Harmony in the Workplace
by Theresa Lütge-Smith
Environment plays a key role in how we cope on a daily basis. Working
long hours at your workstation can be detrimental to your health and
psyche, even if your office is fitted with the latest ergonomic furniture
and equipment or cool lighting.
Improving your work environment includes changes not only to your
physical surroundings such as layout, desks, lighting, wall hangings
and designer chairs; but also to noise control and working practices
such as team working, communications within the workplace, hot desk
policies and increasing the diversity of work performed by individual
operators.
Have you ever walked into a home or office and instantly felt comfortable
and relaxed? Can you recall an environment that made you feel uncomfortable
or anxious for no apparent reason? An explanation for these positive
or negative feelings may be found in the principles of Feng Shui (pronounced
fung schway). Feng Shui is the practice of orderly arrangement of
your environment to control how energy flows through space, particularly
in the design of buildings and furnishings. The key is to bring balanced
energy and harmony - or chi (pronounced chee) - into the space that
you have.
Feng Shui Cure
Feng Shui applies principles of ecology, psychology and ergonomics
that are just plain common sense. The theory behind ancient or modern
Feng Shui is that chi flows through all things, and if you make sure
the physical structures around you are placed properly, your health
will be increased. It also promotes positive thinking and enables
peace of mind.
When the flow of chi or energy is blocked or stagnant, a Feng Shui
cure can get the energy moving again to create harmonious change.
Think about Feng Shui in terms of how materials flow through the environment
most efficiently; if materials are not flowing, then productivity
comes to a halt.
Feng Shui and Kaizen
There exists a powerful parallel between Feng Shui and a business
strategy known as Kaizen, which means gradual and orderly, continuous
improvement. This business strategy involves everyone in an organization
working together to make improvements without large capital investments.
It focuses on eliminating waste in all systems and processes of an
organization while guiding people to continuously improve their ability
to meet expectations of high quality, low cost and on-time delivery.
Feng Shui and Kaizen unite to optimize the use of space currently
available and create the opportunity to grow within these boundaries.
Re-organize the office layout by creating an efficient workspace to
optimize the workflow process and maximize the capacity of machines;
in this way you can better control inventories of new assignments,
WIP and finished projects. Simultaneously reduce work-in-progress
(WIP) inventory and increase productivity without increasing workload,
by reducing the number of operations performed that do not add value
to the product and by moving workstations closer together to eliminate
waste. Kaizen strategy, regarded as a conceptual umbrella, includes
customer orientation, total quality control, and discipline in the
workplace, just-in-time, zero defects, new developments, small group
activities, productivity improvement and statistical quality control.
Planning
Proper planning is required when re-organizing a work environment.
Evaluate individual needs and include basic ergonomic knowledge to
ensure that people can work in comfort and safety. The time invested
in planning will save on unnecessary purchases, retrofits, and low
productivity. Employees are experts at what they do and are the best
resource for creating a multi-disciplinary team focused on making
improvements, albeit, people can be very particular about their personal
working environments. Allowing users to become involved in the process
and express their preferences creates the feeling that there is a
caring culture within the company.
Begin with an appraisal of the exterior of the building. This involves
an analysis of traffic patterns, waterways, adjacent buildings and
natural land formations. The goal is to be in harmony with the surroundings,
encouraging a natural flow of positive energy to your front door.
Next, analyze the building's exterior and shape. Closely examine elements
such as color, construction materials, the landscape, and how the
building fits with the rest of the neighborhood. The shape of the
building is also important as certain shapes may affect the life of
the business - either positively or negatively. Assess each of these
factors to bring each area of your business into balance. The process
is repeated when analyzing the interior, and determining the adjustments
that need to be made.
Remove Clutter And Rubble
A cluttered environment leads to confusion and causes you to lose
focus; office and desk clutter blocks chi. While there is such a thing
as creative or organized chaos, clutter is a series of postponed decisions
and a drag on peoples' energy and powers of concentration. Eliminating
clutter will begin to clear away certain problems in your life and
make room for something new and desirable to enter. Pay attention
to the quality of things you put into your office; you should only
have objects that are truly meaningful to you in your home office.
According to Feng Shui experts, the placement of your desk or workstation
can impact how you feel while working in your office. Place your desk
diagonally across from the doorway; this will allow you a clear line
of vision. Sitting for long periods with your face to the wall is
psychologically hard on you, leading to fatigue and a tendency to
overwork. Place your workstation so that you are sitting with your
back to a wall or corner; this will create a sense of security. Sitting
with your back to the door means you don't know if someone is approaching
- so you are more vulnerable to surprises. Because you can't see what's
coming, this vulnerability may trigger unnecessary fears, or negative
energy. If you can't move your workstation to face the room entrance,
put up a mirror so that you can at least see behind you.
Know Your Directions
Not only should you arrange your office so that the energy flows around
it, it is also important to know your directions - north, south, east
and west. If you aspire to be better known in your profession, you
need some sort of enhancement for your south wall. According to Feng
Shui, South governs fame. The color red corresponds with fame; how
about a picture of something red? Interested in career advancement?
North governs career and business success. Position your computer
terminal at the north end of your desk, making sure you still face
the doorway. Placing certificates of achievements in the north sector
of your office gives an energy that could help you meet your business
goals. How about improving your personal or professional relationships?
Southwest is the sector of your workspace that affects relationships.
Include reminders or images of loved ones here.
Use Color Creatively
Placement of objects in a particular area of your desk or workstation
can enhance the energy to various aspects of your life. Feng Shui
uses color to promote the appropriate energy for a space. Pick a color
based on the tasks you will be performing. Yellow stimulates clarity
of thought, creativity and mental activity, and promotes discipline.
Red is an aggressive color, which makes it a good choice for anyone
involved in negotiating deals or marketing and who entertain clients
in their office. A blue-green color is simultaneously soothing and
creative; a good color choice for designers and writers. Oranges and
other warm desert colors stimulate socialization and collaboration
- good for a small office using a team approach to management. The
office ceiling should be painted in a light color; a dark color will
make you feel as if there's a dark cloud hanging over your head while
you work.
As you sit facing your workstation, the upper left corner -- the wealth
quadrant -- is the most important part of your office or desk. Place
a crystal bowl or a healthy plant in this area to enrich this area
of your business. A red object -- such as red flowers, placed in the
upper left corner of your office or desk -- can bring financial success.
Place a medium-sized rug in the center of your office. A deep blue,
black, or other dark color rug in the middle of the office is like
a deep pool of water upon which to rest the eyes and reflect. If you
don't have a view outside from where you sit, hang a plant or a picture
of a plant in your line of view to bring the outdoors inside for a
calming effect. Never place anything blue in the back center portion
of your office or desk -- the fame quadrant -- because this will drown
your fame.
Improve Workspace Lighting
Glare is very negative from a Feng Shui point of view. It interferes
with concentration and peace of mind. Position your computer monitor
to avoid any hint of glare. Whatever overhead lighting you have is
probably insufficient. Get a really good desk lamp for your work area;
the pool of light from a desk lamp brings in energy and an effective
way to boost your concentration. Replace burned-out lighting and check
all electrical elements for proper working order. Paint the ceiling
in a light color.
What makes people effective, satisfied, and motivated in their jobs?
What distinguishes good workers or managers from poor ones? What conditions
of work promote high or low productivity, morale and safety? While
the answers lie in the actual tasks performed, and the tools with
which to perform these tasks, the environment in which people do their
jobs is of vital importance. The basic aim of Feng Shui is to create
a balanced and harmonious environment for individuals to work and
live to their potential.
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