Many books on management
teach leadership skills or one-minute decision-making, describe doughnut organizations or
ways of thriving on chaos. Yet they seldom discuss where such actmties take place ...
Few companies systematically
treat space as a scarce resource or make conscious efforts to get the best from their
buildings. What is the point, for example, of allotting desks or even rooms to people who
will only use them a couple of days a week? This incisive text cuts through the inertia
and demonstrates the benefits to be gained from taking buildings seriously. It assesses
'location-free' options, telecommuting and 'hot desking', and then provides practical,
commercially based guidance on:
• ensuring your building is fit
for its purpose, enhances your image, offers value for money and
does not
waste space
• giving employees the
right amounts of space
• opting for enclosed or
open plan offices
• finding attractive and
functional furniture and lighting
• stamping out Sick
Building Syndrome through improvements to comfort
• incorporating amenities:
gymnasia, shops, smoking rooms, car parks and creches
• making buildings
'intelligent', energy-efficient and responsive to changing technological
requirements
As organizations change,
their buildings must continue to support them and the finał chapter considers renovation,
rearrangement and relocation to new premises. This book heips managers take sound
decisions about office space.