Planning for Happiness and Productivity in the Office

Happiness and Productivity in the Office OFS Heya Table
Cultivate strong morale and you’ll have more employees who are happy and engaged in their work. But is happiness in the office really important? Shouldn’t people just buckle down and do their work?  Read on to learn how to plan for happiness and productivity in the office.

Let’s think it through and see how to turn happiness into something that’ll fuel a competitive advantage in your company.

What would you rather have?

An employee constantly daydreaming of splashing in the surf off Malibu or skiing in Big Bear while wondering how they can rage apply for jobs at other companies? Or an employee who’s happily focused on finishing their tasks to the best of their abilities?

Happiness matters. Employees who are upbeat and positive will deliver.

In the book, The Happiness Advantage, author Shawn Achor concludes, “A decade of research proves that happiness raises nearly every business and educational outcome: raising sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, and accuracy on tasks by 19%, as well as a myriad of health and quality of life improvements.”

Think of high job satisfaction as a competitive advantage.

But can companies do anything to affect an employee’s happiness?

Create a Destination Place for Happiness and Productivity in the Office

In September 2022, a discussion on the social media platform Reddit surveyed what makes people happy in Los Angeles. Attractions like the Greek Theater, Hollywood Bowl, and Sunset Strip ranked high as did food, like the variety of ethnic foods—from Mexican and Peruvian to Thai and Ethiopian.

You’re not expected to turn the workplace into a resort, but you’re making the office a desired place to settle in and work. In the age of hybrid work schedules and remote work possibilities, create an upbeat atmosphere where people want to be. Make it part of your internal branding.

And as far as food, once or twice a year have entrees brought in that reflect the diverse tastes of Los Angeles.

Here’s what matters.

Plan Spaces

An office with an effective workflow isn’t just a random collection of desks. You need to think of who the users are and how they need unique spaces:

  • Executive decision-makers
  • Managers
  • Full-time in-house employees with specific functions
  • Remote workers
  • Temporary employees


Photo: Enwork Cayman Height Adjustable Desk

An executive may spend hours at her desk, but could her office, or the area just outside the office, also serve as a strategic planning center?


Photo: Friant Anza Lounge Chair

How about creating touchdown spaces? These are more informal lounge areas where remote workers coming into the office for a meeting can sit and prepare. They also serve as meeting areas for in-office workers with an atmosphere that’s more relaxed than conference rooms.

Use Supportive Equipment

Ergonomics is key to achieve happiness and productivity in the office. Keep in mind the benefits of ergonomics and that they set the tone for happy employees. A range of products can help you achieve your goals.


Photo: AMQ Tizu Work Chair

Quality ergonomic chairs that adjust to support the lower back, elbows, and knees reduce the stress of sitting.


Photo: DeskMakers Hover Workstations

Height-adjustable desks make it possible for computer monitors to be at a comfortable eye level so any strain on the neck and shoulders is minimized.


Photo: Snowsound Corner Desk Panels

Ergonomic accessories like proper lighting are a necessity to reduce eye strain. Good lighting is more than lamps. Maximize natural light since it’s proven to boost moods and aid in a person’s natural cycle of waking and sleeping.

Physical discomfort is a distraction and results in much higher rates of absenteeism. Supporting your workers with ergonomic solutions is part of an overall wellness strategy.

Make Clear Communication A Priority

When people know what’s expected of them, then they can handle their work confidently and feel like they’re moving forward with work that matters.

Clarify your vision, mission, and goals.

Listen and address the challenges that arise.

What you’re doing is building a community where people trust each other and believe that management values them.  This will lead to happiness and productivity in the office

This effort “improves processes and procedures and ultimately creates greater efficiencies and reduces costs,” as described by the Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM) in an article, “Managing Organizational Communication.”


Photo: Friant System2 Workstation

Make communication areas part of your office design. Managers can use cubicles like the Friant System 2 Workstation which can accommodate one to three people for meetings.

Use videoconferencing with remote workers. Everyone can hop on a call using their own laptops, but there could be advantages to having a media space with architectural walls.

Or, use a media table in a compact area. 2010 Office Furniture carries several models.

The Scale 1:1 TeleMeet Connect Table can be expanded to accommodate anywhere from six people to a few dozen staff gathered.

Install a “designated island of productivity” with the OFS Intermix Collaborative Table.

Get Help on Boosting Happiness and Productivity in the Office

Plan for a sustainable and profitable future by fostering happiness and productivity in the office. Trust input from the team at 2010 Office Furniture who have a combined half-century of helping notable clients throughout Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.

Planning your office space and using furnishings that bring out the best in your team will give you an edge in retaining employees who are engaged in their work.

Contact 2010 Office Furniture with your project needs and questions.

Read Also: The Best Office Spaces are Responsive to Employee Needs
Main Photo: OFS Heya Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: AMQ, DeskMakers, Enwork, Friant, OFS & Snowsound

Best Uses of Flexible Office Spaces

Flexible Office Spaces OFS Hex Seating Ottomans and Tables

Flexible office spaces are necessary for today’s office environment and they have benefits that help employees get the work done while keeping them engaged. Flexible office spaces are orderly and structured—not scattered, chaotic, or haphazard.

Plan the areas needed for focused work and spontaneous interactions since both are needed.

Modular office furniture solutions make it easier to meet the needs of your employees and show them that you’re committed to supporting their efforts.

You’ll also see advantages to using modular office furniture, especially in contemporary office designs.

The Need For Flexible Office Spaces

In recent decades, thinking has switched from “workers must produce no matter how tough the environment” to an emphasis on ergonomics and supporting employees with the best possible tools. Productive offices with good morale have the equipment and well-planned spaces that support employees.  

Companies face the challenges of accommodating staff with different types of needs in today’s hybrid workforce. Employees can accomplish their tasks in different locations thanks to communication technologies.

In past decades, outside salespeople were the ones coming and going from the office. Now, members of finance teams and production teams can do their work remotely or in the corporate office.

Today’s flexible office spaces accommodate ever-changing needs. A variety of furnishings are made to be completely mobile in multi-use spaces.

