Splitting time between the office and home has become the new norm since the pandemic hit the workforce in 2020. Since then, most companies have adopted hybrid workspaces and strategies for their teams. There are pros and cons to this, but most business owners have come to find that their employees are happier and more productive going from a stricter in-office work schedule to a hybrid workweek. But, how can you make the most of your hybrid workspace this year? Are there areas you can improve on? At BE Furniture, we always believe there is room for growth and improvement, especially when it comes to office space design. In this article, our team will go over hybrid workplace trends you will see more of in 2023.
More Hub-and-Spoke Office ModelsYou’ve heard us talk about hub-and-spoke office location strategy for a few years now but it bears repeating. This hybrid workplace design is ideal for businesses with multiple locations that want to cut down on building operating costs or reevaluate how many buildings and how much square footage they really need to run their business. The hub-and-spoke office model includes one big central office space with a few smaller satellite offices in key working locations that are more convenient for employees. The central office will act as your corporate headquarters, i.e. the face of your brand. For example, if you’re a major marketing agency in Morristown, your central office would ideally be located in the heart of downtown near all the hustle and bustle. On the other hand, the satellite offices will be located in places that are more convenient for your employees to travel to when they are needed for group meetings and client interactions in office. This design will cut down on central office operating costs in the more expensive location, and will allow you to explore more affordable office spaces to rent for satellite offices. Regardless of the location type, all the normal rules about office environments apply: it has to be someplace they want to come to work in. Optimizing hybrid work with modern, creative office solutionsIt’s important for businesses to plan and deliver solutions that will better help their teams to be more productive from wherever they are. This includes optimizing your office spaces where teams go to collaborate during the week, as well as their work-from-home set-ups. Your hub-and-spoke offices should have the tools in place for successful collaboration. For starters, this includes modern office benching that allows a core team of employees to work closely together on a shared work surface. Benching can be optimized further with add-on features like smart storage compartments, pop-up electrical outlets and privacy panels – depending on the needs of each of your core teams. Another trend we are seeing more of, is business owners taking the initiative to optimize employees’ work-from-home offices. This is a great opportunity to ensure employee satisfaction and productivity outside of the office. As we’ve seen after COVID-19, employee health and wellness is a top priority for successful companies – and it’s important for companies to successfully implement solutions that will improve this value across all team members. One way to do this is by sending modern office chairs with excellent lumbar support to ensure employee comfort while working from home. Another option is to send adjustable height desks that encourage employees to move more throughout the day, not to stay hunched over in their seats from 9 to 5. Designing Hybrid Offices Across NJ BE Furniture is a custom office design business specializing in the development and building of innovative office spaces. We’re passionate about delivering complete business environments that enhance all the aspects of a successful organization – including company culture, employee health and wellness, productivity and workflow. BE firmly believes that customizing each hybrid office design to a client’s specific goals helps create happier, healthier, and more efficient spaces for each member of your business. Give us a call today about reimagining your office space in 2023 or find out more about the benefits of a hybrid office model by visiting our website at: https://www.befurniture.com/ Original Source: https://www.befurniture.com/what-will-hybrid-workspaces-look-like-in-2023/
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Office professionals understand that the tone of the day begins the moment you wake up. It starts with your mindset, but it ends with the environment you are able to work in. Are you feeling frazzled when you wake up – already stressing about the tasks ahead? Or are you wondering if you’re ever going to have enough time or energy to complete that yearly client performance report? If you wake up and don’t feel ready to take on the next challenge or you feel your office environment isn’t helping you achieve what you set out to, it’s time to make a real change this New Year. With that said, our NJ office design specialists have compiled a list of new habits to adopt and different ways to implement them in your office in 2023.
