Design an Office Space and Boost Morale Using Natural Materials

Natural Office Design Trends Arcadia Wordsmith Cart

Want to go natural in the office? Smart move. Let’s look at the natural office design trend and how it helps benefit your office!

Bringing nature into the office boosts overall morale and helps workers be more productive. But how do you connect the office space with the great outdoors?

In Southern Californias urban sprawl, we see evidence of natural beauty all around us—from the mountains forming a backdrop behind downtown LA, to the coast, and to the national forests. Dont forget the sun. A few years ago, the Harvard Business Review referred to natural light as the #1 Office Perk.

Its one of the elements that should be part of every companys wellness program.

Light

Sunshine is worth harvesting indoors, especially since downtown LA gets about 290 total days of either full sun or partly cloudy skies, according to most estimates. Benefits of sunshine are proven to reduce employeesstress and improve their natural sleeping cycle.

If its possible, enlarge windows to maximize the amount of sunshine that can filter indoors. Try to have desks and workstations within 25 feet of windows and use center spaces for storage equipment or break areas. Install skylights or sky tubes.

What happens if your office is in a windowless setting?

Advice in CareerTrend says to upgrade your fluorescent lights to a color “’temperature’ that mimics daylight and use focused task lighting to reduce eye strain.”

Regardless of the setting, consider using translucent partitions for cubicles and space dividers instead of solid walls.


Photo: Loftwall Hitch Space Divider

Fabrics and Materials

The most basic of all building materials remain popular. Wood has environmental benefits. If sustainably sourced,” says a UK design company, Insightful Environments, wood is one of the most environmentally friendly materials available as it is infinitely renewable and acts as a carbon store, giving it an important role in reducing carbon emissions.”

Pine, oak, and beech are three types of wood that can be effectively used in the office. So can bamboo, a grass, which is a beneficial plant for a variety of uses. It can be used as furniture and grown in pots as space dividers.

Bamboo also absorbs carbon from the environment and releases high oxygen levels into the atmosphere.

You can use wood in strategic ways. Light-grain wood floors can help lighten the office environment, even if little natural light is available.

Use natural fabrics for upholstery like cotton, leather, and wool or wool blends. Hemp is another natural fabric choice thats described in Better Homes and Gardens as feeling similar to canvas and its resistant to mold and mildew.

Lounge seating has options with natural-looking fabrics like the OFS Realm Lounge Seating. There are fun ways to customize it like adding wood to the curved armrests.


Photo: OFS Realm Lounge Seating

Walls

Imagine natural elements on your walls with rocks, wood, and plenty of greenery. Check the Nevins Bio Canvas Frame that not only brings natural elements into the office, but it helps control acoustics, too.


Photo: Nevins Bio Canvas

Get Naturally Inspired

See these elements coming together in 2010 Office Inspirations The Green Office page. Notice how greenery and light are fused to create a welcoming environment.

You dont have to shut the door on nature when stepping into a corporate office.

Use furniture with natural fabrics and natural wood.

It doesnt have to take a huge budget to green up the surroundings. Real wood shelves filled with pleasing office plants are an easy way to start.


Photo: OFS Obeya Architectural Structure

Re-imagine cubicles or meeting spaces with office design solutions like the OFS Obeya Architectural Structures. Its made with plywood cores and real wood grain details, and a great way to incorporate natural office design trends to your office.


Photo: Arcadia Delen Table

Need meeting tables or a breakroom surface? Check the Arcadia Delen Table thats available in different shapes with solid Ash and Walnut wood finishes.


Photo: Arcadia Livia Bench

The Arcadia Livia Bench has a classic look and comes in both straight wood beams and scalloped wood. Optional removable seat pads can be easily added.

Remember This …

No matter how little or how much sunlight or other natural materials you have in the office, keep an orderly environment. Everyone will think better and feel calmer when their work environment is organized, clean, and orderly.

Heres an idea from The American Society of Administrative Professionals. Choose a day each quarter when everybody cleans and organizes their personal office space and another day when you team up to clean common spaces.

Freshen Up with Natural Office Design Trends

What do you need to improve your office environment and workflow? How do you incorporate natural office design trends successfully?

Get input from the team at 2010 Office Furniture. Theyve got more than 50 years of combined experience furnishing and planning spaces for clients who are among Southern Californias most distinguished corporations, universities, and small businesses.

Theyll show you how to keep employees engaged and promote their overall well-being.

Contact them with your questions and potential project needs.