Flexible Office Spaces Stylex Verve Chairs
Photo: Stylex Verve Chairs

Flexible Office Space Planning

Planning your space well is essential. Here’s what’s happening:

You’re laying out the office so the workflow moves logically and your employees feel supported.

No easy task, but 2010 Office Furniture has over a half-century of experience helping clients determine the best office layouts for productivity.

Each client receives custom solutions depending on their size and how many employees are full-time on-site; remote; or temporary.

The hybrid office is an ongoing reality where you can create flexible office spaces clearly defined by tasks and departments, and other spaces that can be arranged to meet any specific need.

Who Are Flexible Spaces For?

Full-Time Staff

Your full-time, in-house staff who endure commutes along freeways like the 405, or the 55 in Orange County, need their dedicated workspace. Flexible office spaces for them mean giving them the freedom to move from one place and relocate with their laptops and cell phones, or pen and paper pads, to a comfortable area where they can get away from the confines of a workstation.

Give your team the freedom to move around the office with:

Photo: Source International Repeat Seating

Remote Workers

Team members who work from home or other remote locations need to stop in periodically for briefings and other types of updates with in-house staff.  This is where flexible office spaces are extremely useful and beneficial.


Photo: ERG International Brighton Modular Lounge Seating

Architectural walls provide flexible office spaces for meetings and so do certain types of lounge furniture like the ERG Brighton International Modular Lounge Seating, designed so users can make multiple configurations.

You can also provide workstations for remote workers, especially those on a hybrid schedule.

If your area is sectioned off by departments, then each department can have a specific place for the employees who stop in two or three days per week.

Temporary Workers

Modular cubicles help with flexible office spaces.  Thanks to modular cubicles, you can easily put workstations and certain models of tables in storage until you need them.

Maybe you need to hire a temporary worker for a month or more to catch up on data entry or create new marketing materials.

It’s easy to take cubicles out of storage, set them up, and then take them down again as needed. Choose from traditional-looking cubicles like the HON Accelerate Workstation or a unique design like the DARRAN Honey Workspace.


Photo: HON Accelerate Cubicle Workstations


Photo: Darran Honey Workstations

Clients

Flexible spaces accommodate clients as well.  You don’t need a conference room for a meeting area. An enclosed conference room may seem too constricted. Create a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere using modular furniture that has color schemes and fabrics with a homey feel.


Photo: ERG International Laguna Lounge Seating

Consider the ERG International Laguna Lounge Seating which has numerous customizable options and fits in personal and public spaces such as common areas, cafes, and lobbies.

Nesting tables can be used for a pop-up workspace and returned when finished.

Vendors

People who you contract with will occasionally want to stop in and show you new product lines or give you ideas on how you can improve some part of your operation. So now, you’re the client and they’re the supplier.

Arrange modular and acoustic furniture for flexible office spaces as a solution or take them inside a space that’s defined by architectural walls.


Photo: Trendway Volo Architectural Walls

Plan Your Office With 2010 Office Furniture

Refresh your office and create flexible office spaces to meet your existing needs. The team at 2010 Office Furniture has helped Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, nonprofits, and small businesses function more effectively with customized and modular furniture solutions.

Contact 2010 Office Furniture with questions related to your needs and possible projects.

Read Also: Using Mobile and Nesting Desks for Your Office
Main Photo: OFS Hex Seating & Ottomans
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Darran, ERG International, HON, Source International, Stylex & Trendway

Leveraging the Benefits of Informal Workspaces in Office Planning and Design

Informal Workspaces Edge Collaboration Spaces

Informal workspaces are a strategic use of your existing office space.  They are much more than having a ping-pong table available for team-building exercises.

It’s an important step in ergonomics.  Furniture equipment should meet the needs of the worker instead of making the worker use the equipment at personal expense.

Planning and designing informal office workspaces will:

  • Accommodate remote workers and accommodate staff who work full-time in the office
  • Encourage collaboration among a diverse workforce
  • Promote transparency
  • Utilize spaces that would otherwise sit empty for hours on end

Why should you refresh your work environment and plan to use informal spaces?

With informal workspaces, you can make your office a welcome destination by using space that “will reflect the organization’s purpose, vision and culture … and inspire a workforce,” as Blake Searles, senior managing director for Jones Lang LaSalle in Los Angeles, said.  Jean was addressing attendees during a panel discussion of Navigating Workplace Needs, hosted by the LA Business Journal in 2021.

How Informal Workspaces Emerged

Google and tech startups in the early 2000s did more than change how we access information. They changed the standards of a professional office setting. Programmers and other tech creatives, who were often recent college grads, showed up in jeans and T-shirts.

The idea fit into the California lifestyle of beaches and mountains, and led the way for informal workspaces.

Informal offices turned into beanbag chairs with programmers glued to their laptops.  They played foosball or ping pong during break times or problem-solving discussions.

Tables like these are fun—and can help reduce workplace tension which is why 2010 Office Furniture carries the Scale 1:1 Nomad Conference Table. You can gather a team around it for planning, use the surface as a whiteboard, or have a robust ping-pong match during breaks.


Photo: Scale 1:1 Nomad Conference Table

Many white-collar companies never adopted the hip tech approach, and many stayed with the traditional, closed-wall settings of individual executive offices. That is, until open office plans with freshly designed cubicles and bench seating became the go-to trend, a nod and step toward informal workspaces.


Photo: DARRAN Honey Workstation

The need for privacy and personal space remained and thanks to the widespread use of laptops and cell phones, companies began setting aside dedicated areas like lounges for employees who wanted time away from being elbow-to-elbow with others.


Photo: ERG International Hetfield Table

Ideas for Office Informal Workspaces

See how a variety of office settings are arranged on the 2010 Office Inspiration page.

Here are a few ideas for creating an atmosphere that’s unique to your company’s brand and workflow—allowing for both structured and informal workspaces:

Each of the many office plans meets specific needs and builds on trends of earlier years like open office floor plans. Critics said one of the downsides was that concentration was impaired. 2010 Office Furniture provides Open Plan solutions with many open plan desking options that also allows for personal space.


Photo: Friant Dash Workstation

When COVID-19 led to mandatory remote working then employees found they could be in an informal setting of their homes or coffee shops yet remain productive. Virtual meetings kept staff tuned into the corporate office.

