Office Hazards - Health and Safety at PLC Company - Case Study Example

Project Management Company Background The PLC is one of the management consulting companies based in the United Kingdom. Among the Management Consulting Groups, the PLC is one of the consulting companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. The PLC Company has two independently managed practices that include the Alexander Proudfoot and the Kurt Salmon. Alexander Proudfoot had formally been referred to the Proudfoot Consulting Company a name that was later changed in the year 2009. Alexander Proudfoot consulting company consists of the Kurt Salmon, companies that were formed from the merger of Ineum Consulting firm (Major Companies of Europe 14). Notably, the Ineum Constancy was acquired in the year 2006 while Kurt Salmon Associates was acquired in the year 2007. Originally, PLC Company was named after its founder Alexander Proudfoot PLC; however, in the year 1993, that name was change to Proudfoot PLC. In January 2011, Proudfoot PLC changed its name to the current name Management Consulting Group, PLC. Initially, the Alexander Proudfoot Company was operating in Chicago particularly immediately after it was formed in the 25 February 1946 before later moving to Oxford Street. The main reason for the formation of Alexander Proudfoot Company was that its founder was highly fascinated with challenges that were affecting the consulting firms during his time. Moreover, he was never pleased with manner in which these firms were being operated; therefore, he decided to set up a new company that would offer an alternative consultation services (Marans17). According to Alexander, his new consulting company was to provide two main services that included selling unique proprietary services or products that aimed at producing tangible outcomes (Major Companies of Europe 14). Furthermore, he wanted his new consulting company to have benefits that exceeded costs immensely. Secondly, he aimed at services that only accepted assignments where clients’ services were executed by installing new programs. Proudfoot had ancient consultation philosophical ideas; therefore, he used the same ideals to guide him through what he considered the best practice in business consultancy. Hence, it should be noted that what Proudfoot considered business best practice in the consultancy was immensely pegged on the ancient philosophies including those of Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates. In fact, the same philosophical approach was used and has been used to govern both the internal and the external management in all the consultancy engagements of the company (Major Companies of Europe 14). This management type has become a global entity that governs the strategies and consultancy management of the merged Kurt Salmons Associates and the Ineum Consultants. Apparently, these philosophies have managed to enable effective and efficient operation and management as well as the performance of this consultancy since its merger in January 2011. The Ineum Constancy was made founded from the France Consulting division such as Deloitte. Ineum was specialized in corporate strategy, corporate organization, and issues that are related to information systems. Until its merger, Ineum had nearly 1,300 employees across the world including in countries including Australia, France, Morocco, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Algeria, Tunisia, the United States, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The company has different offices globally to facilitate its operations (Major Companies of Europe 14). The company also had some of its offices in Unite Kingdom where it had experienced rapid growth and growth in the staff members. It has been noted that the firm is expecting increase in the number of staff numbers in its head offices in the United Kingdom. Project Background The current numbers of employees of the PLC Company are approximated at 500 a number in which is expected to increase. Currently, 200 of the employees are postulated to be working at the office with each having a desk and a working station. However, the office’s working space is considered inadequate for the current staff. Moreover, It being projected that there will be an increase in the number of employees in the same office; hence, this office space will be even much smaller. The current office space, have made some employees to work from the clients’ offices. Notably, this small working office space and the expected congestion are affecting the efficiency and productivity of employees. Therefore, there are needs to increase the current office space to increase the productivity and efficiency of the current employees and the expected increase in the number of employees. In fact, the human resources department has projected that the staff numbers will increase by fifty percent within the next two years. Working space is usually significant for the performance and comfort of the employees as well as the management (Attwood 30). The current state and working space in the PLC Company may be interfering with the performance, security, and management among other factors within the company. Therefore, there are rising needs to increase the working to make the working environment conducive for the employees. Notably, a well-structured and spacious office space will encourage or motivate the employees thereby increasing their level of performance and productivity. Additionally, the management must have realized that improved productivity of nay business often depends on performance of the employees that is in turn pegged on the supportive amenities that are often provided by the personnel. It should be noted that these factors are not only influenced by space, but also the interior architecture of the office (Marans 25). The office should also allow employees to adaption and changes that might arise from time to time due to changes in business needs. Therefore, an idea working