The sound of success depends on which room of the office you’re in. Some spaces need to be quiet enough to hear a pin-drop, while other spaces could benefit from clearly hearing the feedback from other coworkers. And sometimes the way your office is designed is not enough to minimize the noise. Luckily, there are many efficient and visually appealing ways to mitigate sound in the office. In this article, our team of office product curators will go over the major reasons why acoustics are becoming increasingly necessary in the modern workplace.
Acoustics Can Help Mitigate Sound In Open Plan Offices One of the main reasons to invest in acoustics has to do with the popular open office layout. While this office design is great for collaboration, it can lead to increased noise levels which can be distracting and can make it difficult for employees to concentrate when they have to work on a solo project. This is especially pertinent in areas where employees need to be able to hear clearly, such as conference rooms and training rooms. Additionally, high noise levels can lead to increased stress and decreased productivity. Acoustic office products, such as sound-absorbing panels and ceiling tiles, can help to reduce noise levels in the workplace. These products work by absorbing sound waves, which helps to reduce echo and reverberation. This can make it easier for employees to communicate with each other and can help to create a more comfortable and productive work environment for all. Acoustics Can Reduce EMI From Technology Used In The Workplace Another major reason why office acoustic products are essential is because of the increasing use of technology. With more and more employees using computers, phones, and other electronic devices, there is a greater need for products that can reduce the amount of electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the workplace. Again, products like sound-absorbing panels and ceiling tiles, can also help to reduce EMI by creating a barrier between electronic devices and employees. This can help to reduce the risk of headaches, fatigue and other symptoms associated with EMI. Acoustics Can Add A Unique And Memorable Aesthetic To Your Office The best part about acoustics, is that they can double as office decor and improve the overall aesthetic of a space. Many modern offices are designed to be open, bright and airy, but this can sometimes lead to a lack of privacy and a feeling of being too exposed in a large, open space. Rather than putting up permanent architectural walls within your office, you can choose a sound-reverberating panel that doubles as a divider to section out different spaces within the office. Thus, creating a more intimate and inviting atmosphere by breaking up large spaces while providing more visual interest. They can help to reduce noise levels, reduce EMI, improve the aesthetic of a space, and improve the acoustics of a space. Investing in these products can help to create a more comfortable, productive, and visually appealing work environment for employees. Modern Office Design with Acoustics by BE Furniture in NJ The right office design promotes the mental, physical and social wellness of employees – which all needs to be done with sound in mind. As we’ve discussed, too much noise can snowball and cause problems directly related to productivity, stress, headaches and fatigue. While open plan offices are an ideal layout for any space, it needs to incorporate acoustics in thoughtful ways to help minimize noise, while enhancing the overall appearance of your work environment. That’s where we come in. BE Furniture is dedicated to constructing complete business environments that prioritize the needs of employees, while creating a space that is visually stunning and will leave a lasting impression on anyone who steps through your door. To learn more about our modern office design services and product offerings, please give us a call or visit our website at: https://www.befurniture.com/ Original Source: https://www.befurniture.com/why-acoustics-are-necessary-in-the-modern-workplace/
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It’s the end of the year, which means it’s time for performance evaluations. Whether that means rewarding team members that are performing above standards or discussing what has to change, ensuring your team is operating to its full potential is absolutely necessary for any business. While many believe these evaluations can be conducted successfully online, there are indisputable reasons why a face-to-face meeting is the way to go. In this article, our office design specialists in NJ will discuss why end-of-year performance evaluations should happen in the workplace – as well as how to create the optimal setting for these reviews to take place. Scheduled face-to-face interaction shows each team member that they are a priority In the world of daily Zoom meetings, having yet another Zoom call for a performance review can definitely feel less meaningful. Especially if you are one that usually keeps your camera off. Planning to meet in person sets a more professional tone. Think about it, if your team members have a flex work arrangement – this performance evaluation meeting will not be like the days when they are working from home. This in-person meeting is an opportunity to put their best foot forward in terms of appearance, conversation and presentation. They have the floor to show you why they continue to be an asset to your organization. Better gauge of each team member’s feelings. A lot can be hidden over the phone, and we don’t mean this in a malicious way whatsoever. There is just a big difference between the impression you receive over the phone versus how you feel leaving an in-person conversation. When you talk to someone in person, there are a few levels to the conversation. You’re hearing what they say, while also gauging how they truly feel from body language and facial expressions. Engagement is also higher during face-to-face interactions versus phone calls because you are eliminating external distractions. A meeting between you and your employee in a private office will make you