The right work environment meets the needs of the company as a whole and of the individual employee. This approach looks at space planning in the context of the tasks to be performed. Increasingly, companies are turning to interior designers to help them improve employee productivity. Because productivity measures often are task-oriented, interior designers must develop an under- standing of how, when and where individual employees and teams do what they do.

• Knowledge-based design: Professional interior designers play a vital role in helping companies meet their needs within each of the strategic areas highlighted by the "ASID 200" study -- access, comfort, privacy and noise reduction and flexibility. They have in-depth product knowledge and the training and expertise to specify the appropriate mix of products and integrate them into a design that solves each client's particular needs. Designers work closely with both upper management and end-users to develop customized design solutions that are highly functional and aesthetically pleasing, while providing space efficiency and optimizing client budgets.

Interior designers analyze the client's current situation, its goals and various tactics to help it achieve its goals. Then they gather information about the overall office environment and how people work in particular areas, analyze the information and develop a design solution.

Interior designers develop office interiors that incorporate end-users' input rather than imposing design decisions upon them. This approach helps end-users adapt more readily to design changes and minimizes their resistance to the changes.

Professional interior designers also educate clients. In some cases, this includes conducting in-service staff training programs to show employees the right way to use their ergonomic systems and products so they will obtain the desired benefits.

• Interior designers as consultants: Increasingly, businesses are looking to interior designers not just for design guidance, but for consultation on how to use interior design and space planning as a strategic tool that provides bottom-line benefits.

To serve as "interior design consultants," professional office interior designers must work closely with their clients. This means understanding how the company works, what its philosophy and goals are, and how the company functions -- both internally and externally.

In their emerging role as consultants, interior designers help companies integrate facilities planning into their strategic planning. They accomplish this by working with facility managers and other corporate executives to develop and measure interior design goals that are tied into the companies' strategic plan. In addition, interior design consultants can help companies effectively incorporate interior design and space planning issues into their annual review process.

Some interior designers also provide periodic follow-up design reviews to make sure each office design or redesign project is continuing to meet the client's needs. If needs change significantly, interior designers can help business decision-makers modify their office interiors to keep in step.

There is a growing trend of companies switching from partitioned offices and free-standing furniture to open offices with modular systems furniture and panel systems that provide greater flexibility, reduced cost and improved space utilization. These systems make it easier to meet changing needs for individuals, teams and departments. Incorporated in open plan offices, these systems eliminate the need for separate HVAC ducts in each office, allow lighting to illuminate multiple work stations at once and reduce maintenance, cleaning and electrical labor charges.

• Access versus privacy: Balancing access and privacy needs is a challenge for many companies. Modular systems furniture and panel systems can be reconfigured to create "open work areas" or "privacy zones" quickly and easily. Shorter panel heights (less than 45 inches) provide easy communication for group work. Slightly higher panels (about 56 inches) provide privacy when employees are seated, but allow a clear line of sight when they are standing. Higher panels (82 inches or floor-to-ceiling designs) significantly reduce auditory and visual distractions and provide greater privacy. Some systems offer interconnecting and curved work surfaces that provide higher density than traditional square cubicle arrangements, as well as improved privacy without hindering communication or visual contact with supervisors.

   

• Wire and cable management: Computers, lighting and other electronic systems are critical in today's technology-driven offices, so systems furniture and panel systems are designed for efficient wire and cable management to support these systems. Some systems furniture can be configured with a central "spine" through which all wires are run. This feature permits easy reconfiguration for significant time and money savings. Some modular panel systems provide flexibility to access power and communications lines at the baseline, beltline and standing height positions. Upgrades are easily handled.

   

• Mobile office: Employees can literally take their offices with them to team meetings or other in-house activities with the latest functionally independent, modular component furniture systems. These systems can be readily reconfigured to support multi-tasking or adapt to changing tasks for maximum flexibility and space utilization. Electronic equipment is easily connected and disconnected, and the systems offer a high degree of customization to meet individual needs. Also, mobile furniture in one area can be moved without affecting furniture in an adjacent area. The latest developments include fully self-contained furniture systems (about half the size of a vending machine when closed) that function as a temporary office on wheels.

