23-Apr-08 Office Environment

In the Bournemouth office I work, there is quite a focus on supporting the environment and maintaining efficiency/economy of workspace. Here are some things I've noticed:

1. Deskspace is minimal, open-air, low-wall cubicles. Only the very senior manager has an enclosed office. There are VERY few tall storage cabinets, and most of them are in a separate closet area, not in the general work area. They make sure that there is good natural light; fluorescent lighting is used minimally.

2. As the deskspace is small, there are only small things on the desk. Staplers, hole-punches, pne holders, etc. are all very small, to maximize space. There are no additional lighting fixtures on work spaces, just the overhead fluorescent lighting. The staplers are tiny, even the high-lighters are pint-sized.

3. There is a big focus not to waste paper and do unnecessary printing. As such, there is also very little personal storage space, only for the necessities.

4. There are no individual trash cans at each desk. If you want to toss anything, there are communal paper recycling, trash, and glass/aluminum recycling bins.

5. In the UK, they have letter-sized printing (A3) and then double-sized (A4), twice the size of letter. There is no Legal-sized paper or printing. And there are only a few communal printers, very few printers on even the manager desks.

6. In the work areas, there are no refrigerators, no coffee machines, no water coolers, no microwaves. If you bring your lunch, you keep it at your desk and you eat it cold. There is a cafe serving coffee, mocha, cappuccino, etc., but you are charged for it. And there are several cafeteria areas on-site, most self-serve, including both take-away and sit-down.

7. As there is a limit on available conference room space, there is a big atrium area with tables/chairs. Many people hold meetings in the atrium area and it can get quite loud, but good use of space.

8. There is a charge to park in the lot on-site, and permits are available based on length of service. Charges are assessed higher based on your level, so VP pays more than an Associate. There is also storage areas for motorcycles and bicycles, which are not charged. Many people commute to work through private buses that pick up throughout the town and bring to the site, although limited hours coverage. And many others simply walk or take public buses to work.

Just a few observations on the work environment.....