both really focus on the conversation at hand – which will prove most helpful for the continued success of your company. Creating the optimal work space for end-of-year performance evaluations While many businesses have opted for an open plan layout in recent years, it’s still important to still have some rooms in your space that offer privacy. Whether it’s a conference room or an executive office, it’s important to have a room set aside to discuss private matters with your employees or clients. Year-end performance reviews especially should be discussed one-on-one with each team member in a private space. This is so your team members feel more comfortable confiding in you about their aspirations and concerns regarding their job performance and even the performance of other team members. Fortunately, there are easy ways to update your private office rooms to ensure comfort, privacy and more efficient collaboration. The ideal space to conduct year-end performance evaluations should include some (if not all) of the following aspects:
If you’d like to learn more about creating a progressive work space that includes developing private offices for year-end reviews, give BE Furniture a call today. Our in-house design specialists look forward to getting to know you, your business and your goals for the future – and incorporating each aspect into a comprehensive work environment that not only looks great, but is also designed to perform at full potential. Please visit our website to found out more about what BE can do for your office in the new year: https://www.befurniture.com/ The original blog is posted on - https://www.befurniture.com/why-performance-evaluations-have-to-take-place-in-person/ When we think about technology in the office space some of us may remember fondly (or not fondly) days when cool office ergonomics was limited to a desk with hole in the corner to pass all those cables. But as anyone who has shopped for office furniture in the last 20 years may have noticed, the offering has evolved into something far more complex, exciting and interesting. If you’re considering building out your new office space and are looking for some cool furniture tech, read on and you’ll understand some things about how all this works to make your office environment not just modern, but a dynamic space that people will want to come to.
It’s Not Just About Enough Space and the Right Tech The problem with shopping for office tech is that many furniture distributors will push it without much thought to the underlying design it is to be used in. Their goal seems to be to make sure you have enough furniture to completely fill the space, throw in some cool gadgets and call it a day. At BE, we think this approach couldn’t be more wrong, both for the client and ultimately the distributor. The joy of a cool motorized desk fades rapidly in a space that is poorly planned, poorly layed out for optimum workflow and collaboration, and visually uninspiring to employees. The office design your business needs promotes the mental, physical and social wellness of employees – not only to their benefit, but with a meaningful impact on your bottom line. Achieving this means approaching every aspect of the design – from furnishings, acoustics, lighting and technology, and your brand and company culture – creatively and with future goals in mind. In general we like to imagine where you’ll be at in 5 years, and design with an eye on that. Technology should be incorporated in a way that is fully integrated with your employee’s and how your business operates. It should focus on convenience, security and quick and effective communication. Employees are increasingly working not just at the office and at home, but in coffee shops and on-the go – making accessibility key to a functional and flexible office space. This is both an IT problem and an office design problem. The move to the more virtual work life is well underway and is being pushed by a younger workforce that prioritizes flexibility over traditional office design. This makes tech-integration and remote security a priority for businesses who want to attract and retain top talent. Impact of Tech on the Traditional Office Functions Contemporary office design is not just about revolutionizing traditional offices into collaborative, activity-based workspaces, it’s about changing traditional office functions too. Take conference rooms, for example – a traditional workplace staple used for face to face gatherings. Technology has had a huge impact here, through table top tablets, keyboard integrated chairs, integrated tabletop conferencing and networking, audio/visual integrations, not to mention privacy and secure spaces of the rooms themselves. Enter 2020 and the pervasive use of Zoom and other virtual meeting tools, and many companies are looking to repurpose some of these spaces, or at least use them as something other than a closet. With the help of companies like BE, investments in office technology can be preserved while designing the correct workspace for the new reality of workplace collaboration and technology. Design and Realize Innovative Contemporary Office Interiors in New Jersey BE Furniture is a full-service specialist in contemporary office interiors, and our experienced team can assist you with everything from conceptualizing your brand and working environment, to choosing new conference room tables and contemporary office furniture, to managing construction and fit-out of your office remodel. The integrated tech we have for your office is also state of the art and provides you the flexibility that the modern workforce demands. For more information about our products and services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ The original blog is available on https://www.befurniture.com/how-technology-impacts-office-design/ Studies into workplace wellness, productivity, and efficiency have all shown just how important the right lighting is for your office. And it makes sense – we’re diurnal creatures and light tells our brains on the most basic level when we should work and when we should sleep. But what lighting is best for the workplace?