Read Also: Designing a Healthy Office
Main Photo: Arcadia WorkSmith Cart
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Arcadia Contract, Loftwall, Nevins and OFS

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

Using Resimercial Office Design as an Employee Retention Strategy

Resimercial Office Design OFS Edge Structures

Imagine if your employees left your office feeling refreshed and not burned out after a day or week on the job. Office design that supports overall health and well-being can have a positive impact on people. Resimercial office design holds that possibility.

A resimercial office design can lead to greater employee engagement, loyalty, and productivity.

Here’s why you need to bring quality into your workplace.

What Matters to Employees

Brand your office as a pleasant atmosphere and you’ll boost your chances of retaining top talent. Design a space that’s well-planned, equip it with quality furnishings, and use fabrics and colors that look like they could be in a tidy and productive home office.


Photo: HON Preside Table

Your office environment and remote-work policies are being quietly, or openly, evaluated by your employees.

Well-being, flexibility, and work-life balance are of utmost importance in today’s workforce, according to global consulting firm McKinsey. A recent study the firm conducted shows that employees with and without children want flexibility and that includes remote work up to three days per week.

Yet, people want the best of both worlds because the findings show they don’t want to be isolated by being at home. Your team wants connections in a supportive office environment.

Microsoft discovered this in an international survey, published in the article The Next Great Disruption is Hybrid Work: Are We Ready? Researchers found that over 70 percent of workers want flexible remote work options to continue. Yet, over 65 percent are craving more in-person time with their teams.

Turn to resimercial office design to satisfy the internal desire for the personal touches found at home while meeting professional needs and desires in the workplace. See examples on 2010 Office Furniture’s Resimercial page along with other office design styles on the Inspiration tab.

Photo: OFS Beck Table

Resimercial office design bridges the home-work divide by prioritizing personal comfort leading to professional productivity.

How?

By creating an atmosphere that lets employees work comfortably and become as productive as possible. It’s the concept of ergonomics—fit the surroundings to meet the needs of the workers.

Design for Personal Comfort and Professional Productivity

Let’s take a Big Picture look at resimercial design. It’s not a gimmick or fad. The style has proven popular and it will continue. It doesn’t have one particular look, but lends itself to a variety of colors, styles of furnishings, and fabrics.

A lesson learned comes from the Hana Bank headquarters in Korea. The building was designed during the COVID-19 shutdown and features an atrium and a 12-story “ribbon park” integrating green space and public pathways into the workplace. This combines with other elements like curved surfaces and the use of wood to create an atmosphere with the goal that “people will leave the workplace feeling better than when they arrived.”

Reduce stress in the workplace by offering soothing or soft designs. This achieves two key results:

  • Supports emotional well-being
  • Emphasizes physical comfort

Designs that incorporate elements of nature like natural light, plants, and accessories like indoor fountains are soothing and allow for a sense of order and harmony. Plan a sense of flow from one set of workstations and offices to another while at the same time setting boundaries for private places.

Physical comfort is emphasized so that workers feel welcomed and have a supportive environment to perform to the best of their abilities.


Photo: 9to5 Seating Aria Chairs

Modular systems give you freedom in configuration, like the Global Sidebar Desking Workstation with an aesthetically pleasing woodgrain finish and personal storage capabilities. Use quality ergonomic chairs and proper lighting to ensure a positive experience.


Photo: Global Sidebar Workstations

Breakrooms with a trendy kitchen table can double as informal conference and work tables.

Involve Your People

Show your team color options, styles of workstations, desks, chairs, and lounge furnishings. Modular units make it easy to add or reduce desk area depending on how many will be in the office or working remotely.

Set aside different areas. One for huddles and another as a multimedia space to bring people together with a unit like the OFS Obeya Architectural Structure, giving a ”warm, familiar feeling.”


Photo: OFS Obeya Structures

You might find that people will want to spend more time in the corporate office and less time in their home offices. And, if employees are pleased, then retaining top talent just got easier.

Refresh with Resimercial Office Design

Building an intricate indoor-outdoor 12-story strolling ramp may not be in your budget like it was for Hana Bank. But you can take small steps to refresh your space whether you’re a tech start-up in Orange County or an established corporation in the Los Angeles area.

Re-do the break room and conference rooms in a resimercial office design. Get a feel for color schemes, tables, and chairs. Consider modular lounge seating and see how your office begins to come together.


Photo: Darran Bota Tablet Table

Larger companies can refresh a specific floor before doing an entire building. As you see it unfold, you can get an idea for what will work and enhance your office experience and environment.

