged resulting inemployees who are happierand more motivated

It is easier to superviseemployees as they can all beseen

Equipment may be sharedwhich saves the organisationmoney

Less space is wasted as thereare fewer doors and walls

There is a lack of privacy forconfidential meetings

There may be manydistractions from otheremployees or noisy equipment

It is difficult to restrictunauthorised access topersonal belongings andconfidential information

Heating and lighting may notsuit all employees


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Factors which affect choice of layout

An organisation will choose one type of layout depending on:

The number of employees within the organisation

Whether the organisation will grow in size or get smaller The type of work/activities carried out by the organisation The amount of money available

The chosen layout should

Be adaptable to meet changes in the type or volume of work Provide sufficient work and storage space Take account of the flow of work the time taken to pass information

should be kept to a minimum

Allow employs to move about easily passageways should be wideand free from obstruction

Provide easy access to services , e.g. power points and phone sockets Provide easy access to equipment, e.g. filing cabinets, photocopiers,

printers and fax machines

Provide security for personal belongings and information

Office Ergonomics

Ergonomics looks at how the working environment (including furniture,

equipment, dcor, heating, lighting, ventilation, noise, work activities andprocedures) affects the work of employees.

Improving the working environment should:

Improve employee morale and commitment to the organisation Increase output and improve efficiency Reduce accidents and injuries

Reduce sickness and absenteeism

Reduce stress

CREDIT


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Standard Grade Administration Unit 2a Notes 6

Important Features of Desks

Size and shape of work surface should suit the work to be undertaken Mobile pedestal units (with drawers or shelves) may be placed

beneath work surfaces

Consideration should be given to height, depth width, weight,mobility, etc

Work surface should be non-reflective Should match and be able to be combined with other office furniture

Important Features of Workstations

L-shaped desk: an employee can carry out computer work on one partof the desk and turn to the other part to do paperwork, make phonecalls, etc

Consideration should be given to cable management someworkstations have channels to store/hide cables

Desks of different sizes and shapes may be bought to allow for avariety of layouts

Important Features of Chairs

Minimum standards are laid down in the HealthSafety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992

Seat back adjustable for height and tilt Swivel action allows operator to turn easily Arm rests Cushioned for comfort Seat sloping to front to reduce pressure on thighs 5-star base provides stability Castors allow easy movement of chair


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How should office furniture and equipment be set out?

The layout of furniture and equipment will depend on thetype of activities being carried out. It should:

Make the best use of the space available

Be flexible to suit the changing needs of theorganisation

Provide an attractive and pleasant working environment Provide safe working conditions furniture and equipment must

satisfy health and safety requirements

Allow employees to move easily between work areas Keep noise levels to a minimum Provide for easy access to phone sockets and power sources Make good use of heating, lighting and ventilation Provide for restricted access to certain area, e.g. where confidential

work needs to be undertaken or important meetings need to be held

What type of furniture and equipment is required for

Administrativeand Clerical Work A large work area with space for a computer

Access to power and telephone points Soundproof screens to provide privacy and

reduce noise levels

Adequate storageMeetings andInterviews

An area which is separate from the mainworking environment a separate room to

provide privacy

Large tables for paper work Appropriate equipment for presentations Refreshment facilities


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How should a workstation be organised?

Workstations should:

Have a cable management system (channels on desk, wall or floor tohouse unsightly, and potentially dangerous, cables)

Be free from clutter (especially if other employees have to use theworkstation) use should be made of drawers, filing trays, desktidies, book holders, etc

Have all working materials (paperclips, staplers, post-its, envelopes,etc) close to hand

Have easy access to a phone, especially where the employee may haveto answer her/his line managers incoming phone calls

Have drawers available for the storage of materials

Flexible work practices

Home-working?

Homeworking is where employee, as part of their conditioned of employment,

work at home some or all of the time. The production of time spent workingat home will depend on the type of work the employee does.

Homeworking is not suitable for jobs where regular face-to-face discussionsand meetings with employees are required.

Tele-working?

Teleworker describes any employee who does their job away from the officewith the use of ICT equipment


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Items of equipment used by a tele-worker

Laptop - a porter computer which has the appropriate software toprocess information

Mobile phone - allows the employee to keep in contact with theorganisation

Personal Digital Assistant - a handheld device that combinescomputing, telephone/fax and networking features

Pager can be used to contact an employee who is out of office

Voice Mail allows messages to be received when the employee isunavailable to answer the telephone

Fax - allows written messages to be sent and received

Video-Conferencing allows employees to take part in a face-to-facemeeting without travelling

Advantages and disadvantages of home/tele-working.


Less s pace required at theemployees premises likely tolead to significant cost savingespecially at high priced citycentre sites

Employees waste less timetravelling to work

Increase in transport costs andparking will have little effect onemployees

Employer might be able to keepemploying staff who otherwise

might leave

Employee motivation may beincreased with employees beinggiven more responsibility

Should be less stressful foremployees

Employer and employees havegreater flexibility in arrangingworking hours

Loss of close control overemployees who are working athome employees need to be ableto work on their own withoutsupervision

Cost of purchasing, using andmaintaining ICT equipment

More difficult to ensure that ICTequipment and homeworkstations satisfy health andsafety requirements

More difficult to organisertraining in the use of equipmentand software, and in aspects ofsafety

More difficult to provide adviceand support in the use of ICTequipment

Employees may not be availablefor meetings at short notice

Employees will miss out on socialaspects of work employeesmany feel remote from theemployer


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Hot-Desking

Where a significant amount of work is undertaken at home there is no needto provide all employees with a desk at the office

Instead hot-desks are created for times when peopledo need to come into the office or for visitors fromanother branch

This saves valuable space and will maximize the useof ICT equipment

Carrel

A small booth where an employee works on her/his own

Touchdown areas

Cannot be booked in advance Used for a short period of time_ e.g.

sending an email or a fax

Touchdown, is probably a term borrowed from American Football, but in this

context it means a place to stop off and plug in your laptop computer, on youway to or from a meeting. It is often like a coffee bar with high tables andstools with computer access and is used by employees making brief visits tothe organisation.

Job Share

Employees share the job between them and each is paid a portion ofthe salary

Each employee is paid a proportion of the full time salary Suitable for employees who do not wish to take on a full-time work

commitment

If one of the job share partners is off sick or on holiday then the otherjob-share partner might be available to take his/her place.

Not suitable for all types of employment, e.g. senior managementposts


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Flexi-time

This allows employees to start early or leave late tobuild up hours which they can take off at a later date.

There are certain times during each day when theemployees must work. These are known as core hourse.g. 10-11.30 am and 2.30-3.30 pm

Considerations before implementing change

Need to alter the premises because of changes in the provision ofworkstations, heating, lighting, cabling, power supply, phone outlets

Purchase of additional accommodation, furniture and equipment Provisions of hot desks, hot rooms or touchdown areas Maintenance of ICT equipment used by homeworkers/tele-workers Introduction of new/revised work procedures Provision of staff training Safety and security of equipment and information Health, safety and welfare of members of staff

Management of change

Management should plan how the changes will be introduced Introduce change gradually Inform employees fully about what is happening Involving employees at each stage Explain to employees how the changes are likely to affect their work

and what the benefits will be

Consulting and negotiating with employeerepresentatives (e.g. Trade Unions)

Reassure employees of their value to theorganisation

Monitor the process of change at each stage

Provide staff with appropriate training

CREDIT

knox unit 2a pupil notes

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