Computers create unique lighting challenges for offices. As a result, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have developed the lighting industry's only recognized Recommended Practice (RP) standards for lighting in offices with computers or other video display terminal (VDT) systems -- ANSI/IESNA RP-1-1993. Following are some general guidelines:

• Ambient light levels should be kept even and low. In computerized offices, general lighting levels should not exceed 40 to 50 footcandles (400 to 500 lux) on the work plane. If work is primarily screen-based, or if additional task lighting is provided for paper-based work, lower general illuminance may be appropriate.

   

• When appropriate, provide task lighting for individual work stations that provides sufficient flexibility in footcandle levels, adjustability, directional control and mounting options.

   

• Windows, brightly colored walls and other high-luminance surfaces can reflect in computer screens, causing distraction and eye strain. These surfaces should be similar in brightness to limit the intensity of screen reflections and improve visual comfort. Use matte finished, non-reflective surfaces and medium color tones for walls and work surfaces to minimize glare and reflection.

   

• Contrasts between the task and its immediate background must be sufficient to allow employees to clearly view their tasks. It is generally recommended to light the task two or three times brighter than its immediate surroundings, five times brighter than the general surroundings and 10 times brighter than remote surroundings.

   

• Balance brightness levels between light sources to avoid intense concentrations of light, shadows or hot spots.

   

• Lighting needs vary for different individuals and tasks -- what works for one person or in one area may not work elsewhere.

The latest industry development in fluorescent lighting fixtures is "total light control technology," a proprietary technology that completely eliminates glare by redirecting it away from the viewer's eye level to create a healthier, more comfortable and more aesthetically pleasing work environment. This new technology exceeds all IESNA recommendations and does not produce any light pollution, while yielding a visual comfort probability (VCP) as high as 98 percent or higher.

Carpet plays an important role in helping create an aesthetically pleasing and inviting workplace. Interior designers can combine multiple colors, textures and patterns of carpet to create visual excitement, define specific work areas or to direct traffic in corridors and common areas. Carpet also has lower maintenance costs than other types of commercial floor coverings.

The inherent non-slip and cushioning characteristics of carpet contribute to a comfortable and safe work environment by reducing the likelihood of falls and minimizing potential injuries. These properties also may help lower insurance costs. The natural insulating properties of carpet keeps floors warm in winter and cool in summer to help reduce heating and cooling costs. Carpet also contributes to improved indoor air quality by acting as a natural filter, providing far greater efficacy than hard surfaces in removing dirt particles from the air.

In addition, carpet provides acoustical benefits by absorbing airborne sound, reducing surface noise generation (often called "footfall noises") and helping block sound transmission to rooms below.

The trend in carpeting is for increasing specification of nylon-fiber carpets for their superior long-term performance, including improved resistance to staining, soiling, matting, crushing, texture loss and abrasive wear compared to other fiber materials.

Following are key criteria to select a carpet to meet performance and budget needs:

• Carpet fiber polymer: This is the basic substrate from which carpet fiber is made. Select based on the particular environmental conditions of the application. For example, carpets with solution-dyed nylon are best for areas that face extreme exposure to spills, sunlight or harsh cleaning agents.

   

• Fiber engineering: This determines the amount of surface area to which soil can adhere on a fiber. Quality nylon fibers are engineered to minimize surface area. Fibers also can be engineered in unique geometric shapes to diffuse light and minimize visibility of stains.

   

• Soil resistance treatments: These affect how readily carpet will release soil when cleaned. For high-traffic areas, some treatments can improve soil removal twice as much as untreated carpets.

   

• Carpet construction: This affects how well a carpet can retain an acceptable appearance under specific soiling conditions. For example, soil and lint or other debris are less visible on mid-toned, multi-colored and patterned carpets.

 

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) have jointly developed ergonomic recommendations (ANSI/HFES 100-1988). Following are some general guidelines:

• Eyes should be at least 20 inches from the VDT screen.

   

• Neck and head should be in a neutral position -- not tilted up at all and tilted less than 30 degrees down.

   

• The entire viewing area of the monitor should be below eye level.

   

• Shoulders should be relaxed, but not slouching.

   

• Back should be in a natural "S" shape, not bent forward.

   

• Elbows should be close to sides, wrists in neutral position and fingers gently curved.

   

• Knees should be bent at more than a 60 degree angle.

   

• Feet should be supported on the floor or on a footrest.