Get a Resimercial Office Design that’s Right for You

Choose the designs and plan the spaces that are right for your organization. The team at 2010 Office Furniture has more than 50 years’ experience assisting clients from Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, universities, and nonprofits with space planning and furnishings.

Contact 2010 Office Furniture with your questions and needs.

Read Also: Designing Your Office Space from Top-Down to Bottom-Up
Main Photo: OFS The Edge Architectural Structures
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: 9to5 SeatingDarran, Global, HON & OFS 

Ways to Make the Workplace More Kind and Caring

Ways to Make the Workplace More Kind and Caring

You matter. And so do others who work near you.  That is why it’s important to make the workplace more kind and caring.

Companies that foster a sincere approach to caring in the office will find a lasting payoff through employees looking out for each other’s best interests:

  • talent will stay engaged
  • workers will be more relaxed than tense in a pleasant atmosphere
  • you’ll create a shared experience to look back on fondly

It’s tough to bring genuine altruism into a competitive work environment, but fostering the attitude that “if one succeeds, we all succeed” can lead to healthy collaboration.

Create a best practice that centers on caring.


Photo: AMQHumanscale & The Senator Group

Why Caring and Kindness Matter

Stress is a known presence in any work setting.

Why?

Outside forces are constantly battling and making us feel like we’re swimming upstream against a rushing current: competitors are trying to win market share, technologies change, and new government regulations can impact ways of doing business.

Inside the company, executives who are climbing the ladder may quietly compete for the same position. Mid-level managers who are good at what they do might decide to change companies or careers.

These variables create stresses, uncertainty and can snowball into suspicion among staff.

So how can you combat the negatives? By giving recognition where it’s due and opening the channels of communication.


Photo: OFS Lounge

What Do People Crave When Making Workplace More Kind and Caring?

Working with a purpose is an essential element in our overall well-being. If we know that our work matters to customers, and that we matter to the company, then we see the importance of who we are and what we do.

We like recognition for a job that’s done well.

The simple act of recognizing others and doing small acts of kindness is critical to reassuring and positive office space.

The Tested and Proven Results of Kindness

Nothing’s proven in our day and age until it’s tested, right?

That may be an overstatement but University of California researchers, in conjunction with Madrid University in Spain, studied small acts of kindness on the job. They recruited 88 workers at a Coca-Cola plant in Madrid to participate in a happiness study for a month.

Workers were divided into receivers, givers, and a control group. Givers were told to perform small but noticeable acts of kindnesses towards co-workers in the receivers group. The only qualification? Givers were told to do their good deeds quietly and not brag.

Who got the greatest benefit? The givers. After two months, givers said they were more satisfied with their lives and jobs and reported fewer depressive symptoms.


Photo: National Marcelo

Encourage Caring and Kindness

How do you make the workplace more kind and caring? How do you reach this place of caring and kindness?

Think of attitudes and actions that flow organically and aren’t forced.

Leaders in the organization can make sure they find a reason to thank someone each day. Saying thank you creates a connection and shows that you acknowledge the other person’s efforts.

Some individuals will have a difficult time being verbal if it’s not in their nature so they’ll need to be more deliberate. But be patient and continue the practice.

It’s helpful to know your team and their preferences.

If an employee comes up with an idea that helps solve a problem, then show your appreciation with a cup of coffee from their favorite shop.

If people have been working hard, bring in a fruit tray or something else special to the breakroom.

Leave an upbeat greeting card at someone’s workstation who came in early, stayed late, or was helpful with a customer or other employee.

Business owners and operators need each other. Suggest your team leave a note for the office cleaning crew. Sure, they get paid but they work almost anonymously after hours. Treat your other vendors with kindness, as well. Your positivity can have a lasting impact and they could turn into referral sources.

Since we often separate our personal lives from our professional lives, being kind at work could help someone cope with difficulties at home.

Create a Positive Interior

Another act of kindness is planning and designing an inviting office space. Employees feel valued and so do the clients who walk in.

Space planning, using soothing and inspiring colors, and installing quality furnishings work together to improve the quality of life at work, just like interior design does at home.  This is key in making the workplace more kind and caring.


Photo: National Alloy

Our moods and attitudes are influenced by external forces like colors and light. An office interior doesn’t have to be bright, but it should be well-lit with as much natural lighting as possible. For individual workstations there are specific lighting options which let employees chose the amount of light that’s most comfortable for them.