Lighting and productivity When we have the right lighting, we feel happier, healthier, and more energetic, which is good if you want to get things done. On the other hand, the wrong lighting can push the scales in the other direction, making us feel tired and ill, headachy, and frustrated. Lighting therefore has a very powerful impact on our state of mind and trying to be productive in a too bright or too dark space means that our resources have to fight against our brains to get into that state of mind, making us less productive as a result. Clearly, if you want your office to be a productive space, you need to get the lighting just right. LEDs vs fluorescent lighting LEDs are slightly more expensive than standard office fluorescents, but they are much more energy efficient, saving a lot of money in the long run. At the same time, they are better for productivity and employee wellness too. That’s because they can be tailored to produce a much more natural light that’s gentle on the eyes and more in synch with our natural rhythms. As a result, they’re much less likely to trigger symptoms of headaches and migraines, to cause eye strain or blurred vision – all common complaints in offices with fluorescent lighting. Natural lighting Sunlight is the most natural lighting there is, and it’s what triggers the healthiest responses in our brains. According to Cornell University and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, employees exposed to natural sunlight reported 84% fewer cases of eye strain, headaches, and blurred vision, and they were better able to regulate hormones, sleep well at night, and feel energized at work the next day. You can maximize natural light in your office space by selecting a building that has good-sized windows, fewer obstructive neighbouring buildings, and an East-South-West orientation rather than a Northern one. You can also include glass architectural walls to help sunlight penetrate into the building, open up common spaces outside, and adding skylights if possible. Color and temperature The light bulbs you use should have the ability to adapt throughout the day, mimicking natural lighting outside. With smart bulbs and office management systems, this is easy to do these days – and not expensive either! In the morning, office lighting should be cooler and brighter to boost alertness and freshness. As the day progresses, it should warm to a neutral color, and then ease slowly into a more golden yellow as the afternoon progresses. However, you should keep task lighting separate from this system, ensuring that employees who require brighter lighting have access to it when performing a specific task. BE understands what lighting is best for your space BE Furniture is a specialist provider of office design and fit-out services in the tri-state area. We design your office using a holistic approach that considers the practical flow of your organizational processes, your brand values, and support for staff wellness and productivity. From office lighting to furnishings, from floor plans to construction services, we do it all. Chat to our team today to see how we can help create a workspace where you’ll thrive. To know more visit – https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content is posted on https://www.befurniture.com/how-lighting-can-affect-productivity-in-your-office/ Since unemployment benefits ran out this past fall, we all thought people would be rushing back to the office – but that just hasn’t happened. The Great Resignation is real, with 4 million Americans quitting their jobs in July 2021. This brings business owners to the following, daunting question: What on earth can I do to hire people back into the office? And it’s the right question to ask, not least of all because this type of constructive attitude is one that employees love to see. Identifying the problem within your office is step one and then figuring out a solution is the tricky part! Luckily, solving problems is a big part of what we do at BE Furniture.
