ABSTRACT

Many of us who are working in an office will spend about one-third to one-half of our waking hours in that office, so our office’s design is important. The interior design of our office affects our quality of life, and it can appreciably influence our productivity as well. Consequently, an organization can help increase its chances of economic success by designing its office space so that it helps its users to function efficiently and effectively. Similarly, if we work at home, or via other remote location, we should be sure our surroundings are conducive to our work and appeal to our aesthetic preferences. This chapter will present a brief history of office design and a discussion on how the office environment affects employee morale and expresses the corporate “personality.” (Please note that a more detailed review of the history of office design can be found in Appendix B.) We also cover a range of office design options and discuss the process of designing a new or refurbished office. We conclude with a discussion of the home office and other remote work locations before presenting ergonomic recommendations.