Introducing Management: A Development Guide, Third Edition
Ideal for both new and existing managers, this comprehensive text incorporates the latest innovations in management thinking and reflects the changes within the management standards.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introducing Management: A Development Guide, Third Edition
Chapter 25: Managing the Work Environment
Overview
Chapter Objectives
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How can I improve the layout of the workplace?
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What are my responsibilities in maintaining a healthy and safe environment?
Most of us go to the same place of work every day. As a result, over time we stop seeing it we simply take for granted that it is the way it is and come to accept its imperfections. The purpose of this chapter is to encourage you to take a fresh look at the workplace and to be critical about the way its design and layout affects the efficiency of production and the health and safety of your staff.
Operational design and efficiency
Work flows. Depending upon your industry, raw materials may flow through a manufacturing process, information may flow through an administrative process being analysed, interpreted and applied as it goes or clients may flow through a health club using sports equipment and leisure services.
Work flow is subject to a host of potential inefficiencies. Consider the following Case Study:
Case Study
Wanda and her team produce monthly management accounts for a firm assembling computer hardware systems to individual customer orders. Sales information comes monthly from the sales team, normally collated during the first week of the following month. This enables the sales team to claim all commission due on sales made that month. Customer orders are identified by a unique job code, although members of the sales team are careless about getting the code right. As soon as a sale is made,...
Copyright Kate Williams 2006 under license agreement with Books24x7
