Work Space Organizing With Industrial Psychology Essay Example

on by specialists of feng shui. David Nicholson-Lord (1987) claims that western planners in Hongkong accept the Cantonese view about wooded hill or reed-fringed lake is good feng-shui (healthy or beneficent) as geomantics makes good aesthetic sense (p. 45). The researcher argues that landscapes affect stress in different ways.

Scholars from University of Delaware tested anxiety ratings of students and measured their brain alpha rhythms using EEG (Nicholson-Lord, 1987, p. 45). They found that students shown ‘natural’ scenes felt safer (1987, p. 45).

Ferm claims that feng shui originally was “a system of geomancy to determine the position and direction of graves, based on the belief that through the control of wind and water, the vital force (ch'i) of the deceased would not be dissipated by them” (1945, p. 150). Feng shui is translated fom the Chinese as wind and water. This system involves philosophical doctrines of yin yang (predestined affinity) and the Five Elements and applied to determine the location of all types of buildings. Ferm considered feng shui to be one of ancient Chinese superstitions together with witchcraft, phrenology, palmistry, astrology and dream interpretation. Although the author insisted that educated Chinese stood aloof form all these “unreasonable beliefs”, he confirmed that all of them “played an important part in the religious life of the illiterate and ignorant” (Ferm, 1945, p.144). Nowadays geomancy is an important aspect of Chinese culture. Lip (1979) reports that whenever a new construction is proposed the feng shui specialist is consulted on the orientation and siting of the building. Feng shui is used as philosophical system of organizing your space in a way that balances energy and promotes harmony with nature.

These teachings incorporate five elements into human’s space: wood, water, metal, fire and earth. The basic principle of the system is that there are streams or currents of “cosmic breath” that run through the earth.

According to feng shui, that “cosmic energy” has an influence upon the fortunes of individuals and their descendants, so their houses and graves should be situated considering it. Similarly, this energy influence the occupants of buildings such as commercial offices, according to the building's orientation in relation to hills, valleys, winds (feng), waters (shui). Tony Doherty (2002) produced the most influential study of worker productivity and led to the “human relations” component of industrial psychology. He states feng shui might be included as an approach to reducing environmental stress factors (p. 255). Accordingly to feng shui measures to reduce stress might include changing an office layout by re-positioning desks or by changing lighting or colour schemes (Doherty, 2002, p.255). Lip gave practical advices about work pace organizing. To allow energy to circulate working place should be moved into the "command position": a place where the worker gets clear view of the door to see who's coming in and out. To illustrate five basic principles there should be wooden coffee table, a metal sculpture, candles, a plant and, to represent water, a mirror.

Colors play a roll in feng shui as well. For example, yellow symbolizes health and blue is thought to foster knowledge. According to the system, if there's junk all over the working place, there's an imbalance in one of those life areas of the owner. Postponed home projects and could affect worker’s safety, as well as Cluttered surroundings lead to

disorganization. Cluttered rooms encourage relaxation.

So red sheets help maintain productivity. There are different objects that could be causing negative energy and all these things could disturb the person’s sleep. Holding certain beloved items help in keeping person’s chi (energy). When person keeps something she didn’t like those actions could provide negative energy. So, all the items should be divided into three piles - sell, donate and recycle. To conclude the work it should be asserted that feng shui could be successfully used to maintain human health and increase working capacity.

Although industrial primarily is concerned with selecting people to fit work systems, old Chinese philosophical tradition helps design the working space properly. Feng shui measures allow to reduce stress and create effective office design.

Reference List

1. Canter, D. (1968). Clerical performance and office size: an example of psychological research in architecture. Architects’Journal, 147 (17), 881-888.
2. Churchill, W.S. (1924) from an address to the Architectural Association at the annual distribution of prizes in 1924. Reprinted Architectural Association Quarterly, 5 (1), 44-46.
3. Clements-Croome, D. (ed. ). (2000). Creating the Productive Workplace. London: E ; FN Spon.
4. Doherty, T. L. (2002). Managing Public Services--Implementing Changes: A Thoughtful Approach to the Practice of Management. London: Routledge.
5. Fucigna, J. T. (1967). The ergonomics of offices. Ergonomics, Vol. 10, No. 5.
6. Lip, E. (1979). Chinese Geomancy. Singapore: Times Books International.