Why are people resigning? Americans work hard and play hard – it’s part of our ethos and our culture, and the basis of the American dream. So why exactly are people quitting their jobs, especially in such a challenging economic time? According to research, the main reasons why people are choosing to look for opportunities elsewhere are: · Lack of recognition · Lack of flexibility in terms of work hours · Low pay and lack of benefits · Lack of work-life balance · Poor working conditions Now, this isn’t to say that your business is doing all or any of these things. In fact, because you are considering how to draw employees to your business, it’s actually showing opportunities where you can beat the competition and attract all that great talent that’s currently looking for a new home! Here’s how to turn these issues into actionable strategies to position your business. Are there spaces within the office that prioritize mental health and DEI? Toxic work cultures where employees are worked to the bone, have no work-life balance and don’t recognize achievements foster poor mental health. And when employees have little or no support for their mental health, productivity and engagement drop, and absenteeism and resignations increase. So, to get ahead of this, workplaces need to have spaces and perks that prioritize mental health and diversity, equality, and inclusion already in place. This will make employees feel welcomed and supported in your office environment, giving them what they need to deliver their best work to you. By adapting the values and policies of your business, you can achieve employee retention through office culture transformation, helping your business stay on top. This could take any shape or form, from including relaxation spaces, gardens, and cafes in an attractive office design, to having free mental health resources available for anyone who wants them. You can also take time to bring people from different cultures and areas of life together in team-building practices and social events, helping to welcome new people and create bonds that show the value of diversity and help people work together more effectively. Are you offering employees a healthy work/life balance through a hybrid office model? For today’s office workers, the choice between working from home or working from the office is too extreme. Choosing one or the other will only serve to alienate people with strong preferences, creating conflict. One solution is to offer a hybrid office model – a more flexible, middle-ground approach that allows employees to decide how and when they work, within reason. This empowers employees to have greater control over their work and family lives, ensuring they can work with greater flexibility and balance work and life commitments more easily. The Great Resignation has been driven in part by long hours working from home, unreasonable work requests at all hours and pressure to return to the office and give up any work-life balance employees had achieved. To manage this, businesses need to create structured policies that define work hours and working policies while setting out in-office hours and work expectations, allowing employees flexibility to work within these policies to manage their lives and work responsibilities on their own terms. The Great Resignation is an indication of how today’s work culture is changing. There’s no going back to pre-pandemic “normal” life – and if we are all honest, that wasn’t really working for many of today’s businesses either. As employees reinvent themselves and redefine their values, it’s up to businesses to make the transformations needed to bring the right talent to their doorstep. BE Furniture is a world-class office design team in the tri-state area offering expertise and creativity to make your office a more functional, more enjoyable, and more effective workspace. Chat to us today to find out more about our office space design services in NJ or visit https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content is posted on https://www.befurniture.com/the-great-resignation-sucks/ As we reach nearly two years into the pandemic, it’s been interesting to see how the office design environment has evolved. Our workspaces have transformed not only to accommodate health policies and regulations, but to also embrace opportunities offered by technology and productivity innovations. Today, the office design focus has shifted from “How many people can I fit in my office space?” to “How do I make people feel more comfortable in my office space?” So, with this change in focus and hybrid work options here to stay, what are our offices going to look like in 2022?
Trend #1 – Micro Offices Businesses large and small understand the benefits of remote teams but having everyone work remotely all the time just isn’t practical or efficient. Some people prefer working in the office, some jobs require you to be on-site, and some aspects of certain roles simply can’t work without face-to-face interaction. Micro offices are one way to create that balance and reap the rewards of office-based and remote working at the same time. These small offices are custom designed to fulfill your onsite business needs, whether it’s for working one-on-one with clients, providing a team with specific resources, or hosting specific departments. This hybrid workplace design allows you to create a professional space that supplies everything your staff needs to function that can’t be fulfilled remotely. This choice also allows you to benefit from reduced operational and rent costs, access to a wider talent pool, higher employee retention and more. Trend #2 – Hub-and-Spoke Office Design Not to be confused with micro offices, hub-and-spoke models are another way to balance remote and onsite team requirements. Rather than having one or two micro offices, this hybrid workplace design includes one larger central office space with satellite offices in key locations. The central office space is essentially your office headquarters and the face of your brand, with the satellite offices placed in key locations that either support a concentration of your workforce or key functions of your business. For example, you may be a digital agency with clients focused around New York City, so you want a brand presence there. This will be the hub or central office. However, rental is expensive here and many of your non-client-facing employees may live outside of the commuter area. You can then create spokes, or satellite offices, in more affordable areas, reducing operating costs and allowing you to hire talented individuals far outside your usual search area. Trend #3 – Lifestyle building amenities How the office looks and feels is also changing. Health and wellness have become central to our lives, and our personal and home values are making an impact on our work lives. Because hybrid working is not going anywhere and both managers and employees are seeing positive results in terms of productivity, it makes sense to try to bring the office and home closer together. Again, this is about bringing together the best of both worlds to create an ideal working environment based on how our communities have changed through the pandemic. We want the focus, easy access to team members, and resources of the traditional office, but we also want the freedom, comfort, and balance of home life. This will look different for every office space, but common threads include a home-like design that makes offices feel cozier and welcoming, access to showers, bike storage, and fitness rooms, a combination of social and private spaces, and amenities that support other aspects of our lifestyles. Designing Offices for How You Want to Work BE Furniture is a custom office design business specializing in the development and building of innovative office interiors. We’re passionate about delivering spaces that are not just an office, and firmly believe that customizing each office design to a client’s specific goals helps to create happier, healthier, and more productive spaces. Talk to our team today about reimagining your office space in 2022 or finding out more about the benefits of a hybrid office model. Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/working_life_in_2022/ For a while now, there has been a big shift from segregated, cubicle type offices to open-plan, collaborative work spaces. This change has shown positive results, often leading to improved workplace culture, improved teamwork and, in many cases, increased productivity as a result of a free flow of ideas and the increased likelihood of communicating better and more frequently with one’s co-workers.
