It’s Time To Rethink The O&G Project Environment

One positive effect of the oil price crash is the opportunity to embrace new ideas and systems. I have long been critical of the typical project office, both in layout and work schedule. People sitting in regimented rows in front of computers with traffic all around them, no privacy, trying to appear busy. Only one coffee machine in the corner and no relaxation areas so you take it back to your desk. Then there is the regime of clocking in and clocking out, timesheets and records of attendance.

There are several recent studies of the project environment. Without exception the classical project office environment was rated the worst of all environments to work it. I describe it as debilitating, and in the words of a famous businessman from Dragon’s Den, “I’d rather stick pins in my eyes!”.

This environment is a killer of both productivity and creativity. Project staff is dictated to by both Facilities Management and HR when in fact the reverse should be the case. It is the project staff that create the income for the company, not HR and FM, and yet so often, against the wishes of the PM and his or her staff, FM decides the layout and HR controls the work schedule.

In short, the classical office environment and management thereof is the quickest way to kill company profits. Unmotivated, desensitised project staff obliged to work scheduled hours in a poor environment will leave huge gaps in your project that will severely bite the company later on.

More creative ways to manage projects must be found. Companies must provide a happy, creative environment in which the staff want to work because it satisfies their needs which in turn will improve performance. It’s time for projects to move into the 21st century with new ways of utilising space and better working options. The present drive to cut costs may well give this rethink the impetus it needs. I am convinced that as a result projects can be managed more effectively, with less staff and less space.