Stay on Task You may be wondering, “How is this a new workplace habit?” While it’s not necessarily new, it’s definitely worth mentioning. Think about it, how many times have you been working on one project and then lose focus and start working on something else? Or how many times have you lost track of time in meetings that could have been an email? Probably too many to count. Do what you set out to do in the New Year by enhancing your productivity. Look into tangible solutions like an ergonomic office chair that could ensure all day-comfort, or an adjustable-height desk when sitting all day becomes too stale. Become More Organized Along the same line of thought, becoming more organized is another great way to increase your productivity. Start by making a list of where you feel the most disorganized at work and then come up with a real solution to each. If your email inbox is a mess, take an hour of your day to categorize incoming mail so you have a separate inbox for say client requests vs. requests from other members of your internal team. Or if you work with more physical documents throughout the day look into a smart filing system or storage than can double as an office divider. Minimize Negative Distractions The New Year is the optimal time to put your best foot forward with the people around you – starting with the ones you work with almost every day. Being more positive at work starts with removing yourself from situations that don’t provide any sustenance. Besides being a needless distraction, being a part of office gossip can only cause negative tension between yourself and your coworkers. This year, choose to stay away or you could even invest in modern office products that eliminate these kinds of negative distractions altogether like acoustic office panels that muffle sound and create more privacy barriers within your office space. Achieve all your Office Goals with BE Furniture in NJ Choosing the right office products for your space better ensures the overall wellness of employees. From modern commercial office furniture to new technology, our team of specialists understand this concept fully and will be able to redesign your workspace to create an environment that succeeds. Ensuring there are real solutions in place to help you and your team achieve all your company goals in the New Year! To learn more about our modern office products and remodeling services, please give us a call or visit our website at: https://www.befurniture.com/ Original Source: https://www.befurniture.com/new-year-new-habits-to-adopt-at-work/ December is almost over, and as the New Year is quickly approaching, many office executives are taking the time to reflect on how the modern workplace has changed. More importantly, we’re going to weigh in on if these two major changes are a good or a bad thing – because not all change is progression. Especially when it comes to office design that sacrifices efficiency for aesthetics.
In this article, our in-house team of modern office designers have compiled two big ways business has changed and their professional opinions on how effective these changes are today. #1. Goodbye cubicles, hello open plan layout Up until the early 2000s, many businesses opted for confined cubicle layouts within their corporate offices. The main intent of cubicle layouts was to promote more individualized and focused work and eliminate distractions. Traditionally, each cubicle enclosed a single employee and kept them separated enough from other coworkers to discourage socialization during work hours. While workplace privacy is still necessary in some forms, we’re glad to say goodbye to traditional office cubicles. Now, many modern offices are embracing the open plan layout which usually consists of one large, shared work area for the whole team. This layout is ideal for most businesses because it encourages collaboration between employees within the same department, as well as other departments within your organization. Effective collaboration not only improves productivity, but also promotes successful team-building. With this layout, you can have shared office benching, collaborative, lounge-style furniture or even the reinvented cubicles that house a small team of employees rather than just one. #2. Rise in flexible work schedules Remote work had always been considered progressive – or in a more negative connotation – lazy. Up until COVID-19 hit in 2020, many office executives were not in favor of remote working capabilities. Whether it was a lack of trust between employees, or the fear that productivity would slip, business owners feared that the state of their organization would suffer if they allowed the option for remote work. However, in the height of COVID-19, mandatory shutdowns gave businesses no choice but to allow remote working or flexible work schedules where different teams of employees would come in on alternating weeks. Fortunately, this opened the eyes for a lot of people regarding the benefits of flexible work schedules. Productivity soared for many companies because people were happier to spend a little more time with their families at home, which in turn made them want to be more productive at work. Not to mention, business owners were saving money on building operating costs with less people in the office. However, there is one downside to flex work schedules and that is a lack of connection. Some people went from seeing their coworkers everyday from 9am to 5pm, to not at all. Going from one extreme to another isn’t good either because it creates a sense of loneliness and uncertainty with where you stand at work which can create strain on your employees’ mental health. Throughout our experience designing workspaces for many companies post-COVID, we’ve found that the most successful offices are those that incorporate a hybrid working model, i.e. both remote working capabilities, as well as in person work each work. This allows employees to have that freedom and flexibility to be more present with their families, and keeps the bonds strong between core work teams. To learn more about how BE Furniture can change your workplace for the better in 2023, please give us a call today. Our in-house team of modern office specialists are constantly evaluating the latest workplace trends, technology and furniture to create complete business environments that solve issues within your organization. We not only design offices, we design cultures that promote employee productivity, wellness and connection. Visit our website today: https://www.befurniture.com/ The original blog is posted on - https://www.befurniture.com/two-major-ways-the-office-has-changed-over-the-years/ 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/ Designing your office used to follow this line of thinking, “how many computer and desk set-ups could I fit into my office space?” A great example of this outdated ideology would be the set of the hit TV Show The Office, where everywhere you looked you saw a boxy office cubicle and somebody who looked less than thrilled to sit in it. Thankfully, office design has come a long way. Now, more importance is placed on balancing function with design – and luckily one doesn’t have to dictate the other. In this article, our team of modern office designers will discuss how you can successfully incorporate both technology and progressive design elements into your modern workspace.
