Getting Your Office Back Up To Speed: Work & COVID-19

If your office is like thousands of offices across the globe, you may have elected to work from home sometime during the coronavirus pandemic. The virus that took the world by storm nearly a year ago is beginning to wane in many parts of the world, so now offices are beginning to allow people back in.

But you don’t want to simply bring people in without a plan. If you don’t have some sort of plan in mind, you’ll likely end up with people in your workplace getting sick and your office shutting down once again. So how should you bring your employees back to work in a safe way?

In this blog, we’ll discuss tips that you can use to keep your employees healthy and productive!

Let Everyone In On The Sanitation Plan

This should be a no-brainer but so many companies unnecessarily leave their employees out of the loop. Your office’s response to the coronavirus should be clear to everyone who needs to follow it. Make sure none of the plan is vague, either.

Stay Patient

Often when companies experience crunch, the gut reaction from management is to crack down and pressure people to perform. This is absolutely not the way that you want to bring your people back.

If some of your employees seem a little sluggish, don’t be so quick to get rid of them. Propose an action plan and give

Create An Action Plan

In addition to having a sanitation plan, you’re going to need to have a plan for all departments to get back up to speed. Of course, this plan is going to be highly dependent on how your business has handled this period. If productivity has been lacking, then you may need to be aggressive with your plan.

Conversely, if your business has handled the pandemic well, you shouldn’t push too hard. This is for reasons that we’ll expand on in the next tip. Most importantly, be sure to balance the needs of the company with the needs of your employees.

Create A Support Network

Modern life even before COVID-19 was incredibly hectic and stressful for millions of Americans. Our current pandemic has only added more instability to an already precarious economy and social fabric. As a result, a support system at work could keep people from burning out completely or being unproductive.

This support network can be configured in a number of ways. It could be something as small as encouraging employees to reach out to each other to make a therapy program.

Consider Socially Distanced Activities

Chances are that when you go back to the office, morale won’t be so high. It’s natural, everyone has a lot on their mind, so try to think up some activities or fun incentives for a morale boost. Perhaps a fun office activity with a cool prize, or a surprise doughnut break for the team.

These activities can be tailored to your business’s specific situation. Just don’t forget to get creative and try to get everyone on the same page.

Tell Employees To Leave Work At Work

Even if offices say not to work from home, most probably secretly love when their team decides to knock something out at home. People may be even more inclined to work from home since they have been doing it for a while. But you may need to really emphasize that the work needs to stay in the office.

This is because of the stress and burnout that we mentioned earlier. With everything that is going on, it could be easy for your employees to overwork themselves and burnout. When your employees come in, just try to stress that they need to stop the work when they clock out.

Trust Indoff For Your Office Furniture!

Regardless of how you bring employees back, they’ll need a place to sit ad work. That’s where we come in. Indoff supplies the best in office furniture and equipment to support our El Paso customers.

Contact us today to learn more about our office offerings!

Office Space Design: Getting Your Office Furniture to Work for You 

a group of young employees collaborating in a shared work space

Research into how we work is nothing new. First, there were factory floors, then large office spaces that resembled factory floors, then cubicles, then the revolution against cubicles, then the technology and internet age. Every step of the way business executives and heads of major companies have been trying to figure out a way to improve the way we work. A big part of improving productivity and increasing collaboration lies in the way that people’s workspace is arranged, although not many companies consider this as an asset or tool for growth. Here at Indoff Office Furniture, we understand that the office is not just the place we arrive at in the morning with coffee stains on our shirt, our hair undone, and flustered from the morning commute. The office space needs to be so much more than that. 

Many startups and tech companies today are trying innovative ways to propel their workforce to improve workflow. Sometimes it feels like they are at odds with themselves. After all, the office is not one dimensional. Here at Indoff Office Furniture, we understand that. We see the office as a place that should inspire creativity but also encourage comfort; it is a place that lends itself to quiet solitude and focus but also makes interaction and collaboration easy. The office space should do all these things while maximizing space and suggesting a feeling of modernity and coziness. 