Getting employees back into an office that truly supports their work was a concern.

The colorful Upbeat Office, or the minimalist office in the Scandinavian style, and the use of nature in the Green Office show how the work environment can be pleasing and even preferred over remote locations.

But nothing truly replaces face-to-face interactions.

So it’s out with walled individual office space, all-day tasks done only at the cubicle or workstation, and in with informal workspaces. A key benefit is that more office space is used throughout the day.


Photo: Stylex Free Address Tables

How Informal Workspaces Maximize Office Usage

When workers were expected to stay at their desks several hours a day, portions of offices, like breakrooms and conference rooms, sat empty for hours at a time. Spur of the moment or planned meetings were held at desks, which could be intimidating in certain work relationships. And other times, important meetings might be postponed while employees waited for a conference room to be available.

There’s less need to step into a designated conference room. Common areas can be used for small group meetings away from workstations. And minimal tables for monitors and online meetings can be set up so they remain unobtrusive.

Informal Workspaces Source International Scape Seating
Photo: Source International Scape Lounge Seating

Stepping out for a working lunch can be a nice change of scenery, or a meeting at a coffee shop can meet the same need. But a breakroom where lunch and coffee are available can serve a similar purpose in the mornings, during lunch, or in the afternoons.

Encouraging mobility makes the office more functional and dynamic than only having specific desks where all the work is expected to be handled.  This is why informal workspaces accessible to everyone works, and make good use of otherwise unoccupied office spaces.

Informal Spaces are Professional Spaces

Informal spaces can certainly serve collaborative efforts and meet the needs of individual employees. Planning your space is essential so your team has room for those important spur-of-the-moment ideas that lead to greater productivity and professional satisfaction.


Photo: Scale 1:1 Nomad Conference Table

In today’s world, boundaries are blurred between personal lives and professional careers.  Informal spaces help employees relate to each other and meet the need for social interactions.

Rely on Expertise and Experience

Contact the team at 2010 Office Furniture for help to create your informal workspaces.  Get trusted advice from their combined half-century.  They’ve provided solutions for distinguished clients throughout Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.

Read Also: Design and Plan Your Office for Collaboration and Inspiration
Main Photo: OFS Edge Collaboration Spaces
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: DARRAN, ERG International, Friant, Scale 1:1, OFS, Source and Stylex

How to Decide if You Should Buy Used or New Office Furniture in Orange County

Orange County Used Office Furniture Senator Group SetMe Workstations

Businesses in all industries face the same question: is It better to buy office furniture new or used?

No matter the company, from a digital marketing agency in Mission Viejo, a professional health practice in Fullerton, to a startup tech company in Irvine, one may wonder if you should invest in new or used furniture.

Read on to clarify your decision-making process.

Supporting the Well-Being of Employees and Visitors

Our physical and emotional health is a priority. The purpose of office furniture is to properly support your employees so they’re physically comfortable in handling their tasks.

Clunky chairs, tables that wobble, and height-adjustable desks with worn-out gears are a distraction and they can impact how you sit or stand.

Let’s look closely at office chairs. A chair that’s made well assists in good posture and has the necessary lumbar support to reduce strain on the lower back, knees, and elbows.


Photo: Friant Amenity Seating

Can the quality of used furniture match the quality of new?

You have to make similar comparisons. Not all office chairs that are branded as ergonomic are comparable in quality. 2010 Office Furniture will only sell quality new or used furnishings.

An office chair with an ergonomic design like one from Boss that’s on clearance is built to last and serves executives, mid-level managers, and freelance team members.


Photo: Boss B9471-GY Chair

The Herman Miller Aeron Chair that’s pre-owned is another example of quality used furniture that’s worth purchasing for startup firms or established corporations.

Quality chairs affect employee performance. If you can’t get good quality in a used model, then it’s worth purchasing new ergonomic chairs.


Photo: Rouillard Lead X Chairs

Guest chairs should be comfortable and supportive for a visitor waiting in a lobby or sitting in a conference room. Since a guest may only use the chairs for minutes or perhaps a couple of hours, then the impact on the body isn’t as profound as it is on employees.

The chair should look stylish and have a pleasant appearance to reflect your company’s brand and expertise.

Purchasing used guest or multi-purpose chairs can work just as well as purchasing new ones. See the available choices on the 2010 Office Furniture’s Used Office Chairs page.

Brands like 9 to 5 Seating Used Cydia Guest Chair with a cool, mesh finish fit well in offices for professional consultants, universities, or health offices.

Add a dash of color and a unique style to your office lobby or meeting room with the Cherryman Used Jade Guest Chair.

Sitting stresses our bodies. Purchase office chairs and guest chairs that benefit a person’s well-being.

Supporting Form and Office Functionality

Choosing a workstation, desk, cubicle, and other standard office items has less impact on the body than selecting the correct chair. However, they should fit with the overall style and function well.


Photo: Krug Latitude Height Adjustable Desk

Desks support work by offering enough surface area for reviewing papers or hosting meetings. Workstations and cubicles should be comfortable and welcoming in appearance.

Used desks, workstations, and cubicles come in a variety of styles and colors. If there’s a brand or model you’re interested in, but don’t see on our pages then the 2010 Office Furniture Team will make every effort to procure the item you’d prefer.


Photo: Chessman Emerald Desk

Is buying used worth it? Yes, when the quality exists and the price is a substantial discount.

The AMQ Used Dual Height Adjustable Workstation is an example of a used product that was used on display in a showroom and is about 75% off the cost of the original price.

A conference table is another item that’s often worth buying used.

The Maverick Used Pacifica Conference Table is styled for any professional conference room setting at a fraction of the new retail price.


Photo: Maverick Pacifica Table

Plan Your Space Well

The furnishings you choose, how you arrange them, and the atmosphere you create will impact overall productivity and the employee mindset.

The team at 2010 Office Furniture offers space planning as a service because they’re passionate that a well-planned space will make your employees and visitors feel that you operate in a cohesive manner.

Once you’ve settled on the layout, then it becomes easier to choose the used or new furniture and storage solutions that will meet your needs.

