Whether it’s a traditional office cubicle system or more modernized sit-to-stand desks, each office workstation has its pros and cons. The best way to choose the right workstation really depends on factors like employee preferences, office workflow, and your industry. If you’re having trouble trying to reconfigure or replace your office workstations, here’s what our commercial interior specialists have to say about all the office workstation pros and cons.
Sit-to-stand desks Sitting for too long isn’t good for our bodies, but neither is standing too long. If your employees would like to prioritize their health and wellness more in the new year, then a sit-to-stand desk may be the right option. These are fully adjustable, so that an employee can sit or stand as they work according to their task or preference. This helps reap the benefits of both options, with the desk height giving employees the ability to relax in an ergonomic position or increase their energy and circulation by adjusting it to a higher standing position. Sit-to-stand desks are a great option if your employees tend to move around during work rather than staying in one place for all 8 hours a day, and if you have some form of hotdesking. Benching stations These are long desks that can accommodate multiple employees along each length of the desk. Employees face one another and are separated by shelving or partitions. This is a very popular setup for open-plan offices, and it allows employees to talk easily to their immediate neighbors and collaborate without having to get up from their seats. If you want to implement this solution, it’s also important to consider social distancing and privacy, as employees are in very close proximity to one another. It may also be too noisy for some employees, as large clusters of benching stations can be quite disruptive if people are constantly talking to one another. L-stations These are quite traditional workstations where a desk is positioned against a filing cabinet or shelving to create an L-shape. In many ways, it resembles a cubicle without walls. Ideal for single users, it is automatically socially distanced and private when positioned correctly. This is best suited to workplaces where employees have assigned desks, where storage is needed, where employees need privacy to meet with clients, and where you can easily space out your employees over your floor plan. If you are short on floor space, require your employees to easily communicate and collaborate, or need to accommodate many employees at the same time, having just these workstations may not be the most productive or efficient for your operation. Team stations Workstations like these are modular and can be formed into clusters, so that each cluster can be assigned to a different team. They can include privacy walls and shields, storage space, and have different shapes and configurations, but the end purpose – to allow a group of people to work together in one area – is the same. This allows for easy collaboration without disturbing nearby non-team members or having to move into breakout space. They’re ideal for organizations that have set teams who work frequently together or even key departments, but they don’t offer much privacy for team members. If employees need to work as a team but also need to meet with clients on occasion, you will likely need to include a separate, private meeting space in your design. Modern office cubicles The cubicle has changed a bit since its heyday, becoming more user-friendly and enjoyable to work in. Today, modern office cubicles are the modern equivalent of a private office – a space that is suited to a single employee who requires storage and/or privacy for their work. However, they are not suited to every employee. Like the L-workstations, they aren’t suitable if you have limited floor space, lots of employees, or you need your employees to collaborate easily. They’re best for meeting with clients or employees privately, or maintaining security, so they are often used in HR, accounting, and IT departments. BE Furniture is a team of New Jersey-based office design specialists focused on making innovative office designs come to life. With a sustainable and modern approach to office design in the tri-state area, we work one-on-one with you to create a functional and exceptional space that reflects your values as a business. From hotdesking and sit-to-stand desk options to ergonomic office furniture and modern office cubicles, we can supply it all. To find out more about our office design services and furniture, give us a call today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content is posted on https://www.befurniture.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-office-workstation-options/
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Office cubicle systems and modern office workstations have changed a lot from their predecessors of the 60s and 70s, with an increasing sense of style, collaboration, and employee wellness over saving space. The latest in this office wellness offering is the active workstation. Here’s what it’s all about, from our NJ commercial office furniture team.