Workstations that Configure and Reconfigure First and foremost, we recommend really sitting down and planning out the ideal layout of your space. The floor plan is a major factor that influences your workflow – how your core teams collaborate and complete tasks for your business. This can be tricky, especially as your business grows and you start retaining more talent. With that in mind, you need office furniture that is flexible with the ever-changing work landscape. Sit-to-stand workstations are ideal because they come in multiple sizes and shapes and can easily be reconfigured if you decide to change your floor plan down the road. These desking systems are available in many different colors and finishes to complement your design aesthetic and incorporate technology that helps your people in more ways than one. The sit-to-stand feature adds more movement to the work day, so your employees are not planted in their chairs from 9 to 5. Adjustable height desks also have options to add pop-up outlets and other tech add-ons to ensure each workstation is fully optimized. Acoustic Elements to Mitigate Sound Another design element that can be overlooked is one you don’t see at first: sound. How does sound travel in your space? If there is a lot of echo and reverberation, don’t worry. There are ways to mitigate the sound that don’t involve constructing a permanent wall into your layout. Office acoustic products, for example, are a great way to marry technology and design within your modern work environment. There are non-permanent space dividers that are both visually appealing and buffer sound. There are ceiling acoustics that can double as funky light fixtures. There are even modern-looking structures that provide privacy, dampen sound and provide more space for storage. Not to mention, these acoustic solutions come in a plethora of colors and shapes to add a real “wow” factor to your business. First impressions are everything, and these design-forward products are a conversation starter that could make a lasting impact on new clients. Tech Solutions to Improve Employee Health If your people aren’t well, then your business will suffer – plain and simple. One of the only positive impacts of COVID-19 is the more serious attitude placed on improving employee health and wellness within the workplace. Business owners have become so dedicated to this aspect, that they have actually remodeled their office space completely to space out workstations, add more rooms dedicated to health and wellness, bought furniture with biotoxic properties, and put up more walls for separation. While we certainly don’t discourage a complete office remodel, we’re here to tell you this can still be done on a smaller scale through investing in the right products. For example, Dyson air purifiers are sleek in design, can fit into virtually any sized office space and can drastically improve the air quality for your people. Another option is installing UV lights into your space to not only enhance the lighting, but also to keep your employees comfortable with more warmth. Hi-Tech and Modern Office Design by BE Furniture in NJ The right office design 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 commercial furniture to technology – creatively and with company goals in mind. Our team of office design specialists understand this concept fully, and will be with you every step of the way during your remodel. From removing your old office furniture to installation and final clean-up, BE Furniture is dedicated to creating complete business environments that prioritize the needs of employees and “wow” potential clients that come to visit. 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/ The original blog is available at: https://www.befurniture.com/technology-and-design-it-doesnt-have-to-be-one-or-the-other/ 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/ Sure, it’s first priority to make your office aesthetically pleasing and efficient with top of the line workstations, ergonomic chairs and modern design pieces. However, your office also needs to be easily accessible to those with disabilities and different needs. A major part of the office design process is ensuring you maintain your brand image, while also making your workspace compliant with ADA guidelines. Here at BE, our office design specialists outline why having a disability-friendly and ADA compliant office space is so important – and we can help you achieve this and more through our office design services in New Jersey.
It’s about more than compliance Of course, there are state and federal laws that mandate your office is ADA compliant, and it’s important to review and understand these laws when you begin the office design process. But this is about so much more than just being compliant with the law. Here’s why:
Let’s not forget about clients, customers and vendors either. Having a disability-friendly and ADA compliant office space makes it welcoming and accessible to all, helping to build wider, stronger networks to drive customer retention, growth and much more. Simple office solutions to bring in big rewards When it comes to office design, there are so many great ways to make your space not only compliant, but a great space for anyone to work or utilize. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
BE Furniture is a custom office design business specializing in the development and building of innovative office interiors. Passionate about delivering spaces that are not just an office, we firmly believe that customizing each office design to a client’s specific goals helps to create happier, healthier, and more productive spaces that are both disability and ADA compliant. Call our team today about reimagining your office space to make it more practical, functional, and purposeful for everyone. You could also visit our website to learn more about our current office design projects and the markets we serve: https://www.befurniture.com/ The original blog is posted on- https://www.befurniture.com/is-your-office-disability-friendly-and-ada-compliant/ Today more than ever, office design is recognized as a key element for a productive, high-performance organization. Your layout and office furniture should be set up to support everyday workflow efficiently and prioritize the wellbeing of your employees. Modern office design should also make a statement. How do you want to appear to potential clients who first walk into your space? There is a lot to take into account when designing your modern work environment and it’s important to be aware of common mistakes people make during the design process. Our key office design team at BE has compiled a list of the most common office design mistakes that you don’t want to overlook.