Equipment that doesn’t work well and needs constant repair has a subtle way of lowering expectations. Conversely, bringing in modular workstations with pleasing colored panels. Add height adjustable desks for extra comfort and versatility.

Choose an office style that reflects the company’s brand and personalities. It could be upbeat contemporary or a modern-industrial look.

Think and act ergonomically. Use screen protectors to control glare from computer monitors. Invest in quality chairsthat support and move with a person’s weight and shape. This reduces stress on the knees, lower back and elbows.

Encourage motion like stretching at desks and making sure the staff gets up on a regular basis to walk and get the blood flowing. This is also a great stress reliever.

Design an inviting entrance and use modular furniture in a lounge area so staff can pull the pieces together and visit or have personal space when needed.

Get Proven Input to Make the Workplace More Kind and Caring

Start the road to a refreshed office with input from 2010 Office Furniture. The team has nearly 50 years of experience in working with Southern California’s most distinguish corporations, non-profit organizations, and successful small businesses.

Contact them with your questions and project requirements.

Read Also: Designing Your Office Space from Top-Down to Bottom-Up
Main Photo: Arcadia Contract
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: AMQArcadia Contract, Humanscale, National, OFS & The Senator Group

Creating Your Best Work Environment to Boost Your Brand

Creating Your Best Work Environment to Boost Your Brand

Think through the times you’ve stepped into an office setting and wondered about the work environment. The warning signs were likely subtle, weren’t they?

  • How was the office planning and layout?
  • Did the furnishings seem functional and up to date—or out of date?
  • What about tension? That’s the people part.

All of these elements contribute to the quality of the workplace. This becomes part of the company culture—a daily living out of the values that your business stands for.

A positive company culture is similar to office ergonomics. In ergonomics, the work environment is designed to support and meet the needs of the workers. A healthy or positive company culture recognizes that employees have needs. Those individuals are supported to blend their talents and create great products, achieve more sales or help customers be satisfied.

They are motivated to turn the company vision into reality.

Staff and executive decisionmakers have to communicate and place trust in each other for the best possible outcomes. Details like dress codes, restrictions or freedoms on where to work, and perks like benefits create a positive or negative culture as noted in a write-up on culture in Investopedia.

If you’re wondering how to improve the office work environment, now you can read on and learn how.


Photo: HON Voi Workstation

Company Culture Impacts Personal Energy

Company cultures form from the existing needs. A start-up in fast-paced do or die moments is quite different than a mature corporation where departments are neatly laid out and each person’s work is clearly defined.

Let’s say there’s a younger company moving into Hollywood, intent on disrupting the entertainment industry. They’ll have an entrepreneurial buzz and excitement that’s missing in an older organization.

Start-up offices and mature ones impact people and their energy. Any work setting can help someone thrive or suck the energy out of them and the room.

Not every person wants to work in a frenetic, high-stakes office unless stability and profitability are in sight. Working in a tried-and-true cubicle environment, in an area like the Mid-Wilshire District, where the most exciting event is the second hand ticking away on the clock isn’t a career dream, either.

Tricky, isn’t it?

Now let’s look at how two basic office layouts impact workers.


Photo: OFS LeanTo Lounge Seating

Consider these two layouts and their challenges:

  • Open Offices — can dilute the energy that people bring to their positions
  • Walled, Private Spaces — can make employees wonder what secrets are shared behind closed doors


Photo: HON Empower Open Plan Benching


Photo: Krug Artemis Height Adjustable Executive Desk

How do you make sense of it all?

Realize that you can plan and design an office to have different environments.

The open office should utilize modular furniture to create private areas. Employees can take phone calls, type on their laptops and have small group discussions without disturbing others.

Providing a range of workspaces helps create a positive work culture.

Give team members freedom to work from a part of the office that best suits their need. If someone wants to step away from the desk and work in a lounge chair, then let them. Infuse an entrepreneurial spirit into the office and let people take responsibility for how they work.

This doesn’t mean the office space becomes like one giant recess time Monday through Friday. Instead, you’re respecting the qualifications of each employee and trusting them to handle their tasks. After all, if they earned undergraduate or graduate degrees and are responsible for their families why not trust them on the job?

Trust and working together toward a clearly defined goal boosts morale and that keeps the energy vibrant.

Make sure the physical space supports the work with the proper layout and equipment. Here’s how to create an office that supports everyone’s work.

Start with knowing what you want to and need to achieve. Don’t just rely on architects or interior designers to do it for you.