What Is an Active Office Workstation? This is a category that includes commercial office furniture that is designed to support healthy activity and wellness in the office. This includes treadmill desks, sit-stand desks, ergonomic workstations, and ergonomic chairs. The Importance of Employee Wellness Employee wellness is a huge trend right now, and it’s easy to see why. When employees are healthy and comfortable, absenteeism due to illness and injury decreases, engagement and productivity increases, and employees feel more valued by the organization. Of course, active workstations are just one part of a comprehensive employee wellness program, which can include everything from healthy snacks and meals to company fitness programs, natural lighting, relaxation spaces, and healthcare programs. However, because we spend so much time sitting inactively at our desks (an average of 6.5 hours a day according to research by the National Center for Health Statistics), it’s a great place to start. In fact, creating active workstations for your staff can have a significant and important impact on employee health. For instance, it can help to prevent many health problems related to sedentary lifestyles, which include higher risks of heart problems, certain cancers, weight gain, poor circulation, and even early death. Including Active Office Workstations in Your Office Design There’s a huge variety of options for active office workstations and office cubicle systems. That is why it’s important to work with your team and your office furniture partner to find products and solutions that work for individuals as well as your industry. BE Furniture is a full-service corporate office furniture company offering a wide range of environmentally-sensitive and innovative products and services for commercial office interiors. We’ll work with you to deliver an office design through our office CAD design services that supports your organizational culture, employee wellness, and positions your business for success. In addition to design and fitment services, we also offer earth-friendly recycling of old office interiors. For more information on our contemporary office furniture, sit-stand desks, office cubicle systems, and modern office furniture services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/what-are-active-office-workstations/ The tax season is near. And, it’s always a good idea to start your business tax planning early. Here’s some insight into how to depreciate your corporate office furniture, and why it’s a great idea to claim this furniture on your taxes.
Get to Know the Rules Firstly, you can only deduct the amount you spend on modern office furniture for your business. This is especially important for the owners of a small or home-run business to remember. An item must be used more than 50% of the time for business purposes to qualify. That being said, there’s a lot of furniture and equipment that you can claim for. This can include modern office workstation desks and modular office workstation furniture as well as computers, printers, shelving, carpets, and filing cabinets. Why Should I Depreciate Office Furniture on My Taxes? It takes a little more work for you or your tax specialist. But, it’s worth it because you receive a tax deduction as a result. It not only lowers the amount of tax you pay in that year but also increases your net income after tax. A win-win! Corporate Office Furniture: Expense or Asset? There’s quite a bit of accounting tax lingo here but bear with us – it’s worth it! Section 179 of the IRS Tax Code: This allows businesses to deduct 100% of the cost of fixed assets up to $500,000. For example, if your business is currently in the 45% tax bracket, and you buy $10,000 worth of corporate office furniture, you’d get a tax saving of $4,500. So, your real spend on office furniture would be just $5,500. Bonus Depreciation: If you spend over $500,000 in capital expenditures, the 30% bonus depreciation rule applies. This means that you can depreciate your corporate office furniture bought in 2019 that’s included in that year’s capital expenditures by 30% for additional savings. Your tax deduction should be recorded in IRS form 4562, not Schedule C for profit and loss. You can look up the MACRS Depreciation model in the IRS publication 946 to see exactly how your office furniture depreciates over the next few years. Refit and Refurnish Your NJ Offices with High-Quality Corporate Office Furniture Today! The BE Furniture team in New Jersey is specialists in corporate office furniture. We can help you create a functional and appealing office space that supports your organizational goals for productivity and employee engagement. In addition to our wide range of office furniture, including modern office workstation desks and modular office workstation furniture, we can also assist you with expert workspace design, fitment, and used office furniture removal and recycling. For more information on our services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content was posted on https://www.befurniture.com/advice-for-depreciating-office-furniture-on-your-taxes/ In recent years, tech companies have been dominating the innovative office design industry, demonstrating how innovation and creativity can create a high-performance workplace. Here is some inspiration from some of the most noteworthy tech offices from around the world.
