Work in Organization

In organizations where teamwork is encouraged, the exchange of knowledge, much of which is gained through environment, including the arrangement of shared spaces in which these experience, often takes place outside formal meetings. Employees, by swapping ideas with colleagues from other departments, can develop a better understanding of problems that, on their own, they might find difficult to solve. The quality of the work environment , including the arrangement of shared spaces in which these exchanges occur, is therefore important. Its effect on productivity , a measure of output in relation to the resources used, depends, however, on whether people can concentrate as well as communicate. Although frequent interaction can help groups produce more effective solutions, interruptions, particularly for those engaged in tasks requiring sustained attention, may reduce the quality of their work. The challenge for managers, then, is to optimize the use of space, so that opportunities for collaboration do not come at the expense of individual concentration.