PUBLISHER'S CORNER
OFFICE ENVIRONMENT, DISTRACTIONS & OUTPUT
TONY CORPIN, PUBLISHER S
ome days I feel like I can’t get projects completed because I’m constantly being dis- tracted. Unplanned conversations can have a dramatic affect on my productivity. At my office I seem to always have visiting vendors, impromptu meetings or incoming phone calls distracting me from completing tasks. How does anyone get anything
done efficiently and on time? And don’t forget the time spent on the Internet, social media, email and switching back
and forth between on-screen applications. According to a survey by market research firm uSamp, while social media use can encourage coordination among employees, there’s no denying it’s a distraction. In the mainstream media, distracted driving is often discussed. Te use of cell phones
creates an unsafe environment in vehicles especially on the school bus. But distractions in the office environment also have negative effects on productivity and output. According to Key Organization Systems, you should try to schedule a block of time each
morning — for example around 90 minutes — to work on the most important tasks and projects. Tey say to limit interruptions during that session to accomplish something that is critical to your job that day. Do you try to manage your time and limit distractions daily? Recently, our team at STN Media completed an exercise on workspace efficiency and a
comfort analysis. Tis process was intended to help out team member improving health, comfort, and productivity in the workplace. Te design of office workstations is often linked to productivity. Chairs that are not adjustable and desks that are too small can cause sore backs and contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. A study coordinated by Health and Work Outcomes, an independent health research and consulting company for office furniture manufacturer Steelcase, found that individuals who received office ergonomic training and sat in a highly adjustable chair increased average productivity by 17.8 percent after a year. Are you comfortable in your desk? At STN Media we have open work spaces with offices and cubes, but some of our team
feels like they are in the middle of the action all the time. Tis can cause undue distractions and decrease efficiency. According to a Cornell University study, even low-level noise in open-style offices can result in higher levels of stress and lower task motivation. Does your office layout create more distractions for you? Te Wall Street Journal recently published findings from a number of worldwide studies
suggesting the space around your workstation could affect not only your productivity, but also the style of work you accomplish. Low ceilings encourage analytical thinking, while high ceilings can encourage abstract thought and creativity. Color and light can also change the way we think. Surrounding workers with red walls could stifle creativity, but fuel inside- the-box thinking for tasks that call for small details and accuracy. If your office is like ours, there always seems to be a constant struggle with the varying
room temperature comfort levels for all employees. Room temperature can directly influence productivity at work. Cornell University studied the effect of increasing temperatures in the workplace from 68 degrees to 77 degrees. Errors at the company fell by 44 percent and typ- ing output increased 150 percent with the increased temperatures. Another study indicates that an office can also be too hot with a loss in performance at temperatures higher than 75.2 degrees. If time is money, you should manage it. So look around at your workspace. Organize those files. Adjust your chair. Set a comfortable and productive temperature. Make those task lists. Be as ready as you can for those pesky distractions that will come.
82 School Transportation News October 2013
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