Introduction
Success and productivity often depend on how furniture is located in a personal workspace. On the one hand, the remote location of important equipment, such as a phone or a printer, can significantly affect the time spent on work. On the other hand, a designer approach to arranging furniture will make work a pleasant pastime. In general terms, the conservatism in the design choice is the best suitable option for the workplace because the best practices must be tested by years of experience from past generations.
Main body
Initially, there is a need to determine whether offices should be open-plan and shared or individual. By the conventional logic, open-plan offices encourage more communication and team-member relationships. In a such setting, employees have more opportunities to find friends and build a friendly working atmosphere. However, modern research provides controversial information about the usefulness of open-plan offices. Richardson et al. admit that some studies show a statistically significant decline in communication between colleagues in shared offices (46). In addition, even if shared office brings some benefits, Richardson et al. indicate that “any benefits of increased interaction were outweighed by the penalties of increased noise levels and lack of privacy” (46). Therefore, the ideal working environment is associated with the separation of coworkers between individual offices.
As for the workplace itself, the overall design of it should be serious and conservative. In my case, I take inspiration from Tudor style houses. Although this type of design is sometimes considered outdated, Tudor Revival architecture seems to gain popularity. In this respect, the ideal office design incorporates wooden elements, as well as calmer colours around the workplace. Wooden bookshelves may be located behind the table, containing the materials needed for work. Since the crucial factor is that offices should be individual for coworkers, the private space creates an intimate connection with the workplace.
Communication with employees will be frequent and productive, as any business cannot do without the exchange of opinions and ideas. Since everyone in this “ideal” workplace has their own separate offices, meetings will take place in a common hall, specially equipped for this purpose. This “dosed” time for communication helps employees maintain warm connection with each other. A coffee maker and various snacks are to be in this common hall to avoid employees eating in their offices.
Finally, the clothes should lean towards a more official style, although there is always a space for compromises. As for me personally, I would wear a formal suit, as it helps me focus on the work process. As for my colleagues, they would be required to follow a certain dress code. At the same time, the dress code should allow for a wide range of creativity in choosing an outfit. This approach is used in almost all companies, and my “ideal” company would meet such criteria.
Summary
To sum up, the question how an ideal working environment should look like is an important aspect of success. Every individual sees some peculiar features when they imagine the design and arrangement of the “dream” workplace. In my case, it should be an office in classical tones with the use of wooden elements. The reason is that the old-fashioned designs are appealing to me. As for the dress code, it should not limit the imagination of coworkers about their outfits. However, some rules and office traditions are essential for well-structured internal communication.
Works Cited
Richardson, Ann, et al. “Office Design and Health: A Systematic Review.” New Zealand Medical Journal, vol. 130, no. 1467, 2017, pp. 39-49.