However, most open-plan office set-ups and modern office design principles are still based on old ideas of sorting staff into departmental boxes, keeping certain departments within a business together, and separating ‘unrelated’ departments away from one another. The persistence of this method prevents a true culture of co-creation, which we believe will be the future of work and office design. What Is Co-creation and Why Is it So Important? Co-creation is a way in which to foster unity within an organization. It is a way of bringing each and every employee onto ‘the same page’ when it comes to your vision, mission, and goals. It is a way in which to work together to generate ideas and solutions that benefit the company as a whole, rather than only taking certain departments into consideration. Essentially, it is about transforming your business into a living, breathing entity that thinks and acts as one, rather than a loose collective of individuals on their own mission. It is about bringing your employees together and fostering the same passion for success within each and every one of them and encouraging everybody to work in the same direction. How can you create a workspace that fosters co-creation? The first step in putting together a collaborative workspace is to throw out any of your existing preconceptions about what an office should look like. The old approach, with its partitions, compartments and wall-facing desks, is a thing of the past. Ultimately, in order to ensure co-creation, you will need the right collaborative furniture to assist you in building the perfect office set-up, along with an innovative layout design that will break through barriers and draw your staff together. In order to do so, you could use the skills of professional office designers – and constructive input from your employees would help too. Once the old furniture has been removed, the new, modernized version of your workspace will include a variety of open, welcoming spaces that encourage colleagues to face each other and interact. Where there were once tiny, pigeonhole-like workstations, separated by partitions that prevented workers even seeing each other – although they were sitting only a few feet apart – you could now have circles of comfortable seating, informally arranged, facilitating both discussion and productivity. Single desks give way to shared worktables on which colleagues can easily involve themselves in one another’s tasks, but also work on their own when necessary. The overall feel is one that your team will find more inviting and be happy spending their time in for several hours a day. In turn, happier, collaborative, more creatively stimulated staff will lead to better business results too. BE Furniture Can help you Design for Co-Creation We can offer all the necessary furniture, as well the design know-how, to help you turn your office into a modern co-creation site. For information about collaborative furniture, contemporary office furniture, and co-creation workplaces in general, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at BE Furniture today! Original content was posted on https://www.befurniture.com/co-creation-the-future-of-collaborative-working-spaces/ Leesman measures employee experience via the Leesman Index – a global business intelligence tool that captures employee feedback on how effectively the workplace supports their work. Last year, the company independently assessed the workplace experience of over 150.000 employees across 971 workplaces worldwide.