This gives you a competitive edge among the many entrepreneurs and established professionals in Orange County while boosting your own confidence that your organization is run efficiently.

Rely on Our Experience

Trust 2010 Office Furniture to plan your space and meet your furnishing requirements based on our half-century of experience working with the most distinguished brands as our clients in Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire.

Contact us with your needs and we’ll gladly be of service.

Read Also: Plan Your Office Branding for the Employee Experience
Main Photo: Senator Group SetMe Workstations
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Boss, Cherryman, Friant, Krug, Maverick, Rouillard & Senator Group

Reasons to Buy Quality Used Office Furniture in Orange County

Orange County Used Furniture HON Ignition Chair

Buying used office furniture can prove to be a smart money move for startup companies, established businesses, and nonprofits in Orange County. Remember, quality always counts whether you’re buying new or used.

Quality office furnishings are designed to support workers so they can be productive and remain healthy day after day. Companies on a budget and those who are re-branding can benefit from purchasing used office furniture if it’s properly selected.

Refer to these guidelines in choosing what you need.


Photo: 9 to 5 Seating Cydia Chairs

Used Furniture for Startups in Orange County

A 2021 survey published in the Orange County Register says Irvine is the best city in California to start a business. The findings from Wallethub.com cited the overall business environment in Irvine as a major plus along with supportive resources.

Whether you’re starting out of a space in Irvine or any of Orange County’s 34 incorporated cities, buying used furniture can:

  • Let you purchase brand names at lower prices
  • Give you flexibility
  • Test the types of furnishings you think you might like
  • Afford quality brands that will last

Start with quality used furniture. As your business grows and if you need to relocate, bring the used furnishings that you like with you or choose new styles that fit your overall office design.


Photo: Friant Interra Workstations

Used Furniture for Established Businesses and Nonprofits in Orange County

The top industries in Orange County are healthcare, life sciences, information technology, and digital media. Renewable energy and advanced transportation round out the top industries, according to the Orange County Business Council.

If you’re an established brand in one of these or other industries, then you might find that buying specific types of used furniture is the smartest move for you. Specific departments may have a need to fill a space for a new hire or create a space for a freelance worker.

Breakrooms and reception areas are other places where pre-owned chairs, tables, and desks that are in excellent condition can be smart purchases.


Photo: AMQ Tizu Chair

What to Know About Buying Used Office Furniture

Know the purpose for each item and know the value to your team.

Filing cabinets keep the office neat. A durable and attractive filing cabinet is the Maxon Used Lateral File Cabinet with three drawers. Expect this filing cabinet to serve well for years to come. Both laminate and metal finishes are available.

Filing cabinets are a much more static piece of equipment compared to office chairs. We sit for hours at a time and how we sit affects our bodies.

All office chairs aren’t manufactured to the same standards.

Sitting stresses the body. Ergonomic chairs that are easy to adjust will distribute a person’s weight to reduce the risk of strain on the lower back, knees, and elbows.


Photo: 9 to 5 Seating Core Chairs

Promote employee well-being with a pre-owned seating solution like the Herman Miller Aeron Chair. This is a durable chair with lumbar support that’s designed to keep the user cool and comfortable.

Executive desk sets offer a substantial surface area for spreading out. Traditional sitting desks, height-adjustable desks, and workstations in various configurations are available.


Photo: Maverick Apex Desk

Inspect your used furniture like the team does at 2010 Office Furniture:

  • Look at the seams and fabrics of items like guest chairs to make sure the appearance will last
  • Gears on height-adjustable desks should move effortlessly
  • Ensure there are no dents or missing pieces in modular workstations you purchase

Durability is key.

2010 Office Furniture only sells quality products—new and used. Used furnishings can last for years to come.

Check out current supplies under our Used Furniture page and our Liquidation Sale page. It’s updated when we need to make room for new inventory.


Photo: ODS X-Bench Conference Table

Used office furniture that’s designed well can meet your needs, more than pay for itself in a short time, and last for many decades on end.

2010 Office Furniture also offers space planning services as another way to help you plan your office space as a new company and to help established businesses work more efficiently.

We’re Here to Help

Rely on the more than 50 years of experience that the 2010 Office Furniture team has. Our clients are among Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, universities, and small businesses.

Contact us and let us know your needs.

Read Also: Choosing the Best Benching or Desking Workstations in Los Angeles
Main Photo: HON Ignition Task Chair
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: 9to5 Seating, AMQ, Friant, HON, Maverick & ODS

Designing for Comfort and Employee Well-Being with the Resimercial Office Trend

Resimercial Office Trend HON Westhill Lounge

Lines between our personal and professional lives have blurred with instant communication and cloud storage. Kids and colleagues can get in touch as needed. There are boundaries, of course. But the 2020 stay-at-home orders showed that many companies found a way to keep operating with nearly all of their employees at home.  Enter the Resimercial office trend.

Now that the focus is once again on the corporate setting, the Resimercial office trend is more popular than ever.

Create an inviting office where home-style comforts are mixed with commercial durability. The benefits of resimercial design include increased comfort with a boost in productivity.


Photo: Snowsound Perline Acoustic Panel

Why can’t a corporate office have the needed functionality plus personality?

This type of office bridges the settings of home and work—while being flexible enough to incorporate the best of both residential and commercial.

A well-planned resimercial office space following the resimercial office trend will have the furnishings that are needed with intangible elements that can make your office a welcome destination.  The addition of biophilic design (bringing elements of nature indoors) also is a huge benefits as it helps improve overall office wellbeing and positivity.

Resimercial Office Trend: Attitude and Atmosphere

Use as many large windows as possible to get rid of stuffy feelings inside. Southern California has a diverse landscape of beaches and mountains, plenty of sunshine, and some of the best weather in the U.S.

Office settings that incorporate natural elements create a pleasant atmosphere—especially when maximizing natural light and using colors that represent the surrounding environment.

Offices in Pasadena or Monrovia can use as much window space possible to capture the red and purple hues of the afternoon sun on the San Gabriel Mountains.

In Playa Vista or Culver City, an office can make use of ocean scenes and equip an outdoor space to experience the ocean breezes.