The 2010 Space Planning Strategy weighs:

  • Your company’s goals
  • How your team interacts to reach those goals
  • How their personalities affect their work habits

Doing this creates a relationship between your company’s brand identity and the workplace. Customizing your plan takes you to the next step in creating the best possible work environment.


Photo: Global Swap Tables, FreeFit Workstations & SAS Seating

Proper Space Planning Creates Identity

Here’s a tip to improve the office environment: focus on space planning.

Office space planning provides a plan for workflow and balances that with the needs of employees.

Done well, can you predict what happens?

Your staff will develop a connection to the space.

This personal tie, one that’s internalized, is an important step in creating the best work environment for your company. It’s a principle that transcends industries.

Whether you have an engineering firm in El Segundo or a growing, small business in the Inland Empire, be deliberate in how the space is laid out. An article in the Harvard Business Review, How to Make Sure People Won’t Hate Your New Open Office Plan, describes a concept called “place identity.”

If employees believe the space “aligns with their self-image and enhances their sense of belonging” then this is typically what happens:

  • They’ll become more engaged
  • They’ll build their personal brand
  • They’ll be more likely to cultivate a positive work environment


Photo: OFS Brands Dallas Showroom

This is where leadership has to channel the energy by sharing the vision for the office space, being enthusiastic about it and letting people adapt the space to their needs.

Use these principles to guide your planning:

  • Determine which employees have to talk with each other on a daily basis
  • Count how many employees need extended hours to focus on projects
  • Know which employees need to sit close to printers and copiers
  • Note how often small group huddles or large group meetings are needed
  • Do clients visit often now or will they visit more often in the future? If so, is there adequate space to host them if inter-office meetings are happening?
  • What growth and changes does the company project? Will this include using temporary workers when demand is high?

Planning for change creates a positive office workspace while reacting to circumstances eventually makes people tired, creates uncertainty and leads to a negative workplace culture.

Now that you have a map of interoffice communication and workflow you can supply your great work environment with the right furnishings.

A Welcoming Space Helps Form a Positive Work Culture

Every morning when your team walks through the front door what’s the vibe that they’re bringing in and what’s the vibe that will greet them?

Once they leave the work setting at night and walk in the next morning you’ll have no control over their personal lives. People will experience some type of family crisis like the death of a relative while others are bragging about their kids’ sports achievements.

Moderate the personal highs and lows by creating a comfortable place that provides positive energy and channels conversations. Little things matter.

Present a welcoming atmosphere beginning with the office reception desk. An inviting and stylish design versus a boxy, bulky fortress can reinforce your company’s brand.

Open office plans have plenty of critics but some of the positives include not feeling boxed in. Let as much natural light as possible flow throughout the work setting. Make sure there’s adequate storage space at each workstation and for each department.

Bring in cozy and comfortable accessories to define space like attractive bookcases with embroidered pillows on the shelves and soothing artwork on the walls.

Here’s an example of how this works. Do you know why real estate agents stage homes for sale instead of simply showing an empty shell of a house?

Staging gives the potential buyer an understanding of the home’s potential. Furnishing the office helps your team members experience the potential of working together to achieve the goals that are set before them.

Creating a nice look in an office can be done in a budget-friendly manner. No one has to feel like the office is being decorated at the expense of their salaries or bonuses.

Attitudes brought in from the outside can mesh into a work atmosphere that’s pleasant and supportive. People will feel valued instead of feeling like they’re forced into a survival mode so they don’t get fired.

Furnishings set the stage for a positive workplace. You also create brand equity in people.

Remember, your employees are dedicating themselves to the company. Yes, they need a job that pays the bills and lets them enjoy a decent quality of life.

They also interact with the brand promise every day. They see what happens on the inside and can tell if your company does or doesn’t live up to what you tell customers.

A well-designed office setting positively reinforces the brand among your team. The result is achieving the best and most positive work environment possible.


Photo: DeskMakers Overture Reception Desk

Define Key Areas

Use workstations that help people do their best work. Modular furniture is a strategic purchase since it’s easy to re-configure spaces as changes take place.

Evaluate what works best for the work that needs done and the personalities of your employees. Work surfaces that accommodate several people, known as open plan benching, has one type of functionality while cubicles provide another type of function and form a certain atmosphere.

Your team’s introverts will thank you for the private break areas so they can withdraw as needed to get refreshed.

Meeting spaces are important and architectural walls create clean, well-defined areas for trainings and larger groups. These can be clear ceiling-to-floor walls or a cubicle-style room for small group huddles.

