Environmental Control at Work

Definition

“Environmental control” is the degree to which individuals, groups or business units can modify and adapt features of their physical workplace to enhance work and business effectiveness.

• Environmental control provides many benefits. A growing body of research shows strong links between degree of environmental control, employee performance and business outcomes.
• Environmental control is an important mechanism that permits “self-managed” change and adaptation of spaces within organizations.
• Environmental Control should be implemented by designing flexibility and adjustability into work spaces. Control can be implemented at the Facility level, within Collaborative Spaces, and within Individual Workspaces by specifying furnishings that are adjustable and adaptable.

Levels of Environmental Control

• Facility/Organizational Level
  At the facility level, environmental control can be implemented by optimizing the spatial adjacencies between buildings on a site, and by considering sustainability issues along with the adaptability of individual buildings on a campus.
• Collaborative Spaces
  Within collaborative spaces, environmental control can be implemented by designing an adequate number and size of collaborative spaces with flexible features and furnishings.
• Individual Workspace
  Within the individual workspace, environmental control can be implemented by specifying physical elements within the work station that have a high level of adjustability, such as: seating, task lighting, work tools, shelves, storage, work surface height, level of enclosure, VDT screen and keyboard supports, and other work tools.

Conclusion

The facility and its interior workspace is another strategic tool that businesses can use to enhance their competitive advantage.

• Environmental control is the “lever” by which individuals, groups and organizations can optimize workspaces in service of their business goals.

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