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

Equipping the Flexible Office for Maximum Productivity and Professional Experience

Flexible Office 9to5 Seating Aria Chairs

With COVID, flexible office work arrangements are more popular than ever. Digital technology has kept employees so connected for the past couple of decades that many need reminders to unplug during vacations and long weekends.

Going through the COVID-19 shutdown made remote working mandatory and now companies are reimagining how doing tasks in remote locations can remain compatible with working in a corporate office.

Making the office a destination spot is a strategy to create a positive office experience that will draw workers back is a trending strategy. But what are you bringing them back to?

Let’s look at flexible office spaces and their use as a competitive advantage.

Flexible Office for Deliberate Flexibility

Corporate offices today are adjusting their defined work areas. It’s not just a matter of placing the names of departments on different doors like accounting, marketing, or production. Instead, they’re doing what CBRE in their 30,000 square foot El Segundo office is doing: designing spaces as lounges, single-person work pods, and equipping outdoor areas with wi-fi, comfortable seating, and shade umbrellas.

In 2018, community design firm Stantec unveiled a re-design of its 60,000-square foot space in Irvine. It’s a diverse company of scientists, architects, and project managers. They have “Four non-traditional collaborative spaces take the shape of breakout rooms, lounges, and hubs.”

A training room has space for 50 people and a retractable wall that can separate the room into two if needed.

Personal interaction is planned and designed into the floor plan with a collaboration café that’s “purposefully located where office circulation paths meet to foster quick planning sessions and conversations.”

A central lounge with reclaimed barn wood paneling, a coffee bar, computer stations, television screens, and contemporary lounge furnishings, serves as the flexible office’s central meeting place and social focal point.


Photo: ERG International Tivoli Lounge

Flexible Office Productivity

Planning office spaces for flexibility that leads to greater productivity is important because different people have different ways in which they work best. Just like learning. Some people learn better with a hands-on approach while others may be more visual or more auditory.

Some work best from home and 2010 Office Furniture understands this so we equip the remote workers, too, with work-from-home flexible office suites and accessories.

Creating a flexible office space that allows your team to feel comfortable respects their individual needs while bringing them together in a unified mission of meeting corporate goals.


Photo: SitOnIt Seating Glove Chairs

Flexible office spaces let employees work in areas that suit them best.

Physical Flexibility

There’s another type of office flexibility that’s important for a person’s overall wellness. Sitting for long periods of time strains the elbows, wrists, knees, and lower back. If the height of a monitor or desk isn’t right then posture is off and sitting for long stretches is a gradual strain on the entire body.

Promote physical flexibility with quality ergonomic chairs and height-adjustable desks.


Photo: DeskMakers Hover Workstations

Common Needs

A headline from an agency recruiting remote workers in Los Angeles proclaimed on its website, Productivity doesn’t need an office.

That’s not 100% accurate.


Photo: DARRAN Chameleon Workspace

Everyone has different needs for a flexible office. Some people work best at one specific workstation with occasional meetings or chats in lounge areas.


Photo: OFS Tangent Lounge

Others prefer remote work over full-time in-office work.

However, there are common needs that everyone has despite personal preferences:

  • Social interactions
  • Natural lighting
  • Pleasing environment

Even the most ardent remote worker is best served with in-person meetings and not just all-virtual gatherings, all the time. We like interacting with others or we begin to feel alone, even if we’re digitally connected.

We have an abundant amount of sunshine in Southern California, so make sure your team has plenty of light filtering in. Sunshine boosts morale in the office and helps people maintain a circadian rhythm so they sleep well at night.

Colors matter, too. You don’t need bold, splashy colors in every room, but you also don’t want dull and drab. Plenty of cubicle solutions use attractive fabrics and come in easy-to-configure arrangements so you can plan for both privacy and personal conversations.

The 2010 Office Inspiration page gives options that show you how today’s flexible office can make the best use of color and space to reflect your brand and show your employees that you have their needs in mind.

Plan and design a space for minimalists or create a resimercial space that reflects both personal lives and professional pursuits.


Photo: Allermuir Mozaik Lounge Seating

The good news is you don’t have to sacrifice quality when designing a flexible office space. An array of durable options exists to help you get the most from your workspaces so your team is as productive as possible.

Find Flexible Office Solutions that Work Best

Turn to 2010 Office as your solution for space planning and office furnishings that help you create the modern flexible office. The team has more than 50 years of experience working with clients who rank among Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, universities, and small businesses.

Contact them with your potential needs.

