Lim Sei cK

Thinking about thinking? 1. List the three types of business organizations in Brunei. 2. Name the four ways how the office handle information. 3. State the key departments that are available in an organization.

Office Environment The place where an office worker reports for work cannot be a haphazard collection of tables and chairs. There needs to be proper planning to locate the different levels of staff.

Layout of the Office The staff’s seating arrangement must be planned with much thought and consideration. An effective layout can: - Encourage communication and interaction amongst team members - Achieve effectiveness and efficiency - Enhance productivity - Increase the profitability of an organization

There are two common layouts: a) Conventional and b) open-plan

Conventional office The conventional office, or normal office layout, is based on the understanding that office work is desk work. The ideal setting is a space enclosed by four walls where the worker can concentrate without any distractions. Access to these rooms is through passageways, i.e, corridors and stairs.

Open-plan Office Open-plan designs group people in such a way that their work would ‘flow’ from one place to another in a logical and effective manner. To do this, shoulder-high screens are used to separate one workstation from another. A workstation is the space given to a staff member to work in, together with the furniture and equipment needed. Instead of walls, potted plants and movable sound-absorbing screens separate departments from one another.

Conventional office PROS: - There is privacy - Confidential work can be carried out - Work that needs the constant use of machines can be placed in separate units. This traps the noise and reduces distractions

Conventional office CONS: - There is a waste of floor space taken up by the passageways and walls - The walls can become a barrier to communication as staff are ‘cut off’ from one another - Supervision is more difficult as the manager has to walk to another room to observe the staff at work

Open-plan office PROS: - The work flow is smoother as documents can be passed easily from one operation to the next - Communication is easier as there is direct and fast contact among the staff - Supervision is easier as the manager can directly observe staff at work - Resources such as space, lighting and equipment can be saved

Open-plan office CONS: There is lack of privacy There are too many distractions, e.g staff walking about and a higher noise level (due to a greater number of people talking in the same room)

Health, Safety and Security in the Office Office workers spend almost 90% of their working hours at their workplace. There is a need, therefore, to ensure that the working environment is healthy, safe and secure. This would reduce the work-related accidents and illnesses that could lead to losses in productivity.

Health and Safety The health and safety of employees are the responsibilities of both the employer and the employee. The employer should provide a safe working environment and make sure it stays that way. The employee, on the other hand, has the duty to take proper care of himself or herself and others while at work.

Safe workplace Clean floors, windows, office furniture and equipment Clean toilets, with enough running water, soap, toilet paper, etc Regular maintenance and repair of office equipment by qualified technicians Easily accessible first-aid box. Staff members should be taught how to use it Proper fire safety measures such as fire drills, emergency evacuation plans

Unsafe workplace Tripping over long electrical wires lying on the floor and over carpets that are worn at the edges Slipping on wet or badly maintained floors Banging into or galling over obstacles such as open drawers and cabinets that stick out into passageways Getting an electrical shock when tampering with faulty machines or wiring

Security measures Security devices like burglar alarms and door locks to prevent break-ins Surveillance cameras to monitor what is going on within the premises A fire and burglar proof safe to keep cash and important documents in the office Employees should wear identification tags and use electronic ID cards to access restricted areas Cash or goods are only given out upon showing proof of proper documents with the signatures of authorized persons

Trends in Office Work Practices and Environment We have entered a new knowledge-based economy. Information Technology (IT) is changing the way we live and do things. These changes can also be seen in the office a) Lifelong learning, b) Computer-literate office workers, c) Changes in the concept of ‘office work’, d) Telecommuting on the rise, e) Outsourcing to stay productive and competitive, f) The virtual office

a) Lifelong learning The trend now for all workers is to make lifelong learning a way of life. New skills need to be learnt in order for workers to stay up to date in their jobs or be able to move on to new ones.

b) Computer-literate office workers Today, many jobs require workers to have some computer knowledge. Being ‘computer-literate’ is a basic skill for anyone applying for a job.

c) Changes in the concept of ‘office work’ Business functions are no longer carried out in the office only. The recent developments in telecommunications technology makes it possible for office work to be done anywhere. With a laptop, an office worker can write a report while travelling. can be checked on a mobile phone. Workstations can be shared since not everyone needs to be in the office at the same time.

d) Telecommuting on the rise Telecommuters are people who work in a non- traditional office setting, usually from home. Various studies have shown that telecommuting increases productivity and benefits the employer, the employee and the community.

e) Outsourcing to stay productive and competitive Rapid changes in the economy have caused businesses to reduce the size of their workforce and rearrange their internal structures. Some business functions can now be managed by outside sources. EG: A company hires a specialized transport company to deliver its products to its customers.

f) The virtual office A virtual office is a service which provides personalized telephone and reception services, a corporate mailing address and conference facilities. The costs of using a virtual office service are a fraction of the costs of running a full-time office. A range of business support services, such as word processing, video-conferencing and faxing, are also available.

And we are done!