Tag Archives: office space planning

Myths of The Open Office Concept

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Employees working together in modern open office space, corporate group team employees using computers, talking, discuss project, colleagues in coworking, collaboration, teamwork

Since the 70s, the open office concept has gained lots of traction. In fact, in America, it’s estimated that 70% of all office spaces were open office concepts of some degree. Championed by businesses like Facebook and other Silicon Valley giants, the open office was supposed to be the creative, collaborative workspace of the future. The problem—open offices have done just the opposite. 

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the pitfalls of such a system, as well as discuss potential alternatives. 

Open Office Lack Of Creativity 

It’s rare when a concept does the exact opposite of what it was intended to do; unfortunately, that’s what we have with open offices. 

According to a 2018 Harvard Business Schol research paper, open offices reduced face to face interactions drastically, promoting emails and instant messages (IMs) more. Perhaps more importantly, workers were less productive, efficient, and quality fell to boot. 

Other studies have shown decreases in creativity, productivity, job satisfaction, and attention spans. In an era where everyone’s attention spans are decreasing, the last thing a business needs is even less attention from employees.

If that wasn’t enough, higher stress levels, blood pressure, and job turnover are also associated with open offices. Not quite the office revolution that people were hoping for. 

So…Now What?

So cubicles are drab, but open offices are bad in almost every way. What do we do? Well, as with most things in life, the best option may be somewhere in the middle. Some companies are utilizing open office design in small groups. Each group will have its own sequestered space but will be able to collaborate amongst themselves. This boosts productivity and collaboration without having the noise of the entire office distracting them. 

Getting the Most Out of Your Office With Indoff

If you want the most productive office space for you and your staff, you’ll need to get the best equipment for your staff. Here at Indoff, we ensure that our collection of office furniture and equipment is of quality design and functionality. Contact us today to find the best office furniture for your goals! 

 

Enhance Workplace Creativity With Smart Office Planning

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It was Vincent Van Gogh who said, “Great things are not done by impulse, but a series of small things brought together.” This is especially true in the work environment. Whether you realize it or not, creativity is the driving force behind a company’s success. That is if you want yours to continue evolving.

How we work has a lot to do with fostering creativity. For example, does your office allow workers to move about when they need to change focus or need a space to mentally prepare for another project? The arrangement of your office furniture could be what’s helping or hindering creativity.

If you’re looking for ways to enhance creativity, we have tips on how to revamp your office in small but impactful ways!  

Have a Communal Space for Brainstorming

office space planning

Meetings are always a hit or miss. You either walk away feeling great about the progress made or you leave wondering how the last hour could have been more productive if everything was condensed to a three-sentence email. The formal setting of a meeting can turn people off and deter people from contributing just based on the setup of the room. That’s why we recommend creating a communal space that brings people together rather than physically separating them.

What does this look like? First, consider a circular table or one where everyone present has a place at the table. This creates togetherness. Everyone should have a view of one another so when a person is speaking, everyone can hear and see (if they’re presenting). You also want to have whiteboards nearby so if an idea sparks it can be sketched out right away. The more open and airy the room feels, the more people will feel at ease and ready to think. Consider adding some plants and good lighting. If you can have natural lighting, even better.  

Create a Space for Alone Time

working at desk

Sometimes employees need to be in their mind before they can share their ideas or project. For that reason, we recommend creating a room or space where people can go for some much-needed alone time. The room should have a desk with a computer and plenty of writing utensils. You should also consider adding a shelf with books. When people are looking for new ideas or want to be inspired, they turn to books. Fill a shelf with books related to your company’s line of work. For example, if you’re a marketing firm, invest in the best marketing material around.

This space will also be useful for preparing presentations or working on projects requiring some level of privacy. Again, make sure it feels open and is well-ventilated. You’ll be surprised at what people can accomplish when they take some time to gather their own thoughts.

Make Everything Moveable — The Power of Wheels

teamwork

Innovation is all about change. When your team has the ease of moving things around, they’ll be able to collaborate with everyone and everything. The functionality of a meeting desk, chair, computer, and supplies makes it possible to go from a 10 person meeting to a three-person conversation. Feeling confined can also confine the mind. Have you ever noticed how uplifting it feels to walk out of a room when you need a mental break? Give your team the ease of moving around. All it takes is adding wheels to desks and arranging the office in a way that allows for movement.

