Friendly Work Environment and Technological Office Designs - Essay Example

Information technologies offer various choices for businesses to increase the efficiency of work and lower company expenses at the same time. There are multiple examples of information technology shaping the way business develops. I believe that Oticon has effectively adapted to the changing environment and adequately responded to occurring challenges. Lars Kolind showed that his organization was able to think outside the box and adapt to the circumstances (Lagace). This policy brought effective results and helped to improve the economic performance of the company.

Typically employees find it very difficult to adapt to changing environments. Some people find it difficult to get used to innovations and new operational procedures that a company decides to implement. It is difficult to break the routine, in this situation employer should have a clear understanding of the company’s philosophy. Therefore Lars Kolin had to force employees to cooperate and commit or quit the company by choice (Lagace). Selling old furniture and buying a new one was a sort of psychological maneuver that allowed people to start fresh and abandon the old philosophy of the company. I find Oticon’s way of handling crisis situations creative and effective in integrating new information technologies.

Modern information technologies can improve work performance and make it more comfortable for employees to deliver their duties. As Wallace (Wallace) points out employees spend more time working as a team and less time at their desks, therefore individual workstations occupy less space than before. The use of modern communication technologies also improves the process of negotiation and decision-making.

A friendly work environment is important for both employers and employees. Top managers understand that company is most likely to achieve its goals and make a better profit if employees feel comfortable at their workplace and more willing to invest in the common project. At the same time, staff members enjoy the sense that they are part of the team and the fact that their voice can be heard and taken into consideration. For example, Oticon gave an opportunity for employees to propose new ideas and promote them within the company and gain support from their peers (Lagace). I believe it was a smart move to show people that their ideas matter and that they can persuade various teams within the company to support them.

At the same time if companies are trying to be tech-savvy and up-to-date they need to follow all the trends in IT development. This poses various challenges for companies and increases competition between them. Wallace (Wallace) argues that it becomes more and more difficult to apply all the modern technologies in office design. Every single workstation requires constant IT support and sophisticated configuration: no one can imagine working without a computer and internet. This also brings some additional costs for the company’s budget.

Wallace (Wallace) believes that employers have to take into consideration some other aspects as well: rising costs on office space, maintenance, and general expenses. Therefore companies have to rethink their policies regarding office design.  Companies show their flexibility by allowing people to work from home and at hours they find more productive. For example, Google offices around the world do not set strict working hours. On the contrary, everyone sets their own schedules based on personal preferences. It does not matter if the employee prefers working at night or at home. The work itself matters and it should be done on time. In this regard, everyone feels responsible for the common outcome and takes this responsibility accordingly.

It is clear that there are certain cases of free-riding behavior within the company. However, a company has to encourage people and give them a feeling that they are part of a group and cannot fail the teamwork. I believe it is a great opportunity for employees to act responsibly and organize their time effectively on their own. I would enjoy working in an environment that Google and many other companies offer. I prefer working late at night and can be more productive at late hours rather than early in the morning. I would also like to try working from home and set my own deadlines for my work.

I also agree with Wallace (Wallace) that there are some risks related to the new technological office designs. Sometimes employers may oversee the needs of their team members and invest too much or too little into information technology. I assume that companies would always benefit from smart investments in information technologies. However, cost efficiency should be taken into consideration accordingly.