BE Furniture is a team of New Jersey-based office design specialists focused on making innovative office ideas 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 and how you work. From complete office remodeling and design services to hotdesking and sit-to-stand desk options, ergonomic office furniture and modern office cubicles, we can supply it all. To find out more about our office design services and furniture, please visit our website at: https://www.befurniture.com/ The original blog is posted on- https://www.befurniture.com/common-office-design-mistakes-you-want-to-avoid/ For educational programs to be a success, you need a great recipe – passionate and qualified teachers, innovative educational techniques, and a vibrant learning space where children feel safe. In this article, we’re looking at how the right design and furniture work to support learning, make teaching and administration easier, and create an environment where kids can really thrive.
Education has changed – so should your space During the COVID-19 pandemic, everything shifted to the online space, schooling included. However, as the pandemic stage has passed, it’s caused educators to rethink the learning space and realize the full value of schools and classrooms. There’s been an interesting shift away from the standard floor plan, where students passively learned in big groups while teachers taught. This is largely due to the realization of just how important in-person, one on one interaction really is for learning, collaboration, and skill development. After years of being limited to interactions online and students being isolated, educators are driving change throughout the system, focusing not just on what students learn but how and where they learn. And that’s where an innovative classroom and administrative space is key! Educational design trends to reinvent the classroom
The team at BE Furniture has worked extensively with the educational sector to better align their spaces to support a more innovative, flexible style of learning – which helps better prepare students for the world of work. Through our design and remodeling services, we work one-on-one with our clients to create learning spaces that support students and staff, ignite the imagination, and give students a comfortable and empowering space to succeed. We have also worked with the autism and special educational needs sector, delivering learning spaces that are secure, fun, and help every child to thrive. To find out more about our educational furniture services or past education design projects, contact us today or visit us at: https://www.befurniture.com/higher-education/ The original blog is posted on: https://www.befurniture.com/its-back-to-school-time/ Whether it’s to achieve a more modern look and feel, or to make your space more practical and efficient, redesigning your office is essential to creating a productive space where your people feel comfortable and excited to come to work. One of the best ways to redesign your office is with your furniture choices. But what about your old office furniture? Most of it is probably in fair condition, but it’s probably not right for the space you’re trying to achieve now. The good news is that there’s no need to throw it out or to worry about it going to waste!
Guilt-free, easy office furniture removal in NJ BE Furniture offers an eco-friendly office furniture removal service where we remove old furniture and office fittings for recycling. Our team will evaluate your materials and furnishings, disassemble, and utilise the pieces for upcycling or the design and development of other office furniture. Thus making your office redesign environmentally friendly and low waste. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, a massive 8.5 million tons of office assets end up in our landfills! Much of this is custom furnishings that quickly outlive their usability and is then dumped. While our office design team believes customization is key to a great office environment, we actively take a stand against fast furnishings by building sustainability into our office furniture at every stage of the creative design and manufacturing process. This includes using recycled office materials in our process, including old desks, filing cabinets, bookshelves, carpeting, cubicle walls, and office chairs. We even prioritize alternative packing materials for new furnishings, properly disposing of Styrofoam and cardboard. Your clients will love it too! This service is important to us and our clients for two reasons – not only does it make the office redesign process guilt-free and reduce waste going into landfills, but it also supports sustainability efforts that your clients can’t get enough of. Many of the businesses we work with already understand just how important sustainability and meaningful green initiatives are to their customers. After all, according to a large-scale survey from IBM in 2020, 80% of customers showed that sustainability was important to them, with 70% indicating they would be willing to pay a premium for goods and services from companies that demonstrated these values, and 57% saying they’d change their shopping habits to reduce environmental impact. A cutting-edge, custom office design will surely wow your clients and customers – but being able to say that you’ve actively supported sustainability throughout your redesign process is the cherry on top! Making office redesigns and remodels greener in the tristate area BE Furniture offers services to clients throughout the tristate area, specializing in custom and sustainable office designs, as well as office furniture removal and recycling. Our team will remove and recycle all your old office furniture, so you can feel even better about your new office space! We also offer furniture restoration to bring older furniture back to life and furniture storage if you aren’t ready to let go of that beautiful, wood veneer conference table yet. Contact us today for the greenest office solutions in the tristate area and learn more about what we do at: https://www.befurniture.com/services/office-furniture-removal/ The original blog is posted on: https://www.befurniture.com/stuck-with-your-old-office-furniture/ |
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