The results of the survey showed that many employers routinely overlook huge opportunities to improve their employees’ work experience. The toll that this can take on the health, well-being, and efficiency is greatly underestimated. According to Leesman, the strategies behind the world’s best workplaces differ among clients, regions, and employee functions, but there are similarities in what these organizations are doing and how they approach the balancing act of ‘work’ not only being a thing you do, but also a place you actually want to be. The average space a person has at their workplace is 13.2 m2, with the densest office environments giving workers only 5.1 m2 space per person. With businesses trying to squeeze as much space as possible out of their office design, many resort to open plan offices. Of the workplaces that Leesman surveyed, only 2% featured private offices. Offices that boast green credentials generated an upswing in employee pride. These results highlight the growing belief that today’s workforce wants to work for companies who are eco-conscious, are serious about their ethical responsibilities, and want to make a difference. Many of the workplaces that scored highly feature working areas that accommodate all sorts of tasks, but their results also suggest that greater variety comes at the expense of personalization. To help employees personalize their spaces, consider collaborative furniturewhere people can work together, as well as a cubicle system where they can have their own space. Interested in contemporary office furniture? Then contact BE Furniture today at https://www.befurniture.com/. Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/lessons-we-can-learn-from-top-performing-workplaces/ There are many ways to attract top talent to your company, from great amenities to an attractive remuneration package and a welcoming company culture – but it’s your office design that will make or break that crucial first impression. While every office and business is unique, there are some standard office designswhere you can find some inspiration to remodel your office space. Here are some insights from our team.
The Wellness Workplace Wellness is a serious trend in office design, focusing on making the mental and physical health of employees a priority. By creating a wellness-focused office, your business is better able to keep employees happy and motivated, as well as reducing sick days. It’s important to focus your redesign on what suits your employees and your brand, but some ideas include:
The agile workplace is all about the ability to adapt quickly, respond meaningfully and communicate effectively. The office space that best supports this kind of culture is one where staff have the ability to work flexibly in multiple spaces within the office as their needs dictate – a mix of collaborative furniture, hot desks and lounges with private meeting spaces and social spots. Features of these workspaces include:
This is an extension of the collaborative or agile workplace, where barriers aren’t just brought down between employees and departments, but also between companies. Like a co-working space but formalized for growing businesses, this space allows companies to work together towards shared goals in a way that’s cost-effective and beneficial to both businesses. Some features of these workplaces include:
Want to revitalize your space with the latest contemporary office furniture and attract talented new hires? BE Furniture is a New Jersey-located company and a leader in the modern office design industry. Our dedicated, experienced team can assist you with everything from supplying collaborative furnitureand architectural walls for your office space to handling all your design, fitment and furniture recycling needs. For more information on our contemporary office furniture options and services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/attracting-best-talent-modern-office-design/ Contemporary Office Furniture, collaborative furniture, contemporary office furniture, modern office design, Stress may be a normal part of working life, but too much can lead to employees burning out, disengaging and becoming less productive – as well as affecting wellness and job satisfaction. According to the American Institute of Stress, constant stress can also contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. So, what are the most important sources of stress that businesses need to deal with to help staff lead healthier, more productive lives?
The Most Common Sources of Stress in the Workplace According to research by CareerCast.com, the top 4 sources of workplace stress were: Unpredictability – A lack of workplace routine, lack of schedule or routine tasks and deliverables each month. Inconsistency in daily routines where the workflow is constantly changing makes for a stressful workday where you can never seem to get ahead or settle in. Workplace environment – This refers to workplace relationships between an employee and co-workers, clients, customers, superiors and leadership. Workplace conflicts, constant pressure to perform delivered in every conversation, incomplete information and poor interpersonal/communication skills all lead to increased stress. Deadlines – Constant, overwhelming or short/demanding deadlines are an immediate trigger for stress. Safety of others – This is significant in roles where people are responsible for the physical or mental safety of others, for example, as doctors and healthcare professionals or firefighters and police officers. As you can see, stress factors can be linked to the role or industry, but there are many common triggers for stress that any workplace can try to minimize as far as possible. Combatting stress by improving communication, encouraging a more open and supportive workplace culture and even by redesigning your workplace to be more peaceful, healthy and welcoming can all help employees fight stress effectively and optimize their productivity. Create a Welcoming and Productive Workplace with Modern Office Design Ideas At BE Furniture, we offer end-to-end office furniture solutions, from designing an office remodel to fitting it out and furnishing it with the latest contemporary office furniture. As a full-service furniture dealer, we can supply you with a wide range of value-added and environmentally-sensitive products, including reception desks, standing desks, co-share or collaborate furniture, ergonomic furniture and glass partition wall systems. For more information on our modern office design services or contemporary office furniture, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.befurniture.com/ Original content posted on https://www.befurniture.com/what-is-stressing-out-your-employees/ |
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