Airbnb USA Headquarters Airbnb has transformed the short-term rental industry and how we see our homes. So, it should be no surprise that it’s changing how we see offices too. Their San Francisco office was designed by the company’s Environments Team and local architects to create a truly unique space. The revitalization of this building meant bringing in as much natural light as possible through the original glass structure, stripping the building down to its core. As a global company, the building has a global theme, with different spaces including cafes, building floors, and meeting rooms reflecting different cities and countries around the world. Dropbox The new Sydney offices for Dropbox is all about creating engagement and relationships between staff and the public. The vision encapsulates the home design trend in corporate design, creating a sleek and modern space that’s welcoming and warm. It’s an open but comfortable space that’s all about bringing different work styles together in the same space. Squarespace These New York City offices span three floors of the historic Maltz Building (a manufacturing hub for the Printing House District in the mid-20th century), with a sweeping rooftop deck and ground-floor lobby as well as an event space. This office space is all about coexistence. It creates an environment where individual and collaborative work modes can come together to support high-performance individuals and teams. Unlike many tech spaces, this design doesn’t use bold color. Instead, it relies on the texture and appeal of rich wood, glass, and polished concrete. SKB Kontur This Russian IT company develops software for a conservative sector, namely accounting and business management. But, there’s nothing that’s conservative about their office design. It is both bold and youthful, and it screams for your attention, from the robust colors that define the different zones of the organization to its dedication to being a self-supporting unit. Not only does it have the typical spaces of traditional workplaces, but it also has a conference hall, study rooms, libraries, a bar, canteens, and sports areas. Uber Few companies have disrupted an industry quite as quickly and powerfully as Uber. Their new Advanced Technology Group offices in Pittsburgh follow the same idea by transforming a warehouse into a cathedral, which accentuates functionality first as well as the values and vision of the company. A stark white glass and steel building, this office space is all about the development of ground-breaking autonomous car development. By creating 360-degree workspaces for each team member, complete with expansive desk space, room for prototypes and more, each person has their own, individual high-tech, fully-equipped workshop. In addition to collaborative spaces and workstations, the facility also has a fully functioning machine shop where prototypes are built, engineered, and tested. Modern Office Workstation Desks and Modular Office Workstation Furniture in New Jersey If you want to make the most of your office design and space, our team is here to help. In addition to our wide range of modular office workstation furniture and corporate office furniture, we also offer creative, expertly delivered workspace design and fitment services. For more information on services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content was posted on https://www.befurniture.com/inside-5-of-the-worlds-top-tech-offices/ As the saying goes, an untidy desk is a sign of an untidy mind! While plenty of us may disagree, we have to admit that there are a lot of benefits from having a well-organized and clutter-free workstation. Here’s how to get on top of all that mess:
A Cleaner, More Organized Office Through Modern Office Workstation Desks BE Furniture in New Jersey can help you create a functional and appealing workspace that supports your brand. In addition to our wide range of office furniture, including modern office chairs and modular office workstation furniture, our contemporary office interiors team can also assist you with workspace design and fitment. We also offer eco-friendly recycling options for all your old office furniture and fittings. For more information on our services and products, including our range of corporate office furniture, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/tips-keeping-workstation-tidy/ Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer limited to the realm of science fiction – it’s in our workplaces and is making a measurable impact on how we do business. Here are some insights from our corporate office furniture team.
Chatbots and Voice Assistants One of the most high-impact applications of AI is in the rise of chatbots and voice assistants. According to a tech report from Spiceworks, a survey of 500 IT professionals in both North America and Europe revealed that over 40% of large businesses are expecting to implement one or more AI chatbots on company-owned devices in the next year. 25% of mid-sized companies and 27% of small business are planning similar moves. So, what platforms are making the biggest impact? Microsoft Cortana is currently holding the position of most-used intelligent assistant in the workplace at 49% (thanks to its integration with Windows 10) This is followed by Apple’s Siri at 47%. Another 23% of organizations also use Google Assistant and 13% are using Amazon’s Alexa. For chatbots, 14% of organizations are utilizing them when integrated into collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and Slack, while an additional 10% of organizations are planning to develop their own AI chatbots for internal application. Automate Mundane Tasks When it comes to how these AI tools are being utilized in the workplace, the focus is on automating mundane tasks that don’t require creativity, saving time and resources. This includes tasks like voice-to-text dictation, calendar management and even supporting customer service roles. Clearly, AI is here to make a lasting impact on the future of business. Modern Office Workstation Desks, Modular Office Workstation Furniture – And More If you want to make the most of your office design and space, our team is here to help. In addition to our wide range of modular and corporate office furniture, we also offer full workspace design and fitment services. For more information on services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/ai-coming-office-latest-insights/ If there’s one aspect of life that puts the most pressure on company productivity as well as employees, it’s trying to balance families with the demands of the office. With the cost of childcare so high and people wanting to keep their careers on track while having kids, it’s no surprise that kid-friendly workplaces are starting to become a trend! This concept presents a unique way of bringing childcare and productivity together to help businesses and parents get ahead.
Is there really a demand for family-friendly workplaces? Yes! In fact, research by the US Department of Labor have shown that 62% of women who gave birth 12 months ago are working, and 90% of men said that paternity leave was a priority. Many additional studies have shown that workplaces that don’t offer paid parental leave suffer from lower employee retention, higher turnover costs and a lower ability to attract talent. Even more importantly, 30% of women with children who don’t work said that they would return to the workplace and their careers if they were provided with flexible options – putting considerable talent and experience back into businesses. So, what makes a business family-friendly? This is an area where the sky is the limit, and companies can get creative with what policies and benefits they can offer working parents. Generally speaking, these policies focus on paid parental leave, flexible working hours, support for nursing mothers, family benefits for healthcare and insurance, and hosting family-friendly events. Some companies are putting a lot of emphasis on attracting working parents because of the talent and experience they have to offer, including:
Re-imagine your business through wellness and family-friendly modern office design BE Furniture is a full-service corporate office design, collaborative furniture and contemporary office furniture company, offering a wide range of environmentally-sensitive and innovative products and services for innovative boardrooms and office interiors. For more information, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/kid-friendly-workplaces-next-big-thing/ For a long time, the phrase “work-life balance” has been a buzzword for businesses, but the reality is that, for many people, there is a distinct disconnect between the quality of like they experience at home and the one they get at work.