Now that you’ve designed the space for positive productivity, take it a step further to encourage healthy living and reduce absenteeism as much as possible.

Make Office Wellness a Priority

A healthy workplace includes how our bodies react physically to the surroundings and our emotional well-being. Productivity and positive energy face setbacks when people are struggling with bad backs and aching joints.

Here are two ways to take care of the body:

Ergonomic office furniture adapts to a worker’s body and physical needs. Height-adjustable desks help people set the work surface to a position where they can work comfortably and maintain good posture.

Quality ergonomic chairs allow feet to be flat on the floor and keep the knees relaxed. Ergonomic chairs will swivel easily based on a person’s natural movements. Arm rests reduce strain on elbows and shoulders while the chair provides proper lumbar support. Leading manufacturers of ergonomic chairs include 9 to 5 Seating, SitOnIt and Friant.

Computer keyboards and monitors should be at a height where wrists don’t have to be bent to type. Adequate lighting and screen protectors reduce eyestrain from computer monitors.

Encourage your employees to stretch or get up and take a brief walk every 90 minutes to two hours. The purpose isn’t to burn calories but to keep blood circulating well. That reduces foggy brain syndrome by getting oxygen flowing to the brain.

Care for emotional states by providing break areas with healthy snacks. Decorate with plants to bring nature indoors and create a positive ambiance.

You may have a manufacturing facility, legal office or direct a program at a university. Your core strength is turning out a quality product or service, but you should also offer resources for employees who are in a personal crisis.

Ask local gyms if they’ll offer group discounts. Provide chair massages once or twice a month during lunchtime.

Check on counseling and mental health services if you offer insurance. Your local city in Los Angeles County, Orange County or the Inland Empire may have a local college, university or faith community where graduate students need clinical hours for a degree like a Marriage and Family Therapist. Counseling services can be accessed for low costs.

Put it Together for a Positive Workplace and Culture

All of this shows employees that you value them and you’re dedicated to their well-being. This is an important way to keep them engaged on a day-in, day-out basis.

Creating a positive workplace doesn’t just happen and it’s not the result of having a charismatic company president or entrepreneurial founder. Those personalities set the tone, but it’s the setting, furnishings and small perks that show people that they’re important.

This will encourage buy-in from them and that makes it easier to retain top talent. Engaged employees who want to do their best leads to a tremendous competitive advantage in the marketplace.

What creates a great office varies from one industry to another and from culture to culture. This leads to a feeling of “We’re in this together” and the forms cohesive units.

Studies by the organization Great Places to Work reports that a sense of community is the biggest driver of employee engagement in the United States and Canada.


Photo: Trendway Semi-Private Workstations

Several companies in California made the Great Places to Work’s list of small to medium-sized companies including Network Capital in Irvine; WestPac Wealth Partners in La Jolla; and Invoca in Santa Barbara.

In Europe, fairness is critical and “psychological safety” is prized in Latin America. Workplaces in Asia and the Middle East were shown to be the unhappiest work environments.


Photo: Trendway Workspaces

Get Expert Input

The 2010 Space Planning Strategy helps you prioritize and create a positive work environment.

Get input from 2010 Office Furniture on your space planning needs. Call or submit your questions.

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: Creating Ergonomic Workstations for Office Well-Being and Productivity
Main Photo by: Trendway
Resources & Special Thanks to: Investopedia, Harvard Business Review, Great Places to Work & Respective Product Manufacturers: Trendway, DeskMakers, Global, HON, Krug and OFS

Staying Productive with an Effort for Holistic Office Wellness

Staying Productive with an Effort for Holistic Office Wellness

Although important, health and wellness isn’t just about weight loss or getting flu shots. It’s really about knowing what makes us thrive physically, mentally, and spiritually – what energizes us.  Southern California’s image is one of beaches bathed in glowing sun and rugged mountains for skiing and hiking. Yet, the reality that we experience is much different. Meeting hard deadlines at work and braving congested freeways create high levels of anxiety and stress.  An effective approach to holistic office wellness cares for the whole person, and promotes overall well-being.  Read on below to learn some holistic office wellness tips for the body. Most of these are easy on the budget and can help make the week a little brighter and the mood a bit lighter.

