OFFICE ORGANISATION.—In the organisation of an office for the clerical work of a factory, or any large business, attention should be given to the following points :—(1) The office building; (2) the selection of the staff; and (3) the creation of suitable departments. We will take these points seriatim.
(1) The old conception of the office, or "counting-house," was that of a set of rooms where the necessary work could be done ; and so long as this was possible, other matters did not receive much consideration. If the building happened to be a long way from the factory, there was the office boy to do the walking and carry the messages ; if the clerks had to live at a distance, no matter—exercise was good for them. But the search after efficiency and the visit of the Government inspector have changed all that. The office must now be a place with plenty of light and ventilation ; perfect sanitary arrangements for both sexes have to be thought of; and overcrowd ing is an offence which it is not wise to commit. Efficiency, however, has been the chief motive in effecting the change. The office, instead of being "a place to write letters in and keep the books "—a sort of necessary nuisance —has become part of one organic whole, and works in unison with the life of the factory. At one time the customer or client was not thought about. Often he had to climb two or three flights of stairs to find the man he wanted. Nowadays things are managed better. The public must have as little trouble as possible, and they are dealt with in the room nearest the street pavement. The place for the " Order Office" is not at the top of the building. The same common-sense policy should be evident in arranging the rooms for the work of the staff, that is, where a new building is con templated, and where it is possible to make provision for really efficient working. The ideal is to have suites of rooms with every means of actual communication, apart from the more rapid method of office telephones.
Care should be taken in regard to lighting and ventilation. Both will be welcomed by the staff, but whereas the latter is a matter of initial outlay only, the former is a continuous item which can easily affect the profit and loss account. Ceiling lights are to be avoided as expensive and comparatively useless. The best type is that which is near the desk, throwing light just where it is wanted. When a clerk is absent his light is not used, and the cost saved ; but ceiling lights have usually to be fully used, even though only one man is working in the room.
The question of furniture may be conveniently dealt with in this con nection. The usual type of sloping desk with railings for books not in use, is an old institution which has justified itself sufficiently to warrant a long life. But it is time the office stool had a back to it ; the day has gone when it was thought to encourage laziness. There are too many severer tests of the industry of the clerk to deprive him of an occasional rest for his back. The office table versus the roll-top desk for senior clerks has been much debated. The pathetic spectacle of a sub-manager hunting for somebody's key when he has left his own at home has decided some proprietors against the roll-top desk, although one would have thought the conveniences of such a desk would outweigh occasional irritations due to forgetfulness. Besides, a duplicate key in the possession of the manager would obviate any difficulty.
In a very real sense books and files are office furniture. Ledgers should be of the loose-leaf order. The old type has had its day and ceased to be —at least in every progressive office. Card indexes should take the place of the old register books, where new letters were " passed through" and given a number. Filing cabinets of excellent design, embodying recent systems, are manufactured by half-a-dozen English firms, and they offer a good selection suitable to all classes of business.