Read Also: Your Guide to Office Feng Shui for the Best Office Environment
Main Photo: 9to5 Seating Aria Chairs
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: 9to5 Seating, Allermuir, DARRAN, DeskMakers, ERG International, OFS & SitOnIt Seating 

Modular Home Office Furniture to Improve Working from Home

Modular Home Office Furniture to Improve Working from Home

The idea of work from home has gained popularity in recent times. Many organizations provide the facility of working from home to the employees to cater to the needs of the staff and to ensure convenience. Also, there are already many artists, freelancers, and startup entrepreneurs who are spending their days working at home. To ensure that sufficient infrastructure is available, home office furnishing has been introduced which offers an excellent level of comfort and space to organize work at home.

Home office furniture can be a simple table and chair or can be a sophisticated set to manage the space and organize the paperwork at the home workspace. Depending upon the need, a person can select from a wide range of designs available. Home office furniture is aesthetically and ergonomically designed to provide the best comfort while working. There are modular home office furniture items available in the market that are created by specialists to avoid space restraints at home.


Photo: HON Voi Modular Desk / Workstation

Modular Home Office Furniture

Modular furniture is composed of small sets called modules that are arranged together to form the complete furniture. The autonomous sets are designed to be arranged and rearranged to form the perfect home furniture. These are pre-made or ready furniture pieces for different spaces.

Some of the benefits of setting modular furniture at home are:

Flexibility: Modular furniture can be arranged as per the space requirement and convenience of the person. The modules can be fixed together to form a work station, desk, or separate space for the files. This provides flexibility in managing the space and organizing the work.

Space Saving: The available space at most homes is not adequate to manage the whole office infrastructure and the traditional office furniture is stocky and takes an ample amount of floor spacing which restricts movement. Modular home furniture, on the other hand, occupies less space and makes the most of the space available at home. Even when not in use, the modular furniture can be downsized to be stored in storerooms.


Photo: Groupe Lacasse Concept Modular Desk Set

Aesthetically Built for Homes

Office furniture designed for homes comes in different configurations and sizes and can be matched to suit the space and interior of the room. Various colors are available in the market and on platforms online to choose from.

Sleek and Appropriate: No one wants big cabinets and shelves to occupy the space and make the place overwhelming. Modular furniture is sleek and light and will easily fit in small spaces. With modular furniture, separations can be created so that each desk, chair, chest of drawers, file organizers, copying machines, and printers all have their separate spaces.

Easy to Move: The best part of modular home furniture is that it can be easily moved to a different place whenever needed. If you are relocating to a different place, then there won’t be a need to leave behind your favorite furniture. The furniture can be disassembled and the modules can be packed separately and transported.


Photo: Friant Dash Revitalize Modular Office Furniture

Factors to Consider While Buying

If you have decided to buy home office furniture, then keep in mind the following pointers as they will help you in selecting the right furniture for your home:

Functional Designs: Rather than going for contemporary designs, select the designs that are adjustable and easy to fit. The desks and chairs available in the market have adjustable heights and you can easily move them up and down at your convenience.

Comfort Always Comes First: Since you will be spending a lot of your time sitting in front of the computer writing a business plan or having meetings online with your colleagues, the design of the chair should be selected to provide comfort to the body. If you spend long hours on the desk, then you should go for ergonomic chairs that provide extra comfort to the spine and ensure contoured back support. The armrests, headrest, and height of the chair are adjustable to provide movement while sitting for long hours.


Photo: DeskMakers Ascend Modular Desk Set

Proper Lighting: As you will be continuously working on the desk, it is imperative that there is adequate lighting on the desk. Modular home office furniture has exclusive designs of lamps which are adjustable in height and illumination. Be sure that you check the lights available with the furniture while making a purchase.

Ample Storage Space: You will have a lot of files and paperwork to take care of and to manage that, you should check the bookcases provided with the furniture or other storage solutions. This will help in organizing any vital paperwork that you might need later.

Your home office is the place where you can’t compromise on comfort, as it will lead to less efficiency and productivity. To make working at home more comfortable and enjoyable, many furniture companies offer customized home office furniture solutions to meet your needs.


Photo: National WaveWorks Height Adjustable Table and Storage Solution

Get the Modular Home Office Furniture Expertise You Need

Get input from 2010 Office Furniture on your space planning needs and laying out an office that meets the needs of employees and departments.

Our team has more than 45 years of experience serving corporations, universities and small businesses throughout Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire.

Read Also: Reasons to Refresh and Improve Office Layout
Main Photo by: Arcadia WorkSmith Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Arcadia Contract, DeskMakers, Groupe Lacasse, Friant, HON, National, and ODS / Office Design Studio