Where You Work

"Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them." -W. Clement Stone

Have you ever walked into a workplace (private or governmental) and told yourself thank goodness you don't work there. The environment is dingy and just not very pleasing for a number of different reasons. Locally in the county where I live, we had one such place. Not too many years ago, the local Department of Motor Vehicles licensing office was one such place.

Miserable conditions does not begin to describe this office. It was a ramshackle place that even the greyish-blue painted walls could mask. Dirty and broken tiles upon the floor, buzzing fluorescent lights and crowded conditions made visitng the location difficult at best.

Can you imagine working in such conditions day in and day out? Any level of customer service provided by the employees was certainly a reflection of their work environment. Many would try but one could see how difficult it was.

Eventually a new DMV location was built and a huge transformation not only in atmosphere but in the spirit of the employees had taken place. Things ran smoother, much quicker and with less tension. People will tend to joke about efficiency when it comes to governmental services. But do not forget these people are just like you and me, they are trying and have to deal with their work environment. Think about how well you might perform in a similarly poor work environment.

A pleasant and well designed work location will be reflected by your employees. This means more efficiency through out the workplace. The efficiency gains translate into a more stable work force. Efficiency gains translate into a more satisfied customer. For the business, these efficiency gains translate into dollars.

Think about where you work and what the environment is like. Are you regulated about having a plant on your desk or such poor lighting that you could not keep a plant alive? If the environment is tiring and displeasing, a change needs to occur. As an employer you need to recognize it. As an employee you need to make sure your employer knows it. Because once again it comes back to the dollars.

The Whole Building Design Guide discusses the costs and potential payback. Additionally, they outline five principles of productive building designs that I'm quoting from this article;

• Promote Health and Well-Being

Indoor environments strongly affect human health. An effective environment should be designed to support and enhance the health and well-being of its occupants. Sustainable design principles help achieve this objective.

• Provide Comfortable Environments

An environment designed and operated to provide the highest achievable levels of visual, acoustic, and thermal comforts for its occupants is the underpinning of worker effectiveness.

• Design for the Changing Workplace

Providing spaces with flexibility, social support, and technology to promote new ways of working, learning and engaging in a number of activities is a cornerstone of change and innovation.

• Integrate Technological Tools

Effectively integrating technological tools and distribution networks required in today's environments to enable occupants to perform activities or their duties starts first and foremost with properly designed pathways and spaces.

• Assure Reliable Systems and Spaces

Reliability is one of the greatest concerns for building occupants—it directly affects their safety, health, and comfort. Occupants must be able to rely on building systems, equipment, and tools that function consistently and are properly maintained

Whether you own a business, manage one or the work space is merely a home office, take some steps. Make some changes to improve the environment around you. Shake up the atmosphere and see what happens. Sitting doing "nothing" will of course achieve "nothing." Make those changes and see how much it can lift your work, your spirit, your life.

Stay inspired my friends.