space must not only have four walls, doors, and windows, but must have some vital elements and structures that are elusive to the employees. The interior must be designed in different ways that not only matches the needs of the company or management but must also cater for the needs and comfort of the employees (Attwood 22). Generally, an office space must have space and other facilities that meet the commercial requirement regardless of the nature of the industry. The commercial office should also have conference room that may be used for organizational meetings among other duties. Any office must have parking space to accommodate employees with cars and others who may need such services. These extra services may be taken care off or paid utilities; otherwise, the management may pay them off on behalf of the employees. Additionally, the employees’ security must be quarantined to them; otherwise, they may feel insure thereby interfering with their performance and productivity that in turn affects the profitability of the organization (Eckett 19). Therefore, the management must highlight the all the requirements of their employees and fit them in an efficient, spacious, secure, and accommodative space to improve the workability and comfort of employee upon which the company will shall be assured of increased productivity due to effective and efficient operation of their employees. Therefore, location of a building for relocation must consider the vital office requirements for the effective and efficient function and discharge of duties by the targeted employees. Office Hazards: Health and Safety Numerous office hazards often exist and it is upon the management of the company to ensure that offices are situated in places where employees are subjected to none or minimum office hazards. The most common forms of health hazards experienced in the offices are the health and safety issues. Increased numbers of employees often increase heath and safety issues in offices. These risks are often increased by overcrowding of persons, equipment, and lack of space that in most cases lead to poor ventilation and aeration. Other risk factors that are associated with these conditions include increased noise and poor quality of heat generation in cases of damp offices or rooms. These conditions not only cause comfort to employees but they are also risky. The overcrowding concept is only brought about by small office space wherein not all employees can fit comfortably. Therefore, to eliminate these conditions, the management will be looking for a spacious building with larger office space to relocate. Overcrowding of offices is quite dangerous especially in time of calamities or accidents. For instance, overcrowded offices create poor precaution measures especially during escapes to accidents. Employees will find it difficult to escape for the fire outbreak especially when they are in the overcrowded offices since free movement will be hindered either through too many equipment in the room or fellow employees (Marans 34). Therefore, it is proper to have spacious office where persons can move freely during such accidents and that is why there is need for relocation. Additionally, overcrowding often leads to poor air circulation; thus, they are often too cold, draughty, and too hot (Attwood 37). These conditions may lead to poor lethargic with constant dry throat and dry skin. If these conditions affect employees they may opt for redress from courts due to these sick building syndromes and the entire process will turn to be expensive even more than the cost of renting a spacious building for the offices. Furthermore, it should be noted the these skin building syndromes can be due to poor planning, poor partitioning, and congestion due to too many cabinets and desks. It should also be noted that poor state of house might create a conducive ground for the viral organisms thereby leading to their spread. Viral infection will lead to ill health thereby interfering with employees’ performance especially when they take much of their time home due to flu infections. These conditions will be avoided by locating a spacious office to relocate. The management should avoid overcrowding at the offices at all time since it often leads to injuries. Other than the small office space, poor planning and designing of the offices and office equipment lead to poor working environment including lack or insufficient walking space thereby making employees to be prone to physical injuries. Furthermore, it may lead to hearing problem; hence, leading to poor and ineffective results since activities may be executed on assumptions due to ineffective communication among the employees (Marans 77). PLC Company is a business that deals with consultancy; therefore, poor communication among its employees and between employees and clients may lead to poor business performance and business relation. Additionally, crowed office will force employees to sit close to each other thereby reducing their effectiveness since they will engage primarily with their private stories and lives; thus, reducing productivity of the company and that of employees. Objective: The primary objective of the project is to relocate the PLC Management Constancy Firm, from Oxford Street to spacious and comfortable offices in Docklands, London. Scope of the Project: All the stakeholders will be involved in the project to ensure that appropriate offices are identified and fitted for the current and expected staff members; therefore, the project aims at achieving following: Spacious offices that fit over 1000 employees Well designed and arranged desks, chairs, cabinets, and workstations effectively and efficiently installed internet and telecommunication systems Attractive and conducive interior Well fitted air conditioners and fans Adequate interspacing to avoid interference from other employees Well-furnished and spacious conference room Waiting room and lavatories Project Duration: Within five months