Create Your Ideal Work Environment With Indoff Commercial Interiors

Creativity and productivity are vital to any and all workplaces. Enhancing them is what we here at Indoff Commerical Interiors aims to help you with. It’s not always possible to pinpoint what is or isn’t working. That’s why we offer office space planning services for companies here in the Sun City. We focus on creating the best atmosphere for your team’s needs. Everything from the colors of the room to the placement of desks, we take it all into consideration.

Connect with us today to learn how we can help your office!   

Office Design: How to Keep Your Team Safe

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Take a look around your building. What do you notice? Perhaps there are a couple of messy desks. A stack of papers you’ve been meaning to get rid of? How do your workers look?

We’re all guilty of getting into the rhythm of things that we block out or fail to notice our surroundings. We arrive at work and immediately begin tackling the day’s tasks. Even as a business owner it’s not unusual for you to get caught up in your own work that you don’t realize the setup and overall environment is in need of your attention. Indeed, it could be harming your team or certain areas could be a complete safety hazard.

Take a look at how these various aspects of the office could be negatively impacting your employees and what changes need to be made.

Bacteria, Germs, and Viruses — They’re All Around. What Can You Do?

office work

From a blasting heater or AC to the countless hours you and your team spend inside, germs and bacteria are prone to spread. And they spread quickly! This is especially true in open-floor plans or areas where equipment is consistently shared where it be telephones or tools. All it takes is one person coming in sick and the rest of the bunch will be infected. To help minimize this common office problem, be sure to have your office thoroughly cleaned and keep disinfecting dispensers around where employees can pump a dose into their hands before grabbing equipment.

Is Your Team Constantly Feeling Sick? It Could Be the Building

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

Ever heard of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)? It’s a growing condition that affects workers based on their time inside of a building. Although it’s not widely recognized as a legitimate reason for feeling sick, it is often used to describe common feelings of nausea. Workers will collectively say they have headaches, feel dizzy, have difficulty concentrating, or have symptoms of being sick such as a runny nose and irritated eyes. A couple of ways your office impacts these symptoms is the lighting, the HVAC system, and the equipment used day in and day out. If the lighting is too dim or too bright, your workers’ eyes will suffer, often causing headaches. If your building’s filters haven’t been changed, employees could be breathing in harmful air. And if the equipment they’re using needs maintenance, they could be hurting themselves physically.      

If a Fire Were to Break Out, Is Your Team Prepared to Safely Exit the Building?

fire exit

When’s the last time your office had a fire drill? Do new employees know how to exit the building in the event of a fire? Even if a fire seems like a far-fetched scenario, being prepared in the event that there is a fire is extremely important. Having a quarterly fire drill can bring to light any barriers or hazards that would make exiting the building difficult. The goal is to get out quickly and as safe as possible. You might realize that the building needs to be reorganized in order to make it safe for everyone to exit.  

And Lastly, Are Your Workstations Meeting Real Ergonomics Needs?

ergonomics

Ergonomics focuses on the importance of workspaces and the way people use them in relation to their bodies. For example, if a chair isn’t able to comfortably support someone, he or she may need a different chair—one that is able to sustain their weight and other physical needs. Ergonomics also examines how workers use the equipment. Take for example the telephone. Do you remember the days of holding a phone between your ear and shoulder then altering it out to your hand? This isn’t good for the body! That’s why handsfree headsets were created. Similarly, desks need to be at a good height for employees so they don’t hunch over or lean their arms up in an awkward and hurtful position. Find out what feels comfortable for your team. Ask them questions about how they feel about their workstation. Many times employees are too fearful to raise these concerns. But when it’s brought up, it gives them an opportunity to discuss.       

Provide the Safetest Workspace Possible With the Help of Indoff Commercial Interiors

office space planning

We know you want to make your team comfortable and happy. That’s why at Indoff Commercial Interior, we work with you to find office furniture solutions. Whether it’s planning the layout of the office or switching out old equipment for more modern and more comfortable options, we can help you achieve a safe working environment. Connect with us today to get started!

New Year, New Setup: Planning Your Office Makeover

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Today, approximately 70% of offices across the nation use open-floor plans. There are several pros and cons to this type of workspace—distractions being a con and accessibility being a pro. If there’s one thing that’s certain, having an open floor plan means exposure to all areas of the office. You might pass by someone’s desk and see candy wrappers scattered throughout or you’ll quickly gain insight into your employee’s interest with their choice of decor. A lot can be revealed with this type of floor plan. But if you’re feeling like you could make better use of space or want the office to feel more “open” or “bright” then it may be time to consider office space planning.