Use green on your walls strategically with the Nevins Bio Canvas Frame. Bark, moss, and stone panels are tastefully arranged in this no-maintenance option.

These touches make an office personable while getting rid of a sterile feeling.

Work is demanding, but these familiar connections can reduce stress and show employees that they don’t have to be separated from the soothing elements of the world.

Resimercial Office Trend: Furnishings and Fabrics

Office spaces that are planned effectively have a clear purpose. Visit 2010 Office Furniture’s resimercial office trend page to stir your own creativity.

Don’t wall people off from each other. Use furnishings that allow for a flow of open interaction yet provide private spaces. Placement, look, and feel are factors that the team at 2010 Office Furniture considers when assisting clients in planning their spaces.


Photo: Maverick Apex Desk Workstations

You’ve got many choices ranging from the inventive DARRAN Chameleon Workspace to the Maverick Apex Open Plan Desking and the Global Zira Desking Workstation.


Photo: Darran Chameleon Workspace

Each solution is unique with finishes that look pleasant, has comfortable seating, and can be incorporated into a soft, office design.

In a home office, you should have a dedicated workspace, but you’re free to move around and work on the sofa or at the kitchen table. Design that same freedom into your office setting.

Make your breakroom personally stylish using items like the Arcadia Betwixt Table.


Photo: Arcadia Betwixt Table

Consider the DARRAN Honey Lounge Seating. It’s a seating solution that incorporates nature, provides ergonomic comfort, and has been proven to help reduce stress, bolster productivity and enhance well-being.


Photo: Darran Honey Lounge

Storage space is important in both the residential and commercial worlds. Step away from gray metal with the OFS Hitch Shelf and Storage, a unique, modular storage system available in a range of wood veneer finishes.

Resimercial design has a range of ergonomic benefits when quality furnishings are used.

Expect durability. Commercial grade furniture is meant for heavy use, several hours a day, while a sofa in your home is meant for much lighter use. You can still have comfort with quality seating and workspaces.

People and Productivity

The Resimercial office trend isn’t just about furnishings. It’s about letting your employees work in comfort while maintaining high levels of productivity.

Promote well-being.

Quality office chairs are a good place to begin.

The OFS Pret Chair is the type of ergonomic seating solution that’s pleasant to look at while supporting an individual’s body weight and shape.


Photo: HON Solve Chair

Lighting matters, too. Forget big and bulky lamps. Sleek is in for corporate settings and home offices. The Workrite Fundamentals 2 Desktop Light focuses light as needed without getting in the way. It’s one of many ergonomic lighting options.

Channeling sound is another way to make the office pleasant and comfortable. Use acoustic panels of all shapes and colors to deflect and absorb potentially distracting conversations and clacking keyboards.


Photo: Nevins Bio Canvas Panels

As you make the office comfortable, employees will find it a desirable setting to work in. It could become their home away from home.

Rely on 2010 Office Furniture for Resimercial Office Trend

The team at 2010 Office Furniture has more than 50 years of combined experience working with clientele that are among Southern California’s most notable corporations, universities, and other not-for-profits, and small businesses in all industries.

Contact them with your office needs and questions.

Read Also: 6 Reasons to Use a Resimercial Design for Your Office
Main Photo: HON Westhill Lounge
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Arcadia, Darran, HON, Maverick, Nevins & Snowsound

Design and Plan Your Office for Collaboration and Inspiration

Design and Plan Your Office for Collaboration and Inspiration AIS Calibrate Table

Elevate your office from the mundane to a setting that generates collaboration and inspires your team to do their best. The thought invested in planning spaces, choosing the right furnishings, and using color schemes that matter keep morale high and your employees working at peak efficiency. 

Tech companies around Los Angeles are known for breaking out of the traditional gray and brown industrial colors to use shades that represent the sun and surf.

Companies that have a break-the-mold business model such as The Honest Company, founded by actress Jessica Alba, maximize light and use sleek-looking architectural walls to frame meeting areas. 

Symbols also create unique experiences. At Red Bull’s headquarters in Santa Monica, a 420-foot skate ramp flows over storage spaces down the center of the office.

Read on for ideas that will perk up your office’s design, make the best use of your existing space, and boost goodwill among your employees.

Getting Started

Look at your goals and budget, then choose the need that best describes your situation:

  • freshening up your office
  • overhauling an existing space
  • planning a brand-new interior 

Consider what you want the end result to achieve, like creating more common spaces for office collaboration or deciding how to get the most from your current floor plan.

Look at your overall use of space, color, and light. Set the tone for the atmosphere or vibe by considering your company’s brand. Are the promises you make to customers carried into your office setting?

Plenty of options exist to give both small businesses and corporations vibrant settings that become valuable places for employees.


Photo: Arcadia Domo Lounge Chairs

You may want a minimalist design with clean lines and plenty of natural interiors, also called the Scandinavian office.


Photo: Stylex NYC Loose Lounge Sofa

A minimalist interior can also come in an industrial flair like the Modern Industrial Office using a brick- and-mortar approach. Or try a modern look with bold colors and eye-catching designs.


Photo: Source International Scape Lounge Sofa

Get Smart with Ergonomics 

Make your environment and equipment work in support of your team and their overall office collaboration – so they are more efficient while staying as healthy as possible both physically and mentally. 

Ergonomics is more than having a height-adjustable desk so a keyboard and laptop monitor are at the right height.


Photo: OFS Aptos Private Office Desk

Accessories are important but investing in furniture, lighting, and colors helps the overall environment by assisting the workers and boosting morale. You promote productivity, profitability, and goodwill among your team members.

Seating

Select chairs that are designed for long-term comfort and well-being so that team members can fully engage in their tasks. A quality ergonomic chair is sensitive to the user’s body weight and shifts effortlessly as the person moves.

Look into the 9 to 5 Seating Agent Chair for durability; the mesh technology in the Humanscale Diffrient World Chair; and the OFS InSync chair that’s customizable. 

Sitting for long periods of time stresses the body so use chairs that support different body shapes.

Desks and Workstations

Desks that aren’t chosen properly can make a room feel crowded and make the user uncomfortable. Decide how much surface space is needed and how the person likes to do their work, such as spreading out and then gathering things when finished with tasks.

