Job and workplace Redesign for Manhattan Professional group Dharti Patel Jianqiao Wang Peiyu Kuo Peng Fei

Contents MPG Background Information Workplace Design Redesign Suggestion Redesign Bookkeeper’s Job Methodology Effects of Implementation Bibliography

MPG Background Flourishing firm in Midtown founded in 2004 that is a committed to providing the finest financial and accounting services to clients world-wide. Qualified and experienced professionals (accountants, analysts, bookkeepers) are trained to offer clear and accurate understanding of tax requirements and procedures to clients via constant dialogue around the clock.

Workplace Survey BIU Assessment Questionnaire We use the BIU assessment questionnaire as the tool to assess the current workplace. 15 copies were distributed and gathered.

Workplace Survey BIU Assessment Questionnaire We classify all questions into 5 categories. Temperature and Air Condition Workplace Noise Furniture Arrangement and Workspace Workplace Privacy Workplace Lighting The overall evaluation average score (last two questions) is 1.53 (out of 5).

Workplace Survey BIU Assessment Questionnaire

Workplace Problem Unorganized seating arrangement Small work/personal storage space Messy/Poor hygiene Uncomfortable temperature Noise distractions (from customer service department sitting close by) Closed workspace- cubicles Poor training More client complains Poor/lack of communication

Current Office Layout

…Continued Due to this seating arrangement, all the employees within the team are scattered counterproductively. Bookkeepers, analysts and new accountants are not getting enough supervision or training.  low productivity because they each play a vital a role in the tax preparation. Noisy customer service department makes it difficult to speak with client on the phone or focus on any preparation. Their manager sits in a different room, so they’re not even being supervised. It is important to have a seating arrangement that will be efficient and increase productivity because it will raise the morale of the company as a whole.

Redesign Suggestions Organized seating arrangement for effective performance and training Neat & organized workspace Open space plan (no more cubicles) =easier communication & observation More storage space due to wide under-the-table storage Temperature Control Installation of “Spark” – company’s own instant messenger for efficient communication for all employees. Customer service seated in different room- No noise disturbances.

New Office Layout Face Each Other

…Continued The new arrangement is an open concept, so it is efficient and promotes productivity, since the cubicles are eliminated. The analysts are seated right in between the managers and senior accountants because they will need to follow up with analysts most often and be updated on the progress of the tasks. Then till the end of the table, the accountants and junior preparers/bookkeepers are seated consecutively. This arrangement allows for easy, direct communication and the junior preparers to be trained properly with the guidance of experienced accountants on both sides. The finance and packaging team is seated together on a separate table facing the opposite side (wall) and customer service department has been relocated to a different room to reduce noise in the focused working environment.

Redesign Bookkeeper’s Job With new seating arrangement, bookkeepers are now sitting between experienced accountants; before they were scattered, leading them to be confused many times. Bookkeepers generate income and expense sheets and then based on that generate financial statements (profit & loss sheet, balance sheet & summary). It’s a routine job, which becomes boring. Since the data from the financial statements generated by bookkeepers is inputted into the return by accountant anyway, the bookkeepers’ jobs were redesigned to this part instead.

Bookkeeper MJDQ Analysis We use the MJDQ as the tool to measure the current work design for bookkeepers. 2 copies were distributed and gathered.

Bookkeeper MJDQ Analysis

Bookkeeper MJDQ Analysis

Bookkeeper MJDQ Analysis

Bookkeeper Job Redesign Suggestion Bookkeepers jobs titles have been updated to “Bookkeeper/Junior Prepares”- since they input basic data & figures from the financial statements. This makes their job more interesting, since now they will be able to perform new tasks and familiarize themselves with different tax situations (NO MORE BOREDOM!!). Also, they will serve as aid to accountants and in turn increase overall performance (MORE OUTPUT).

Effects of New Design Implementation High job satisfaction due to organized space and pleasant working conditions. More willingness to work Efficient communication (ex: if on the phone, can chat on SPARK) ; direct interaction due to no cubicle dividers Compliments from visitors Higher productivity

Bibliography Interdisciplinary Work-Design Approach(Campion & Thayer, 1985)