32 research outputs found
Workplace productivity and office type: an evaluation of office occupier differences based on age and gender
Purpose
Open plan office environments are considered to offer workplace productivity benefits because of the opportunities that they create for interaction and knowledge exchange, but more recent research has highlighted noise, distraction and loss of privacy as significant productivity penalties with this office layout. This study aims to investigate if the purported productivity benefits of open plan outweigh the potential productivity penalties.
Design/methodology/approach
Previous research suggests that office environments are experienced differently according to the gender and age of the occupier across both open-plan and enclosed configurations. Empirical research undertaken with office occupiers in the Middle East (N=220) led to evaluations to establish the impact different offices had on perceived productivity. Factor analysis was used to establish five underlying components of office productivity. The five factors are subsequently used as the basis for comparison between office occupiers based on age, gender and office type.
Findings
This research shows that benefits and penalties to workplace productivity are experienced equally across open-plan and enclosed office environments. The greatest impact on perceived workplace productivity however was availability of a variety of physical layouts, control over interaction and the 'downtime' offered by social interaction points. Male occupiers and those from younger generations were also found to consider the office environment to have more of a negative impact on their perceived workplace productivity compared to female and older occupiers.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper is that it develops the concept of profiling office occupiers with the aim of better matching office provision. This paper aims to establish different occupier profiles based on age, gender and office type. Data analysis techniques such as factor analysis and t-test analysis identify the need for different spaces so that occupiers can choose the most appropriate space to best undertake a particular work task. In addition, it emphasises the value that occupiers place on âdowntimeâ leading to the need for appropriate social space
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Designing the indoor environment for people
Intelligent buildings should provide a multi-sensory experience so that visual, aural, tactile, olfactory and gustatory senses are stimulated appropriately. A lack of environmental stimuli produces a boring and unsatisfying environment. It is now known that the environment affects people at deeper levels than, say, health and safety, and consequently it can modify moods and work performance. A holistic approach is proposed which recognizes that the physical environment together with social, organizational and personal factors can enhance the productivity of occupants. This approach provides a footprint for the design of healthier and more sustainable workplaces
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Planning the sustainable eco-city in Taipei: the implementation of green design and green building schemes
Taipei City has put a significant effort toward the implementation of green design and green building schemes towards a sustainable eco-city. Although some of the environmental indicators have not indicated significant progress in environmental improvement, implementing the two schemes has obtained considerable results; therefore, the two schemes are on the right path towards promoting a sustainable eco-city. However, it has to be admitted that the two schemes are a rather âtechnocraticâ set of solutions and eco-centric approach. It is suggested that not only the public sector but also the private sector need to put more effort toward implement the schemes, and the government needs to encourage the private sector to adopt the schemes in practice