Some desks will convey authority or fit in with the surrounding décor regardless of title and position.

Open plan benching and modular workstations accommodate teams performing similar tasks while creating personal boundaries. Use configurations that work the best for your area. 


Photo: Friant System 2 Workstation

Need face-to-face with privacy screens and mobile storage? 

How about clustering people in a group for easy sharing of ideas?

Your options are highly customizable. You can shape your setting in numerous ways and choose from colors that complement your office surroundings.

Movement

Allow for as much movement as possible in the office.  This is important especially to promote office collaboration and office wellness. Encourage stretch breaks every couple of hours. Provide lounge furniture and break areas inside or outside where your employees can sit comfortably to work away from their desks, have a focused discussion, or just take a quiet moment.

Moving keeps blood circulating and eases pressure on the lower back, wrists, and knees.

Design and Plan Your Office for Collaboration and Inspiration Arcadia Domo Bench
Photo: Arcadia Domo Bench Seating

Colors and Light

There is a science to choosing colors that inspire or soothe to create a pleasant background. Just for kicks, here’s a fun experiment from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Cal Tech in Pasadena showing how beads seem to change colors under different shades of cellophane. Different shades affect moods and emotions.

Aristotle believed all color was either black or white and related them to the elements of water, air, earth, and fire as described by the Smithsonian Libraries. His views were held for 2000 years until Isaac Newton studied how light changed when passing through a prism.

Now, let’s hear it for sunshine. Bringing in as much natural light as possible keeps people upbeat and emotionally sound.

Knowing the result you want from your office environment, using the right equipment, and planning for an overall pleasing atmosphere will help your place of work become a desirable destination.  If done correctly, you will see obvious improvement in quality of work, team camaraderie, office collaborations and overall employee wellness. 

Koncept Splitty Lamp for Office Collaboration
Photo: Koncept Lighting Splitty Lamps

Call on 2010 Office Furniture

Planning an office that works for your firm requires a custom approach. Do you need a hybrid model with work-at-home solutions? How will your plan support flow of information and tasks?  Is it conducive to good office collaboration?

The team at 2010 Office Furniture has more than 50 years of combined experience working with clientele that are among Southern California’s most notable corporations, leading universities, and small businesses in all industries. 

Contact them with your office needs and questions.

Read Also: 3 Popular Office Layouts to Meet Your Office Culture
Main Photo: AIS Conference Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: AIS, Arcadia, Friant, Koncept, OFS Brands, Stylex and Source International

Design Your Office Like It’s a Neighborhood Destination

Design Your Office Like It’s a Neighborhood Destination Trendway Volo Wall

Every neighborhood has a unique look and atmosphere and so does your office environment. Single-family homes, apartments, local coffee shops, eateries, and parks make your neighborhood distinct from others.  The same goes with the office, especially now.  When comparing pre-covid / post-covid office design, we realize how important all the different components that make our “office neighborhoods” really are.

Your office should have a unique look and feel based on your company’s culture, branding, and the personalities of employees in their respective positions. Work environments should feel welcome and comfortable.

The neighborhood feel of a company’s office is going to be different than an employee’s home office.

Design your space for movement, mutual support, and the connections that won’t be made anywhere else.

Pre-COVID and Post-COVID Office Comparisons

Comparisons between pre-covid / post-covid office cultures are staggering. Telecommuting has been around for a couple of decades, but the shutdown radically popularized the concept of working remotely.

Pre-Covid / Post-Covid Office SitOnIt Novo Chair
Photo: SitOnIt Seating Novo Chair

Pre-COVID, the City of Los Angeles had only 35 of about 50,000 employees working remotely, according to a write-up on the tech industry website dot.LA. 

Suddenly, in March 2020 about 18,000 employees were allowed to work remotely. And in mid-2021, it was estimated that 60% of the city’s workforce could work a hybrid schedule.

Now that the shutdown is a fading memory, many companies expect employees to spend more time in the office and there’s less enthusiasm for hybrid schedules among big corporations.

By summer 2022, a CNN report noted that Goldman Sachs had all employees back in the office full-time while 90% of JP Morgan’s staff returned at least three days a week. 

Give them a place where they’ll look forward to being in. A well-planned environment helps employees feel fully engaged.

The Perks

Many workers believe they were just as, if not more, productive at home when the pandemic hit as they were in the office. According to career research firm Zippia, about 2/3rds of Americans work remotely, at least part-time. And they like it because they cut down on commute times and feel productive. 

But here’s where the office setting has an edge over a home office or other remote locations.

About half of those surveyed reported that they feel lonely at least once a week. Digging deeper, we find that 19% of work-from-home employees stated “Isolation” as their #1 problem, and 70% felt left out of their workplace.

Build a community feel in your office to engage your employees so they have a positive vibe when coming to the main office.

Turning Data into Office Planning Strategies

Businesses are successful when they meet needs in the marketplace. What if you treated your employees like they were the customers of your in-office brand?

Yes, they have to meet company goals, but if they’re satisfied with the support they receive in their immediate environment then they’ll feel engaged in their work. They’ll make it through daily challenges, and morale will remain positive.

That alone will give your firm a boost over the competition.

Developing an office that has a neighborhood vibe requires thorough planning for space allotment and functionality.

Workstations as Neighborhoods

The aim of the office isn’t just to get work accomplished, because that can be done remotely for many positions. But the purpose is to bring people together in support of company goals even if employees aren’t there 40 hours a week.

Organize workstations for an efficient flow of tasks and the sharing of mission-critical information. Bring one department together in one area, or create specific project areas if people from different departments and skills are needed.

Your neighborhood can change and adapt as projects start and finish.

The DeskMakers TeamWorx Open Plan Desking allows for numerous configurations so your team can give input on how their neighborhood is established. 


Photo: DeskMakers TeamWorx Open Plan Desking

Gathering Spots as Neighborhoods

Just like the General Store is a symbol of where communities gather, your office can have important gathering spots. What better place to start than a conference setting, breakroom, or lounge area?

