Workspace environments

Comfort model of the workspace Psychological Comfort Functional comfort Physical Comfort Discomfort Habitability Threshold

Typology of workspace Ambient environmental conditions Noise Lighting Air quality Thermal comfort Furniture layout and ergonomics Workstations Offices Shared amenities Process issues User participation in design Meeting organizational objectives

Typology of workspace Satisfaction Ambient conditions, layout Do people like the conditions and layout? Process issues Do people report satisfaction with the work environment?

Typology of workspace Territoriality and Belonging Ambient conditions - how do conditions such as daylight, ventilation and control over interior conditions affect the way people feel about their work and workspace? Furniture layout and ergonomics - how do moves, changes of workspace affect peoples’ feelings about territory, privacy and social status Process issues - How does involving workers in decisions about workspace affect feelings of ownership and belonging and increase loyalty

Typology of workspace Productivity Ambient conditions does changing environmental conditions help people work better? faster? Furniture layout and ergonomics does changing the furniture, layouts location of equipment, washrooms, help people work better? faster? Process issues - do environments designed to meet organizational goals and objectives have impact on organization the bottom line?

Getting to Work Walk, Ride, Transit, Drive? Emphasis has been on encouraging people to choose less energy-intensive means of commuting Examples: Bike Lanes; Transit Passes Others??

Getting to work Ways to get people out of their cars Created demographic profiles of car and urban transit riders Used profiles to try to change peoples’ behaviour: Cars are expensive to operate Cars create problems Devised models of commuter preference Provided positive information about urban transit Evaluated existing transit systems Offered reduced fares Promoted car sharing

Commuting is stressful. But……. Majority still drive. Getting to work Commuting is stressful. But……. Majority still drive.

Sound - noise - music an unwanted sound - Noise A desirable and beautiful sound - Euphony Noise to one is euphony to another, Noise levels in offices range about 40 - 60 decibels (whisper = 20db; alarm clock = 80; average fridge = 40; rocket blasting off = 200 db)

Sound – noise - music Occupational settings Can cause hearing loss Noise may be below acceptable thresholds (85db), but it can be irritating Psychological effects from noise can make conversation difficult Implications for places (offices, restaurants)?

Sound - noise - music Noise harms performance when there is an interaction of: Employee Task Noise Noise increases stress levels resulting in job dissatisfaction Increase noise levels = increase errors; lower-quality service; interpersonal relations. For certain tasks noise may arouse a person enough to improve performance.

Sound - noise - music Music can reduce stress Natural sound reduces stress; reduces perceived pain; increases relaxation. Most employees dislike noise; but, like music on the job. Noise hinders; music helps, employee performance

Sound – noise - music Sounds tend to be interfering, coming and going Sound entering a place is annoying When words escape over partitions too easily, privacy is compromised,

Indoor climate Is best measured by effective temperature Includes humidity and air movements as well as the temperature Extreme effective temperatures do not affect work behaviour unless core body temperature is altered. Effects of temperature are usually muffled by access to heavier or lighter clothing

Indoor climate There a variety of temperature effects: increase/decrease in physical performance; increase/decrease in cognitive tasks Are a result of how temperature has been measured; clothing factors (material, layers) Acclimatization Knowledge of coping strategies Motivation Type of work

Indoor climate Comfort depends on perception and actual effective temperature Optimal performance may be found outside the comfort range Temperature stress occurs when people are exposed to temperatures far outside the comfort zone People will adapt to extreme temperatures after longer-term exposure to them

Workspace air Factors that affect performance include: Carbon monoxide Air ions Odours Low concentrations of negative ions affect cognitive processes High concentrations facilitate cognitive processes.

Workspace air When carrying impurities, pollutants, health is severely affected Lack of control over noticeably bad air fosters negative feelings among employees, promotes work sabotage and leads to high turnover.

Light, colour , windows Light affects work behaviour when it is: Insufficient (low productivity, accidents) Improperly placed (glare, eyestrain) Office lighting tends to be excessive – too much light, or, improper type of light which distorts colour Access to natural light and views is psychologically and physiologically important (critical?)

Space, density, arrangements Naturally occurring spatial arrangements have few effects on performance Built arrangements effects performance Employees are sensitive to space Usually unhappy with existing arrangements Organizations restrict degree to which employees may arrange or personalize their workspace Most open-plan arrangements Reduces desirable communication Increases undesirable communication Office arrangements lead visitors to form impressions of the office-holder’s character and status

Individual – group workspace The drive to personalize space is irresistible Provide people with the tools they need to do so Create private spaces for workers doors, frosted glass Grow the workspace incorporate views of nature Use foliage, potted plants, planters Create territories for groups Use of walls, ceiling height, partitions, flooring, wall changes Create collaborative spaces and ‘informal’ interaction spaces

What makes a great workplace The ability for individuals to perform distraction free work Spaces that support collaboration and impromptu interaction Spaces that support undistracted teamwork and meetings Accommodation of personal work styles and workstation personalization Individual control for thermal comfort Access to daylight Control of glare factors Workspace allocation by function Clear wayfinding Adjacencies to support workflow Accommodations for changing demands of technology Ergonomic accommodations Professionally maintained plant program Expression of organizational culture

Exercise E Assessing workspaces Using a workplace with which you are familiar (or use a university building) and Table 1 Proposed Typology of Research on the Environmental Psychology of Workspace Describe the environmental conditions that are displayed/contained in the workspace. Describe where each is located and how each is used. Respond to the nine questions presented in Table 1

Satisfaction Territoriality and Belonging Productivity Ambient Environmental Conditions Do you like: - Noise/Sound/Music - Lighting - Air Quality - Thermal comfort How do you feel about conditions such as: Daylight Ventilation Control over conditions How does changing environmental conditions help you work better? faster? Furniture and Office Layout - Workstations/area - Offices - Shared amenities How do/would changes in workspace affect your feelings about: - Territory - Privacy - Social status How does changing the furniture and layout help you work better? faster? Process issues, User participation What is your satisfaction with the work environment? What changes would you make? How does being involved affect feelings of - Ownership - Belonging - Employee loyalty How do environments designed to meet organizational goals impact the bottom line?

Apply the ideas Review the ideas contained in the section on workspaces and apply them to the design of your place.