The human body was designed to move rather than to sit for long periods of time, so furniture manufacturers are researching new ergonomic chairs that encourage "active sitting," including more movement and intermittent standing, for better posture and reduced back stress. Following are some currently available ergonomic products:

• Adjustable desks offer variable height, slant and keyboard levels for greater comfort and improved posture. Some can be programmed to adjust automatically to different workers.

   

• Ergonomic chairs and back supports offer adjustable seat height, tilt and lumbar support and arm rests to reduce fatigue. Some offer side and upper back support and height-adjustable arm rests that can be rotated 360 degrees.

   

• Articulating keyboard trays tilt, swivel and move up and down so workers can customize the position of their keyboard to reduce strain.

   

• Footrests offer variable angles and heights to promote proper posture and relieve strain on the legs, back and neck.

   

• Gel-filled wrist rests for computer users encourage proper alignment of wrists and hands, and provide a soft, flat surface to reduce discomfort and fatigue.

   

• Scratch-resistant filters are placed over VDT screens to reduce glare and eye strain while preventing static charge and dust build-up. Some products reduce radiation and provide added privacy.

   

• Office air cleaners remove tobacco smoke, dust and pollen to improve indoor air quality.

 

The marble and ornamentation of offices in the 1980s is gone. Although space allocations for offices are typically getting smaller and private offices are being reduced or eliminated in many facilities, companies today are spending more time and money on office design than ever before. The status-based approach of the past, which focused primarily on the way offices look, has now been replaced with a task-based approach that focuses on how offices work. Professional interior designers strive to create work spaces that will support the tasks to be performed, while providing a healthy and aesthetically pleasing office environment.

The "ASID 200" respondents stress the functional impact of interior design as being much more important than what their office design says or shows. Research seems to indicate that business decision- makers consider it "a given" that they will get an aesthetically pleasing office when they hire a professional interior designer. Thus, functionality and operational efficiency -- rather than looks -- are the main driver when companies make office design and space planning decisions.

When asked how often companies should review their office design, 68 percent of the "ASID 200" say it needs to be done at least once every five years to help them remain competitive. In addition, 36 percent of survey respondents say that office design should be reviewed at least once a year.

Business decision-makers clearly see that effective office design is a key to business success -- only seven percent of respondents say they consider office design to be "unimportant." This compares to an overwhelming 90 percent of respondents who say improvements in office design can increase worker productivity.

Additional findings provide support for the importance of rethinking interior design:

• 86 percent of the "ASID 200" respondents say that it is important for a company to appear flexible, adaptable and forward-thinking.

   

• However, only 15 percent of respondents believe that their office design currently communicates that image.

   

• 67 percent of the "ASID 200" respondents say that redesigning their offices would show employees, clients and competitors that their company is flexible, adaptable and forward-thinking.

Professional interior designers recommend that clients make interior design a part of their annual review process. This involves thinking about what can be done to optimize the performance of their interior design -- not necessarily completely redoing the design.

In addition, a growing number of companies are realizing bottom-line benefits by working with interior designers who serve as consultants, helping them integrate interior design planning with their strategic planning efforts. Addressing office design as a part of the overall strategic planning process can help companies improve their competitiveness and adapt more readily to changing market conditions.

When it comes to strategic planning, companies are looking for practical problem-solving approaches. The education and training of interior designers and the approach they take in developing office designs makes them uniquely qualified as strategic partners to help companies achieve their strategic objectives.

The research and experience of ASID and the Industry Partners involved in this initiative -- 3M, Cooper Lighting, DuPont, Haworth and Masland Carpet -- as well as numerous other research projects and case studies demonstrate that properly designed offices can improve employee productivity. Interior design consultants help by providing knowledge of client companies and their individual employees along with design expertise and in-depth product knowledge. This knowledge enables interior design consultants to serve as strategic partners, vital to helping companies achieve their bottom-line goals.

While designing for increased productivity sometimes costs more initially, it saves money long term. Business decision-makers are recognizing that the payback from effective office design often outweighs the additional expense. For example, in many companies an increase of one percent in productivity can provide a return on investment that exceeds the cost of an entire year's energy bill, according to research by the Lighting Research Council.

Just as there are many different ways in which companies determine and track their productivity, there will continue to be new product developments and design theories to help companies provide their employees with access, comfort, privacy and flexibility so they can perform their tasks with increased quality and efficiency. Interior design consultants will continue to play an important role in this on-going evolution.

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