Maximizing the Space You Have

office space planning

If one of your current dilemmas is figuring out how to maximize the space you currently have, there are a couple of things you can do. When you hire an office design expert, they will take a look into a couple of items including:

  • The total number of employees
  • The projected total number of employees within the next five years
  • What your average foot traffic looks like
  • Which departments need to be within proximity of each other
  • What tools or equipment are necessary to perform certain tasks
  • Where are meetings, break areas, and other common spaces located

Those are a couple of the factors that an office space planner will first examine in order to determine the moving pieces. The goal is to make use of every area of your office. By placing desks in a fashion that enhances productivity, it will ultimately limit distractions and maximize your space, no matter how big or small it may be.

Working With a Professional

An office design expert sees your office from a different perspective. They take into consideration your business operates. This includes finding a way to maximize productivity for various departments and creating a setup that’s comfortable and welcoming. Your furniture, color schemes, and the dimensions of your office will all be strategically considered in order to best match choices that will enhance the work environment. On the surface, it may not seem like something as minimal as the color of your walls will affect your employees’ work behavior but indeed it will! Colors evoke moods and can create positive emotions as well as negative ones.

Our design expert, Kim Gregory has years of experience in professional office design and can certainly help you create your desired workspace. Connect with us today to learn more!

Open Office and Closed Workspaces – Why Choose?

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Office space planning sketchIn recent years, many professional experts and studies have devoted themselves to advocating open office spaces and how they improve office productivity and employee morale. It was put forward that open work spaces encouraged more collaboration, as well as removing constricting walls that made some office workers feel more like drones than employees. Soon, office space planning was overloaded with open work space designs. Gone were the square cubicle of past decades- now employers were investing in bright, open spaces and shared desks. Unfortunately, when it comes to office space planning, it is no longer a one size fits all concept. In 2018, we began to see an increasing attention to what works for employees, not what particular trend is being pushed by these “experts”.

Open Vs Closed Office Work Spaces

While many businesses were quick to embrace an open floor plan for their offices, it may not have been the best choice for all industries, or even for all employees. Open floor concepts can work wonderfully for collaborative teams, where a group of people are working on one project to achieve the same goal. It makes it easier to discuss ideas, compare different aspects of a project, and share information.

However, no matter what industry you are in, open work spaces can also run the risk of distractions, noise, and unhappy employees whose different work styles may not mesh well. With this in mind, we are seeing an emergence of a different kind of closed workspace. Individual workstations, as well as a smart use of space are becoming more and more popular. We are also seeing the rise of designated room spaces, like lounges and cafe-like setups where employees can enjoy a quiet space that is respected by everyone else. This provides a welcome respite from a co-worker who has to constantly be on the phone, or to get away from whatever collaborative process is taking place elsewhere.

Considering Your Industry and Your Employee Needs

Not every industry should or can embrace the open office space concept, for varying reasons. For example, a financial advising company who deals in confidential information and deals would not be wise to indulge in such a concept. With so much confidential information floating around, they might consider putting their own spin on it, such as glass barriers and formal meeting rooms to ensure privacy. A marketing agency, which can have different departments and considerations, can consider dividing their departments in a way to fit their needs. Many companies that are concerned with a professional demeanor and appearance can find open offices to be too chaotic to present to clients, therefore sticking to grouped cubicles or different types of enclosed offices.

Office Space Planning Should Be About More than Open or Closed Spaces

When it comes to how you want to handle office space planning, it is much more complicated than choosing cubicles or shared desks. It is about your employees and they way they work, your industry needs, and your own particular taste. At Indoff Commercial Interiors, Kim Gregory will help you decide not just what office chairs and desks will provide the face you want for your business, but she can also help you analyze and choose the best way to organize your office space for maximum productivity and employee morale. Give us a call today!

The Creative & Workspace Advantages of the Office Cubicle Design

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Office cubicles get a bad rep. They are often the target of commentary or jokes regarding office work uniformity or tedium, but the truth is —since their emergence into the workspace in the mid-1960’s— cubicles have proven to be a rather effective way to organize workspaces. Modern day has given us some new ideas about how to better modernize and maximize this office furniture; there is no shortage of creativity when it comes to using the office cubicles in enhancing work output.  Here at Indoff, we know that so much lies in the organization and the configuration of the furniture and why we are in the business of improving workspace layouts and environments.