Pre-Covid / Post-Covid Office OFS Riff Table
Photo: OFS Brands Riff Table

Elevate your conference room from the mundane to a place of inspiration. Select décor that puts the mind at ease. One way is to bring in nature by making green walls with the Nevins Bio Canvas Frame. These acoustic moss frames require no maintenance.

Equip your room with stylish and sleek tables that foster open collaboration and fit well within the space.

Design Your Office Like It’s a Neighborhood Destination Stylex Verve Chairs
Photo: Stylex Verve Chairs

Add character to your meeting areas and equip them with the latest distance communication capabilities by using solutions like the OFS Obeya Architectural Structure. 


Photo: OFS Brands Obeya Architectural Structure

Bring flair to your breakroom and lounge with furnishings that allow for either face-to-face chats or personal private moments in the same setting. 

Consider the ERG International Laguna Lounge Seating which is perfect for a range of public settings and common areas like cafes and lobbies. It’s constructed for maximum enjoyment and reduces the need to constantly shift positions.

Pre-Covid / Post-Covid Office Erg International Laguna Lounge
Photo: ERG International Laguna Lounge Seating

Outdoor Spaces as Neighborhoods

Your outdoor areas may be limited, but it’s crucial to make use of them. Natural light is vital for our well-being and even small patio areas can be reserved for work, periods of relaxation, or as meeting areas.

Set up a canopy, provide durable seating like the SitOnIt Seating InFlex Chair, and use a sturdy table made with steel and aluminum, like the classic-looking Allermuir Turo Table. These options make it easy to freshen up outside.


Photo: Allermuir Turo Table

Turn to 2010 Office Furniture

Wrestling with pre-covid / post-covid office design and ideas?  The experts at 2010 Office Furniture can help, with more than a combined half-century of servicing and supplying clients who are among Southern California’s largest corporations, nonprofit organizations, and robust small businesses.

Contact them with your space planning and furnishing questions and needs to make your office space not only more functional, but a desirable place to work.

Read Also: Design Your Office Space as a Welcome Gathering Place
Main Photo: Trendway Vollo Wall
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Allermuir, DeskMakers, ERG International, OFS Brands, SitOnIt Seating and Stylex Seating

6 Types of Spaces Every Office Needs

6 Types of Spaces Every Office Needs Trendway Standing Height Table

Keep those cubicles up and the office lights on. Why? If you’re thinking work-from-home isn’t working for you and your company, you may be right.  Studies show that there are essential, different types of spaces that make for a productive and positive workplace, that working from home just doesn’t accommodate.

The corporate office remains important because we think more clearly and benefit from collaboration. 

The return to offices after COVID-19 showed that the office setting provides social interaction that individual remote offices can’t.

Researchers also learned that employees were productive in the home setting. 

In conclusion: the two environments don’t need to be mutually exclusive. 

Instead, plan to utilize spaces effectively so team members feel comfortable in the corporate office or the home office. Think through the types of spaces your office needs to help your team function productively.

Offer Welcoming Spaces

Home offices are often pleasurable because you feel welcome and comfortable in a space that you know well. It’s yours. 

Well-planned corporate offices can integrate the elements of home yet maintain an atmosphere where tasks are accomplished. 

Welcoming spaces include colors and furnishings like break areas that have a living room feel. Use bright colors or pleasant earth tones throughout the office space. Fabrics and accessories like throw pillows can give a down-home, be-yourself feel.


Photo: Encore Seating Chance Guest Chairs

Being at home is as comfortable as wearing a pair of old shoes while an office has more rigid expectations and requires equipment that gets the job done. Bring the personal and professional together with a variety of ergonomic chairs like the Friant Amenity Chair or the Humanscale Diffrient Smart Chair. Both have lower back support and adjust to the user’s weight and movements. 


Photo: Humanscale Diffrient Smart Chairs

Provide accessories that give workers support while using keyboards and well-lit desks.

Check our Inspiration Center’s Resimercial page to see how tables, lounge furniture, and specially designed chairs lend to collaborative conversations.

Bridge Distant Spaces 

We’ve been convening from long distances long before the pandemic hit, but with quarantine, media rooms have become even more of a necessity.

Provide a setting where your team can access the latest technologies needed for teleconferences and other forms of distance communication by using architectural walls that have character, yet maintain a clean, professional atmosphere.

Different Type of Spaces with Trendway Volo Wall
Photo: Trendway Volo Wall

Enhance Group Spaces

Trends show a continuing reduction in the individual workspace, but an increase in spaces for group work. How should you approach planning your space for either individuals or groups, like ad hoc groups?

Are informal meetings an important part of your company’s culture? If so, remote work can undermine it according to a 2021 article in the Harvard Business Review, Do You Really Need All that Office Space?

Managers “need to think carefully about what role informal interaction plays in their team and how working from home will affect it.”


OFS  Beck Table

Group workspaces can, and should, be welcoming spaces, too. Plenty of quality benching solutions are available. Keep it sleek and simple with the ODS Artiv Open Plan Benching, or create a group setting for personal privacy using acoustic panels with the DARRAN Honey Workspace. 

Different Type of Spaces with DARRAN Honey Workspace
Photo: Darran Honey Workspace

You can have a traditional meeting room or in an open office plan, designate an area for group discussion with the use of specific chairs and modular furniture. 

Mobile whiteboards, plants, and bookcases with artfully placed pillows and books help muffle the sound.

Use Clustered Spaces

An open office design can have a cluster of workstations with privacy screens and mobile or stationary filing cabinets. 

Use office plants to serve as boundaries between other workstations while helping filter the air and deflect sound waves.

Allow for Empty Spaces

Try reading a web page or printed page with huge blocks of text and no white space. 

Sound intriguing? Hardly. You’ll gloss over the page or skip reading it entirely. 

Think of office design like text and images on a web page or in a magazine. Layouts should attract the users and empty or open space has tremendous appeal if used correctly.

Desks and accessories that are simply squeezed together or scattered with no thought to flow or organization create an unappealing space. Concentrating is tough and so is finding personal space to reflect.


Photo: Darran Chameleon Workspace

Empty space can be a strategically designed space to give the office a clean look.

Personal Space

In an atmosphere with daily or weekly deadlines, it’s necessary to have spaces where employees can move away from their desks to work, take calls, or simply sit and refresh. Break rooms or lounge areas can fulfill this purpose for a change of pace.