After all, most employees work 40-60 hours a day in the office, under fluorescent lighting, in range of unhealthy vending machine options, in front of a computer for hours at a time, and unaware of whether it’s day or night outside. After a day’s work, achieving that essential balance is almost impossible – finding the time or energy to exercise, shop for and prepare healthy foods, and spend quality time with our loved ones and hobbies. It’s this imbalance that makes achieving these goals almost impossible – and the distinction between home life and office life makes it exhausting to even think about! The answer, according to specialists, is that workplaces need to catch up in terms of quality of life – and industry leaders who have committed to these changes and focused on wellbeing are reaping the rewards. Employees benefit from having a happier, healthier and more efficient workplace, while employers benefit from increased productivity, improved talent acquisition, employee loyalty, and reduced sick days. So, what is wellness and how do I apply it in the workplace? This is the biggest challenge facing companies that want to move with the times, boost their competitiveness and attract the best people in the industry. The answer is that it’s a holistic approach that requires an investment of time, money and passion – it’s not just about putting a juicer in the break room. It’s about evaluating pain-points in the office and setting goals for overcoming them. Some great ideas include:
Boost productivity with a wellness office design If you have a wellness vision for your business, our team is here to help. In addition to our wide range of office furniture, cubical systems and office cubicle walls, we can also assist you with workspace design and fitment. For more information on our services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/workplace-wellbeing-important-industry-leaders/ The New Year is about fresh starts and embracing new innovations, and our workplaces are no exception! Here are some of the latest trends that are making splash in the world of office design this year.
Have a fresh start in 2018 with sit stand desks and other ergonomic office furniture Interested in transforming your workplace? Inspired by the latest modern office design ideas? BE Furniture is a New Jersey-located company that strives to meet all your corporate office furniture and office design needs. We can assist you with everything from contemporary office furniture, architectural walls and interiors to office design, fitting and furniture recycling. For more information, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/office-design-trends-taking-off-2018/ If you’ve been researching corporate office furniture or thinking about redesigning your office interior, you’ve likely come across the phrase “active sitting”. Here’s a quick guide to what it’s all about.
Active sitting is also known as dynamic sitting, and it is about keeping the body in motion while seated, rather than remaining in a static position. Products that promote this concept allow for the natural movements of the body, and include a wide range of seating options like balance balls, sit-to-stand desks, and height-adjustable wobbling stools. While these ideas might sound a little strange, there’s a lot of research that supports this idea as a means to remove the health issues that static sitting contribute towards. The Mayo Clinic links long periods of sitting with increased blood pressure, risk of metabolic syndrome, high blood sugar, weight gain, abnormal cholesterol levels, and even increased risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease. This is not to mention the joint and limb pain/discomfort that can be caused by a non-ergonomic workstation. Active sitting helps reduce these risks by ensuring that your body is constantly in natural motion through minor spine and hip alignment adjustments, gentle stimulation to the hip and back muscles, healthy joint movement, increased blood flow, and increased oxygen levels. This has the added benefit of increasing your energy, focus and concentration levels, which brings about a productivity boost. It’s also a great way to encourage good posture. How to support active sitting and wellness in your workplace While investing in ergonomic desks or active sitting solutions is one part of supporting employee wellness, there are other policies you can include to help create a healthier, more productive and happier workplace. Some popular ideas for this include employee gym or fitness program initiatives, supporting employees in their goal to quit smoking, providing healthy food options in the workplace, having outdoor spaces for breaks, and encouraging cycle-to-work programs. Partner with us for corporate office furniture and modern office workstation desks Creating a wellness culture in your workplace is a great challenge to take on, and part of that is designing an ergonomic environment. At BE Furniture, we offer a wide range of office products from modular office workstation furniture to corporate office furniture, and our team is dedicated to helping you achieve your office design goals. For more information, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/active-sitting-whats/ |
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