Office
An office is generally a room or other area where an organization’s employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word “office” may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it (see officer, office-holder, official); the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one’s duty. When used as an adjective, the term “office” may refer to business-related tasks. In law, a company or organization has offices in any place where it has an official presence, even if that presence consists of (for example) a storage silo rather than an establishment with desk-and-chair. An office is also an architectural and design phenomenon: ranging from a small office such as a bench in the corner of a small business of extremely small size (see small office/home office), through entire floors of buildings, up to and including massive buildings dedicated entirely to one company. In modern terms an office is usually the location where white-collar workers carry out their functions. As per James Stephenson, “Office is that part of business enterprise which is devoted to the direction and co-ordination of its various activities.”
Offices in classical antiquity were often part of a palace complex or of a large temple. The High Middle Ages (1000–1300) saw the rise of the medieval chancery, which was usually the place where most government letters were written and where laws were copied in the administration of a kingdom. With the growth of large, complex organizations in the 18th century, the first purpose-built office spaces were constructed. As the Industrial Revolution intensified in the 18th and 19th centuries, the industries of banking, rail, insurance, retail, petroleum, and telegraphy grew dramatically, requiring many clerks, and as a result more office space was assigned to house their activities. The time-and-motion study, pioneered in manufacturing by F. W. Taylor (1856-1915) led to the “Modern Efficiency Desk” of 1915 with a flat top and drawers below, designed to allow managers an easy view of the workers.
However, by the middle of the 20th century, it became apparent that an efficient office required discretion in the control of privacy, and gradually the cubicle system evolved.The main purpose of an office environment is to support its occupants in performing their jobs. Work spaces in an office are typically used for conventional office activities such as reading, writing and computer work. There are nine generic types of work space, each supporting different activities. In addition to individual cubicles, one can find meeting rooms, lounges, and spaces for support activities, such as photocopying and filing. Some offices also have a kitchen area where workers can make their lunches. There are many different ways of arranging the space in an office and whilst these vary according to function, managerial fashions and the culture of specific companies can be even more important.
While offices can be built in almost any location and in almost any building, some modern requirements for offices make this more difficult, such as requirements for light, networking, and security. The major purpose of an office building is to provide a workplace and working environment – primarily for administrative and managerial workers. These workers usually occupy set areas within the office building, and usually are provided with desks, PCs and other equipment they may need within these areas.
Department (noun)
A part, portion, or subdivision.
Department (noun)
A distinct course of life, action, study, or the like.
“Technical things are not his department; he’s a people person.”
Department (noun)
A subdivision of an organization.
Department (noun)
One of the principal divisions of executive government
“the Treasury Department; the Department of Agriculture; police department”
Department (noun)
A territorial division; a district; especially, in France, one of the districts composed of several arrondissements into which the country is divided for governmental purposes. In France, a department is smaller than a region
Department (noun)
A military subdivision of a country
“the Department of the Potomac”
Department (noun)
Act of departing; departure.
Office (noun)
A service, particularly:
Office (noun)
The authorized form of ceremonial worship of a church.
Office (noun)
Mass, the introit sung at its beginning.
Office (noun)
Any Office for the Dead or of the Virgin.
Office (noun)
A service without the eucharist.
Office (noun)
The service of the liturgy for each canonical hour, including psalms, collects, and lessons.
“In the Latin rite, all bishops, priests, and transitional deacons are obliged to recite the Divine Office daily.”
Office (noun)
Various service.
Office (noun)
A position of responsibility.
“When the office of Secretary of State is vacant, its duties fall upon an official within the department.”
Office (noun)
Official position, particularly high employment within government; tenure in such a position.
“She held office as secretary of state until she left office to run for office.”
Office (noun)
An official or group of officials; a personification of officeholders.
Office (noun)
A duty, particularly owing to one’s position or station; a charge, trust, or role; moral duty.
Office (noun)
The performance of a duty; an instance of performing a duty.
Office (noun)
Function: anything typically done by or expected of something.
Office (noun)
A bodily function, urination and defecation; an act of urination or defecation.
Office (noun)
A service, a kindness.
“The secretary prevailed at the negotiations through the good offices of the Freedonian ambassador.”
Office (noun)
Inside information.
Office (noun)
A room, set of rooms, or building used for non-manual work, particularly:
“The office of the Secretary of State is cleaned when it is vacant.”
Office (noun)
Last rites.
Office (noun)
A room, set of rooms, or building used for administration and bookkeeping.
Office (noun)
A room, set of rooms, or building used for selling services or tickets to the public.
Office (noun)
The staff of such places.
“The whole office was there… well, except you, of course.”
Office (noun)
The administrative departments housed in such places, particularly:
“He’s from our public relations office.”
Office (noun)
A room, set of rooms, or building used for consultation and diagnosis, but not surgery or other major procedures.
Office (noun)
A ministry or other department of government.
“The secretary of state’s British colleague heads the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.”
Office (noun)
Short for Holy Office: the court of final appeal in cases of heresy.
Office (noun)
The parts of a house or estate devoted to manual work and storage, as the kitchen, scullery, laundry, stables, etc., particularly a house or estate’s facilities for urination and defecation: outhouses or lavatories.
Office (noun)
: an inquest undertaken on occasions when the Crown claimed the right of possession to land or property.
Office (noun)
A piece of land used for hunting; the area of land overseen by a gamekeeper.
Office (noun)
A hangout: a place where one is normally found.
Office (noun)
A plane’s cockpit, particularly an observer’s cockpit.
Office (noun)
A collection of business software typically including a word processor and spreadsheet and slideshow programs.
Office (verb)
To provide (someone) with an office.
Office (verb)
To have an office.
Department (noun)
a division of a large organization such as a government, university, or business, dealing with a specific area of activity
“the council’s finance department”
Department (noun)
an administrative district in France and other countries
“the turnout was particularly low in rural departments”
Department (noun)
an area of special expertise or responsibility
“that’s not my department”
Department (noun)
a specified aspect or quality
“he was a bit lacking in the height department”