These topics & much more will become incorporated into this section as the 1,2,3, SORT IT website expands. Check back monthly to gain a better perspective on what planning your office really entails.

In the meantime we are providing a checklist to assist you with many of the concerns that need your attention when you invest the time & money in creating, planning & designing your work space.

Spatial Design and Layout

Electrical Requirements

Lighting

Ergonomics

Spatial Design and Layout:

How you use your space is critical in determining how to structure the layout of your office. When setting up your office consider these issues:

• Paper work
  
• Computer activities
  
• Projects

• Action files
  
• Administrative files
  
• Client files
  
• Project files
  
• Reference files

• Utilities: pens and pencils; staples; tape; paper clips; rubber bands; etc.
  
• Marketing materials: letterhead; envelopes; company literature
  
• Fax supplies
  
• Printer supplies
  
• Copier supplies

Plan for these electrical needs:

• Answering Machines
  
• Back-Up Drives
  
• Computers
  
• Copiers
  
• Electric Pencil Sharpener
  
• External CD Roms
  
• External Hard Drives
  
• External Modems
  
• Fans
  
• Fax Machines
  
• Lighting:
  
  • ambient
  • task
• Miscellaneous Powered Equipment
  
• Printers
  
• Scanners
  
• Space Heaters
  
• Stereos
  
• Surge Protectors
  
• Telephones
  
• Uninterrupted Power Supply (Ups) Systems
  

• Business lines
  
• Fax lines
  
• Dedicated data lines

Lighting is critical. Consider these three key sources:

Defined:

"The science that seeks to adapt work or working conditions to suit the worker; the study of the problems of people adjusting to their environment."

Ergonomics is a key component when planning any office. With the rise of work related injuries involved directly from office layout, this topic is becoming more of a critical factor than ever before as technological advances expand.

• Are you eyes really tired at the end of the day? If so, you may need to adjust your display or lighting and to practice eye fitness training.

• Are your neck and shoulders often stiff and sore? If so, your chair height, display or keyboard/mouse may need adjusting. Check your reach distance and phone posture.

• Do you ever feel pain or discomfort in your back while working at your computer? If so, you might need to adjust your backrest or posture.

• Do you feel tingling, numbness or pain in your forearms, wrists, or hands? If so, your chair height or keyboard/mouse may need adjusting. Also, check your sitting posture and wrist position.
  
  
• Are your legs often stiff and cramped, or do you have swelling and numbness in your ankles and feet? If so, your chair height might need adjusting or you may need a footrest.
  
  
• Do you feel exhausted at the end of the day? If so, assess your lifestyle habits for possible contributing factors: good nutrition, exercise, rest and stress reduction. Good ergonomics at home and micro-breaks at work can improve your health and comfort on and off the job.

If you answered "yes" to even one of the questions, your work-stations and work habits need improvement. If you answered "no" to all of the questions on the test, congratulations! You are probably comfortable while working at your desk.

1. The eyes need to be approximately 24 - 36 inches away from the screen, where the neck is bent within a 15 degree angle, up or down. The top of the screen should be just below the eye level.

2. The back and shoulders need to be relaxed and in a natural position, with the worker sitting firmly against the back of their chair.

3. Elbows need to rest comfortably on arm rests, yet closely to the sides of the body, in a 90 degree angle. Wrists need to extend from the arms at this angle as well. Fingers are slightly curved upward, where the keying motion is gentle and comfortable.

4. Knees need to also be at a 90 degree angle with the feet securely on the floor or a footrest.

Building and Office Layout...
Source: Office World News - March, '97

• Fortune Magazine research revealed the largest impact on productivity would result from improvements in office layout, personal computers and thermal control.
• Both the National Summit on Building Performance and Fortune Magazine research reports indicate that the majority of strategic plans do not include real estate and workplace objectives, even though hundreds of billions of dollars could be saved by enhancing building performance.
• Summit Research indicates that optimizing worker productivity has moved up to become as important as building location.
• When asked to rank the importance of characteristics, National Summit attendees said optimizing workforce productivity, organizational needs, and building location are equally important.
• The Chairman of the National Summit says "the key to unlocking productivity may lie in office facilities."

Some Statistics...
Source: Corporate Real Estate Executive - October, '96

• High quality buildings can increase productivity 10-20%
• There are nearly 100 million white collar workers in the U.S. The average salaries is $43,680. This equals $4.4 billion annually from potential worker productivity improvements.

Source: Business Week - December, '96

• Total Business productivity in the U.S. has risen at an annual rate of only 1.1%

Studies show:

Improvement	Benefit:
A 1% improvement in productivity... Effective ventilation, adequate lighting good acoustics and superior or indoor air quality.... Computer programmers with larger workspaces and less acoustic and visual disruption... The installation of new high performance lighting ballasts...	Equals 10% of the facility operating cost, or the entire utility bill. Can increase productivity by 6-16% Performed 2.6 times better than other programmers in the company. Has shown a dramatic reduction in The incidence of headaches and eyestrain.