Smart Workplaces

Intro

The workplace for many people is a desk in an open plan office, with a computer and a phone. There are many challenges to creating the optimum working environment, to provide conditions which are safe, secure and economical. Annually, more than 12 million days are lost each year due to back pain, caused by work practices [1] or poor posture whilst seated. There are more than 11 million days lost each year due to work related stress and even though the ‘paperless office’ was conceived in 1978, in the UK an average office worker still uses over 10,000 sheets of paper a year.  The demands on the work place are ever increasing and new practices such as working from home or hygiene requirements also need considering to future proof designs. Ergonomics is a scientific discipline which optimises the way people interact with their environment, to produce the best results.

Task

You have been asked to design a flexible workspace for a technology start-up company. This is an ethical company, which is concerned about the health and well-being of its staff. The workspace must be able to meet the technical requirements of computer-based design, regular communication with clients and colleagues, as well as test bed facilities for prototyping their products. The design should be flexible, modular and accessible. The design should include the option to deploy elements remotely for staff working from home. You can chose to concentrate on a single element such as IT/software systems, or physical designs of desks and space requirements.

Considerations

·   Application

Create an image of you ideal customer, how many staff they have, what are they producing and what do they need to build their business. These staff will need to be able to access specialist workstations for engineering specific work, as well as standard communications such as email.

·   IT

Access to IT systems should be distributed (office, home or whilst travelling). Access needs to ensure data security and protect the intellectual property rights on their work. In addition, you could also consider how the IT infrastructure could minimise waste, consumables and power. IT can also be used to manage workloads and healthy working practices.

·   Space

Your design needs to seat staff in a comfortable and safe manner [2]. The furniture needs to be flexible, moveable, and accessible. The office space needs to meet the needs of design work, meetings and prototyping. There are minimum workplace standards with regards to lighting, space, toilets etc. Make sure you meet these as a minimum. How could smart devices optimise the use of the space, and how to you minimise work related stress and posture issues? Smart materials can also maintain the cleanliness of the office. How would you also allow staff to work from home?

·   Staff well being

Creative working and problem solving can be improved by considering how people relax, move and use the spaces other than their desk [3]. How can this be incorporated into the designs?

·   Sustainability

Can you provide a full life cycle analysis of your technologies? Can you use recycled materials and are your materials recyclable? [4] 

References

[1] Huysamen, Power & O’Sullivan, “Kinematic and kinetic functional requirements for industrial exoskeletons for lifting tasks and overhead lifting,” Ergonomics, 19 May 2020. [Online]. https://www-tandfonline-com.sheffield.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.1080/00140139.2020.1759698 [Accessed: October 9, 2023].

[2] Health & Safety Executive, “How much space am I entitle to at work?”, HSE Website.  https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/roomspace.htm, [Accessed: October 9, 2023].

[3] Google, “Working at Google,” Google. https://about.google/working/london-office/ [Accessed: October 9, 2023].

[4] CFE Media, “Designing office space: Sustainability and energy efficiency,” Consulting - Specifying Engineer, Oct 2012. [Online].https://www.proquest.com/docview/1125308136?accountid=13828&parentSessionId=9ik7NAq4OtJ1NncYqlduzZOgCuKgRUdeBwLupLULGuY%3D [Accessed: October 9, 2023].