Different Type of Spaces with OFS Tangent Lounge
Photo: OFS Tangent Lounge

Partner with 2010 Office Furniture – Create Different Type of Spaces

There are many ways to make the office a desirable destination for employees.  Creating different type of spaces is one important one.

The team at 2010 Office has over 50 years of experience advising and supplying the most distinguished corporations, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses in Southern California.

The team will show you how to create a pleasant and productive atmosphere. 

Contact them with your space planning and furnishing needs.

Read Also: NeoCon 2022 Trends: The Future of Office Furniture
Main Photo: Trendway Standing Height Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Darran, Encore Seating, Humanscale, OFS Brands and Trendway

 

Modern Office Evolution: Office Furniture Through the Years

Today

Modern office evolution shows us drastically how different our office today look from our office not even two decades ago. Office designers of this decade like to focus on boosting employee engagement by prioritizing their well-being. The office of today isn’t just one building where everyone works in isolating cubicles; they are made up of huddle rooms, break rooms and touchdown spaces specifically tailored to the employees need, whether it be collaboration and socializing or a quiet space to focus. In addition to the evolution of traditional environments, new trends are being brought into the workplace to increase employee satisfaction, such as the resimercial, biophilic, and Scandinavian office trends. Furthermore, in the face of the pandemic, no longer do we adhere to the traditional office setups. Modern home office design has even garnered a lot of attention lately as many continue to work from home or adopt hybrid schedules.  We’ve introduced flexibility to the workforce due to our current circumstances and advanced technology and learned that some corporations are thriving in remote and hybrid work.

Modern Office Evolution: Office Furniture Through the Years
Photo: The Modern Office 

From the way we design our spaces to the way we work, there has been a huge overhaul for the better when looking at the evolution of office design. But how did we get here? Let’s explore the story and dig a little deeper into the modern office evolution.

A Brief History Of The Modern Office

The 1800s

The concept of the office has existed since Roman times, but the first modern office—with the term “modern” used loosely—appeared in the 1800s in Britain. Why Britain? At this time Britain’s East India Trading Company had just begun to expand their trade and influence in other countries and thus needed their own headquarters. Sir Charles Trevelyan, a secretary that worked at the company at the time, described the offices as “separate rooms [that] are necessary so that a person who works with his head may not be interrupted…” while those with lower jobs in mechanical work “[work] in concert of a number of clerks in the same room under proper superintendence…”


Photo: Traditional Office Building

Sound familiar?

The 1900s

What are the factors in the evolution of workplace design?  Fast forward to the 1900s and suddenly there is a plethora of office designs being made. With an increasing workforce, Frank Lloyd Wright presents the first open-plan office building for SC Johnson Wax. The first open-plan office layout featured wide amounts of open space populated by desks laid out in a grid-like fashion and no walls. Wright created this working environment where there are no divided, smaller offices because he wanted to inspire communication between employees. He wanted to create a more familial office culture that increased collaboration and creativity.

Modern Office Evolution: Office Furniture Through the Years
Photo: The Open-Plan Office

When something new trends, it’s usually because it is a reaction to the current fashion. The same holds true for Taylorism. Named after Frank Taylor, Taylorism applied science to office design. Taylorism didn’t concern itself with collaboration and communication between employees the same way Wright did. While there were similarities in their designs with workers sitting side-by-side in rows of long desks, productivity ultimately ruled over everything. Workers were grouped in the middle of the office while managers ringed the interior to keep an eye on them. Humans have held a long obsession with productivity and we see it most prominently in work culture. Taylorism epitomized it, but in doing so left out crucial human and social elements that resulted in unhappy employees and dehumanizing working environments.


Photo: Rows of Chairs Signifying The Taylorism Office

In the mid to late twentieth century, the currents of change shifted again. Shortly after Taylorism had taken root, a German design approach named Burolandschaft gained traction as a popular design for workplaces because it aimed to democratize the workplace and encourage interaction among colleagues. In response to the open plan office, Robert Propst created what he dubbed the “Action Office” because, in his words, “Today’s office is a wasteland. It saps vitality, blocks talent, frustrates accomplishment. It is the daily scene of unfulfilled intentions and failed effort.”

And thus entered the era of cubicles.

The cubicles the Action Offices featured were meant to offer an alternate work environment that gave a degree of privacy while not restricting movement. Propst designed them to have a huge desk space that allowed for making phone calls, a vertical filing system, and partitions for privacy. What’s more, the desks were meant to be height adjustable—allowing people to stand while they work to help with blood flow. It was a progressive plan that could have advanced the office to new heights.


Photo: The Ideal Cubicle

So how did it become the cubicles we loathed?

Simply put, it flopped. The Action Office that Propst had in mind was too expensive and too high concept to fit the market. Instead, Herman Miller, the company Propst worked under, released a scaled down version with an enclosed modular desk system and none of features that favored employee satisfaction. Businesses found it easier and cheaper to cram people into small spaces that were called “cubicle farms” for their dehumanizing features.

Modern Office Evolution: Office Furniture Through the Years
Photo: Standard Cubicles

Back to the Present

Cubicles are still a part of the office—but they’ve been overhauled and modernized to fit current needs. With companies now prioritizing worker morale, there’s a plethora of new spaces being designed and expanded. The office doesn’t have to be the only workplace anymore, but if you ever want to return to traditional elements, reworked cubicles offer a variety of options that take into consideration privacy and community without compromising one or the other.

We’ve come a long way with office design. Throughout the decades, architects and designers have tried to tackle productivity through various methods and it reflects in the trends of its time. But with the current focus on employee happiness in the modern office evolution, we can look forward to fewer cloistered designs and more flexible office plans.

Evolving with Modern Office Evolution

Explore the latest office furniture ideas for planning your modern office at 2010 Office Furniture. Our team has nearly 50 years of combined experience working with Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, universities, and small business from Los Angeles and Orange Counties to the Inland Empire.

Contact us and let us know about your potential project needs.  We can help you create the modern office that fits perfectly for you and your employees.

Read Also: Office Furniture Trends 2022