When they first emerged on the scene, it was known as “Action Office” and the design of the office cubicles was the product of a lot of back and forth discussion regarding ways to improve the productivity of the worker. The design was predicated upon the idea that employees are more productive when they can personalize a space and have a sense of privacy while not being completely disconnected from the other people in the office.

Creative Advantages

The modern workstations can take many forms. The cubicle has changed since the early versions, but it has kept its most effective features.

  • Personalization: The space of the cubicle allows for some personalization of the space with photographs, trinkets, books, or other personal items. Workers can decorate without affecting the space of others and still make their workstation feel like their own.
  • Functional: While there is something to be said about an open workspace, there is undeniable functionality to an office cubicle. They can be arranged in a variety of ways that enhance the worker’s particular purpose. This might be installing desks, placing printers nearby, adding screens, etc.
  • Privacy: This type of office space arrangement also promote a sense of privacy. In this way, employees can have some control over the disruptions that happen around them. In a completely open work setting, this can become an issue and hinder productivity levels.
  • Encourages teamwork: In the same way that this office set up provides some personal space, it also allows for collaboration, as there is usually easy access to nearby employees. This encourages face to face communication around the office.

The Modern Workstation

Modern office cubicles also offer more options than the traditional ‘cube’ shape. The modern stations can be arranged in a variety of ways with different options on height, material, desk space, and configuration. The modern workstation is a great way to optimize space while providing each worker with their own demarcated work borders. This gives you a great amount of freedom when arranging workers in the best possible arrangements to fit their needs.

Enhance Your Office with Indoff

Indoff Commercial Interiors can help turn your office into a hub of human potential, creativity, and energy. Despite the cubicle’s misrepresentation, the reality is that fifty years later it is still being used as an effective way to organize today’s modern workspaces. Today’s office layouts are being defined and redefined by the concepts that first gave rise to the cubicle in the first place. The modern workplace offers variations and modifications that can suit your employee’s particular needs. Give us a call today!

 

The Office Life: What Do Office Desks Say About You?

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Indoff Commercial Interiors believes that office furniture speaks volumes about your business or company. We might not realize it, but the spaces we inhabit have an affect on productivity, mood, and how we feel about work. With Indoff, get comfortable and functional office desks that fit every work style.

If you’re like many hard working Americans, you have at some point stopped and looked around the surrounding office desks and wondered: How did it get like this? You see empty coke cans, half-filled coffee mugs, Post-it notes scattered like confetti, pens, files out of order, and maybe even a half eaten sandwich from the day before. Perhaps you are completely the opposite: your pens are neatly placed on one side, Post-its on the other, and files stacked in a  perfect perpendicular line against your origami tree. Your office desk can say important things about your personality and how you approach your work.

There are a few different categories that might describe your office desk and beyond. Perhaps you are a little bit of each. So what does your desk say about you?

The Spartan: This is for the minimalist warrior in you. A person that sticks to the basics, doesn’t fall for the unnecessarily ornate and doesn’t keep more than they need. They survive with little and can make it go a long way. This means your desk doesn’t pile up, get cluttered, or accumulate extra accessories or junk. You might encounter: a lot of free desk space, pens in place, folders organized and color coded.

The Collector:  It’s hard for you to let go. You consider that you might need that one Post-it note even though it’s been a week since that one meeting. The collector also takes a few days to clear out old messages, packages, or lunch remnants. You might encounter: big paper stacks, unorganized files, scattered pens, and random trinkets or papers.

The Information Geek: You are meticulous with information and you like to document everything to maintain order. A physical reminder is important for you and so your office desk is a kind of organized chaos, but what you exhibit has a distinct purpose. You might encounter: marked calendars, reminders, family photographs, reference books, maps, and/or project specific notes.

The Yogi: This office desk tends to be soothing to look at. This is for the person that is the best to handle stress, doesn’t panic, and usually calms everyone down when you’re close to deadline on a major project. They might do Yoga or meditation on their lunch hour. You might encounter: soothing plants, pleasant colors, a Buddha statue, and an organized surface with an added element of inspirational posters or items.

Be the Best with Indoff Office Desks

Regardless of what type of personality might describe you, the quality of the office desks will set the stage. High quality and well-designed furniture provides the comfort and professionalism needed to keep order and encourage productivity. Set the stage with Indoff Commercial Interiors and get started on your way to success.