The perfect office, part 1
So for a good working environment then has... it has to be not too hot, not too cold and with natural daylight. So that's the beginnings of the perfect office but there are a lot more factors, aren't there?
Jun 28,2015
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Richard: For this week's podcastsinenglish.com business podcast, we're talking about what makes the best working environment for an office.
Jackie: Yes. There are a number of factors that affect how well people work.Let's start with temperature, Richard.
Richard: Okay
Jackie: Did you know that Mark Zuckerburg, of Facebook, likes to keep the Facebook office at just 15 degrees centigrade.
Richard: Wow
Jackie: What do you think about working at such low temperatures?
Richard: That is too cold for me, definitely.
Jackie: Mmm and I think for me sitting down and working at a computer, my fingers start to get cold and I can't use the keyboard or the mouse very well. I'd hate that.
Richard: Yes I think it's Heath and Safety in the UK um... the office temperature has to be a minimum of 16, I thought.
Jackie: Right
Richard: And I think most um... people believe er... that a... I think an office temperature between 20, maximum of 25 is acceptable.
Jackie: Yeah. I'd much prefer that. Because, of course Richard, if it's too hot people will feel sleepy and then they certainly won't be working properly then. Okay, so temperature is one thing, Richard, but another factor is light. Amazingly back in the 1970s it was thought that artificial light was better for an office than daylight.
Richard: Mmm, no, no, no, no. I hate artificial light. There's nothing better than sitting in an office and letting the natural sunlight stream in through the window.
Jackie: Mmm. Whenever I go to a shopping mall, or a supermarket I always feel really sorry for the people working there because it's always an artificial lighting environment. I think that must be terrible.
Richard: Mmm. Yes, but now it's actually generally believed that um... productivity's improved when a workplace has natural daylight. And one thing, of course, is that it's easier to see things more clearly.
Jackie: Now Richard, the 'sick building' syndrome, right, where there is some buildings and offices where there is a lot of people are always away from work because they are ill, isn't that linked to the lighting?
Richard: I think so. 'Sick building syndrome', one of the main reasons is that these places don't have enough natural light. And actually the further away from a window you are, the more likely you are to be ill.
Jackie: Right. But am I right in saying that it's natural daylight but not direct sunlight?
Richard: Yes. I remember working in a office and the sun used to come in through the window directly onto my computer screen and I couldn't read the computer screen, so not too much sunlight.
Jackie: Because it's too bright isn't it, to see anything?
Richard: Yes. So for a good working environment then has... it has to be not too hot, not too cold and with natural daylight. So that's the beginnings of the perfect office but there are a lot more factors, aren't there?
Jackie: There certainly are.
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