Staying Physically Well

  • GET FLU SHOTS:  Remember that staying healthy is an important of part of practicing holistic office wellness.  Encourage employees to get a flu shot every fall. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that vaccines prevented 5.3 million influenza illnesses in 2016-2017. A person who says they’re healthy and don’t need a flu shot should still get one. Without the vaccine, they can infect others who are vulnerable.
  • REDUCE EYE STRAIN: Working on a computer for hours without a break will strain the eyes.  So will texting, web-surfing and catching up on social media on mobile devices. Dry eyes, blurred vision and not being able to see colors clearly are symptoms of eye strain.  Use screen displays that are large and clean. Improve lighting to eliminate glare on the screens. Reduce air-borne irritants like dust and take regular breaks.
  • USE ERGONOMIC FURNITURE:  Our physical comfort directly affects our holistic office wellness.  If we are not comfortable, then we don’t feel good and we can’t perform well.  It’s important to understand that how we relate to our surrounding environment includes our posture when sitting at a workstation and in a chair, especially while working for long hours at a time.  Reducing strain on the joints and sitting on quality chairs that support the body’s natural positioning keep the focus on work instead of aches and pains.  Use ergonomically designed chairs and height adjustable desks to adapt to various physical needs of the body.
  • STAY IN MOTION:  Staying active doesn’t only mean hitting the gym for an hour.  Periodic movement throughout the day helps the joints and muscles stay limber. Blood circulation benefits as well, which in turn can help keep the mind and thinking clear.  Stretch even while at the desk every 30 minutes and take brief walks during lunch. Take the stairs instead of an elevator or install a treadmill where employees can walk while reading.
  • RELAX THE MUSCLES:  Find a local masseuse to stop in at the office once a month (or more often if possible) to give 10-minute massages.  Ask a personal trainer to demonstrate exercises that can be done at a desk.
  • EAT AND DRINK WELL:  Food is very when practicing holistic office wellness.  You wouldn’t put kerosene in your car’s gas tank because it would hurt the system. What we eat and drink can slow us down mentally and physically. Get momentum going by bringing in fresh produce and keep a generous supply of water.  Bring healthy eating into the office. Have a local chef cook a pop-up meal and serve it in the lounge area. Or once a year, have an office cook-off using dishes with organic ingredients.

Following a Holistic Office Wellness Regimen

A well-coordinated holistic office wellness effort will reduce employee absenteeism and help boost overall positivity and productivity.  If you are interested in designing an office space that’s conducive to holistic office wellness, please don’t hesitate to ask us for help.  Our office furniture experts are here to guide you and help you every step of the way.

Read also: Harnessing the Benefits of Collaborative Workspaces

Image Source: Groupe Lacasse Quorum

Create an Office Wellness Plan for Optimal Thinking

The Quest for Office Wellness

Office wellness often focuses on how well we are physically. But it’s important to remember the importance of how well we also are mentally.  An effective holistic effort that sheds light on how clearly we think and make decisions is a skill that’s known as executive function. It’s how well we plan, concentrate, and handle different tasks that get thrown our way during a typical working day. An office space that is planned well contributes to a higher level of executive function than a space that’s cluttered. Read on for easy-to-implement ideas to keep the mind working at an optimal level.

Focused Thinking

Being aware of what slows us down mentally is an important aspect of office wellness.  Social media, news topics of the day and office gossip are distractions that can bog down a worker. Family stress, low morale at work, and poor health also bring employees down.  We can often see if someone is physically sick or if they’re hurting. However, mental wellness is a different matter.  It’s impossible to read the mind, emotions and mental wellness of a person.  This is where executive functioning comes into play.  It’s the brain’s way of practicing concentration, tackling priorities, and helps prevent eventual burnout.  To optimize executive function in the workplace, make sure to:

  • Keep workspaces clutter free with combined desk and storage solutions.
  • Maximize communication and workflow between departments.
  • Provide forums for asking questions on important topics.
  • Encourage employees who are struggling in their personal lives to seek outside counseling from a faith community or clinician. Health providers may also offer counseling services.

In Southern California, there are various schools of psychology with graduate students needing to earn hours. They usually provide counseling at greatly reduced rates while working under the guidance of fully licensed therapists.  Consider hiring grad students for your staff to maintain office wellness.

Channeled Energy

Meetings have a remarkable way of taking energy among a team and depleting it.  To channel energy effectively and efficiently in meetings and maintain a positive vibe, make sure to:

  • Keep group meetings or one-on-one sessions on point and as brief as possible.
  • Make sure the setup of conference tables and chairs is spacious or use a more relaxed lounge seating arrangement.
  • Don’t lay blame on someone in front of others or spring tough topics on people.
  • Ask for input to gauge reasons for negative data like missed sales numbers.
  • Schedule ahead for a monthly birthday celebration or milestone moment.
  • Provide comfortable areas where people can linger and chat away from desks and workstations.