and three weeks the new office identified, evaluated, rented and furnished for relocation Assumptions: The obtained building shall be adequate for the intended project number of staff The project will be executed with within five months and three weeks The project will be completed with the projected budget The expected increase in the number of employees shall not exceed eighty percent Project: The project is to relocate the office and employees of the Management Constancy Firm, PLC from Oxford Street to Docklands, London. The main aim of relocation is to ensure that the current and new employees will not fit effectively and comfortably in the current offices. Moreover, the number expected shall make the total number of the employees at the offices to be more than twice the number of the current employees thereby exceeding the federal required office paces. Approval: The project will only commence following certification and approval of the senior management among other relevant organization’s committee. Following the approval, the project will be handed over to the chief contractor who will ensure that the project is executed as planned (Attwood 30). Notably, the chief contractor will ensure constant communication with the relevant top management to ensure that the project meet its set goals and objective. Additionally, the chief constructor will remain in touch with the head to finance department to ensure that all funds are released as will be required by both labor and materials. The Work Structure for the Project Steps PROJECT ACTIVITY DURATION 1 Locating the property and property agents Looking for a location suitable accessible by the management, employees, and project team One month 2 Informing staff and other stakeholders project and this will be done through Staff meetings explaining project and its intended plan writing e-mails to inform stakeholders of the progress of the plan discussing weekly report with stakeholders and the management Two weeks 3 Legal and contractual negotiations of the rent commercial negotiations for the best price from preferred landlord) finalizing the legal issues and signing the lease contacting laborers Two weeks 4 Designing the interior partitioning of the rooms painting Two months 5 Network and Network Relocation relocating IT hardware form the old office and purchasing and fixing IT equipment and utilities that are mixing hiring IT experts to install IT and utilities Three weeks 6 painting the offices Purchasing and fixing new furniture and other office equipment including placing desks, chairs, and cabinets fixing mirrors One month 8 Physical relocation of employees form the old office into the new offices One week Budget and Timeline Item Amount Duration Leasing the new building ?50,000 4 weeks Network Design and Cable layout ?5,000 3 weeks Interior designs ?10,000 8 weeks Furniture Installation ?25,00 4 weeks Painting the exterior ?5,000 1 week Relocation ?5,000 1 Week Project Team This project is vast; thus, different professionals shall be engaged in executing different tasks. The chief constructor whose will be obligated to communicate to all other stakeholders shall manage the project to success (Attwood 30). A performance manager will be engaged and he or she shall ensure that material, designs, and project execution follows required efficiency, safety, and comfortable levels. On the other hand, the safety manager or officer will ensure that the interior design and furniture are properly done to safeguard the employees from any health and safety risk factors (Eckett 99). Additionally, the contract manager will provide ergonomic assessments towards assessing the interior and furniture designs. The network team will follow the network structure below for fix internet in offices since the entire work of this organization is pegged on internet communication with its clients. Fig. 1 Network Design that includes Internet, off site links, and remote sites Fig. 2 Cable layout Risk and Risk Mitigation Risk Nature Risk Mitigation 1. there are low Probability of getting the preferred building at Docklands, London that will accommodate over 700 employees High This problem will only be reduced through effective and adequate advertisement particularly through the use of well known property agent advertisers 2. the work may be too much for the time allocated; thus, actual movement may not occur by the end of October, 2013 High There shall be strict time management to ensure every activity is executed as planned 3. the cost of executing the project may be higher that the amount of money budgeted, ?100,000 High The company will evaluators and accountants to evaluate towards pricing and (Marks 14) do all necessary purchases once such necessities arise 4. Some employees may be reluctant to move to the new offices due to inconvenient created by the location. Low They will be informed prior to relocation so they may make personal arrangements towards the same additionally, the company may increase the transport allowance for the affected employees. 5. some furniture and equipment may be damaged during moving process Medium Movement of the furniture and related will not be the last thing and only after fixing the old equipment and furniture is when new orders for the same shall be made. Work Cited Attwood, Dennis A. Complete Office Relocation Sourcebook. United States : John Wiley, 1996. Print. Eckett, Stephen. The Uk Stock Market Almanac 2006: Facts, Figures, Analysis and Fascinating Trivia That Every Investor Should Know About the Uk Stock Market. S.l.: Harriman House, 2005. Print. Major Companies of Europe. London: Graham & Trotman, 1982. Print. Marans, Robert W. Environmental Change: A Case Study of Office Relocation at the University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, Mich: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, 1991. Print. Marks, Tony. 20:20 Project Management: How to Deliver on Time, on Budget and on Spec. London: Kogan Page, 2012. Print. Read More