Creative Down Time

Ask your staff what inspires them – a book, movie, or a simple experience like a walk they took recently. Maybe it’s cooking or playing sports.  Focusing on down time with your staff definitely has it benefits.  It contributes to optimum executive function and office wellness.  Consider:

  • Once a quarter try to schedule in an inspiring activity that builds up the team.
  • Offer a cooking class, a beach trip or museum outing to a place like the Getty Museum or the Huntington Library and Gardens.
  • If goals are met and work is done well, create a certificate for the individual to take off a couple of hours and do something of their choosing nearby.
  • Turn a workstation or lounge area into an Idea Center. Allow people to post notes there on how they get through challenging times at the office or home. Invite them to submit problem-solving ideas for the company.

Design for Office Wellness

Everyone can benefit from a holistic approach to office wellness. Planning the office space and using quality furniture is important in creating a pleasant and productive atmosphere.  If you are interested in designing your office to promote executive function, please don’t hesitate to ask us for help.  Our office furniture experts are here to guide you and help you every step of the way.

Read Also:  Staying Productive with an Effort for Holistic Office Wellness
Main Photo: OFS Brands Yelly Table

Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: OFS Brands

Make Office Ergonomics Your Next Smart Move

Make Office Ergonomics Your Next Smart Move

What is Office Ergonomics

Keeping employees well and productive isn’t just about giving lectures on how to stop smoking or regulate blood pressure. Physical movement is one of the keys to keeping an office staff healthy.  It impacts work-related absenteeism (since prolonged sitting or standing stresses muscles and joints which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders or MSDs), and can overall affect a company’s performance.  Oftentimes, office movement is directly related to office design and the furniture utilized by the staff.  Conditions like unwieldy office chairs can cause ailments, and existing health problems to persist and worsen. That is why addressing the issue of office ergonomics come is so important.  Office ergonomics apply the science that lies behind the interactions people have with their environment, so personal well-being and office efficiency occur at a peak level.

Don’t Just Sit (or Stand) There

Sitting for long hours or standing for long periods of time will stress the body’s joints. Poor posture aggravates muscles and joints.  One very common example is an employee working in front of a computer screen.  Ever pick up a heavy bowling ball? A person’s head weighs between 10 pounds to 14 pounds. Leaning forward to glance at the computer screen with gravity pulling down on the head will gradually strain the upper two vertebrae out of alignment. This will pinch the nerves in the brainstem, an area located at the bottom of the neck and shoulders, which ultimately will cause health problems for the employee.  This risk, however, can be alleviated through regular movement, proper workstation arrangements and chairs that flex with the body.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll – or at Least Stretch

When the topic of movement in the office is brought up, most workers think the main reason is to burn calories. But that’s just one of the resulting benefits.  Moving, even small stretching exercises, maintains a healthy blood circulation and is important for the health of the muscles. You can also promote movement by adding some key types of furniture to your workspace.  Height adjustable desks (for both collaborative spaces and individual offices) as well as a conference table that can double as a ping-pong table are effective office additions that can help keep employees moving.  It’s important to note that the key is to avoid being in one position for too long. Standing while working, which helps with movement, should still be done in brief amounts of time, perhaps intervals of no more than 15 to 20 minutes.

Workstation Standards that Raise the Bar — For Best Office Ergonomics

Proper workstation set up is, according to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), “the first step in combating musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the office environment.”

OSHA standards are:

  • Aligning joints in the neutral position
  • Chairs adjusted correctly for the individual user
  • Backs supported
  • Computer monitors, keyboards, and accessories like a mouse are at the right height for the user

This is why adjustable office furniture is so important. Individual pieces can all be adjusted independently.

Sit On It with Confidence

Every office has people with a range of postures.  Chairs that don’t conform well to sitting positions can result in tight shoulders, breathing that’s constricted, and tightness in the thighs and throughout the legs.  That is why it’s important to have ergonomic chairs that allows users the freedom to move naturally while in a sitting position.  Ergonomically designed chairs like the Cherryman Eon Chair and 9 to 5 Seating’s Vesta Chair have lumbar support and an advanced tilt feature,  which helps these chairs to work well at conference tables and for individual office use.

Image Source: Humanscale