Let’s take a step back, where did all this begin?

The roots of the office design were born out of necessity. As the white-collar age began, many big-time company execs understood that housing all of their employees in one building could present a series of problems but also opportunities. During the turn of the 20th century, Taylorism was born and would today be looked at with some scorn. The office layout consisted of a fully open layout with all employees laid out in one big room as company executives looked on from above the way that factory floors were often structured. This creation of hierarchy and separation would not bode very well today but the movement was deemed Taylorism, after Frederick Taylor, who was obsessed with productivity and efficiency. The levels were soon done away with and the arrangement became more utilitarian by the mid-50s, although much of the space still remained relatively open. Later in the 20th century, Herman Miller created the Action, a semi-personal workstation that created dividers between workers but gave enough space for some conversation. This little station has gained quite the reputation and has in some ways become synonymous with the drone and tedium of modern life, yet it did change the way that office space was conceived for many years. This is, of course, the cubicle. 

The Move Towards Collaborative Spaces Using Furniture and Space Arrangement 

The modern age has us not only working with technology but working to further technological advancements, services, software, and more. Regardless of what your office works on or develops, the space where your workers attack the problems and challenges must be conducive to a better work environment. 

Approaches to Better Office Design and Increased Productivity 

See your office design and furniture as tools for growth. For the modern age, this might include re-engineering office space to encourage interactions and communication between different departments or types of employees. Let the developers mingle with the designers, let the creatives watercooler-talk with the salespeople, and let the managers interact free with their teams. This happens simply by re-thinking the way our spaces are laid out. In terms of furniture, it might include using different types of desks in one area and other more private cubbies in another. 

Use furniture as a way to set the tone and create comfort. There are so many more options today than simple cubicles or bland desks that tend to create clutter. One thing that does increase people’s stress is the clutter that begins to form when the arrangement of the room is not conducive to storage or the maximizing of space. Today’s office furniture offers a lot of interesting alternatives, many of which can increase employees’ comfort level and set different tones for different rooms. Technology companies like Google—who have truly revolutionized the office space— have found that productivity happens in a spectrum, so they have designed different rooms to be conducive to different types of work, from solo work to semi-quite focused areas, to full open collaborative spaces. 

Indoff Office Furniture is meant to help you maximize and reengineer your office space in a way that inspires your employees to be more productive, comfortable, and happy at work. 

 

How The Color Of Your Workplace Affects Productivity

An animated office with glass windows, conference room, computer tables, with plants and hanging lights.

There’s so much we do to set up the perfect workspace. From the right kind of coffee to kick-start your day, to finding that perfect chair for posture. But have you ever thought about the color scheme you’re surrounded by? Studies have shown that your office paint job can affect you more than you realize. A study done by Color Psychologist Angela Wright proves to show how color can change your mindset. It’s time to reanalyze your efficiency and optimize your productivity. If you’re working from home or heading back to the office soon, here’s how changing the color of your workspace can change how you work.

Color = Productivity

Before you jump up and pick your favorite color for your workplace (let’s not break out the neon scheme just yet), you should know what individual colors mean. Think about it from an artist’s perspective. They pick certain colors to bring out specific moods and emotions in their work. If they’re creating a calming spring meadow, they’re not going to use Hi-Fi reds and oranges. They’ll aim for blues, greens, even some yellows to relax your mind. Let’s look at some of the primary colors and their effects on the mind. 

modern working office with efficient colorful walls and carpeting to enhance productivity

Red: Stimulating And Attention Grabbing

Although stimulating, the color red has its pros and cons for the work environment. Think of a stop sign – it catches our attention immediately. It’s also probably what your teacher used when marking up that paper you spent all night working on. Mostly, it’s a call for attention in the details. It raises our blood pressure and can activate our “fight or flight” instinct. Although the color red isn’t recommended for a relaxing workplace, it’s productive when drawing one’s attention to a key item. It also has two ways on the spectrum it can land on – pink and burgundy. Pink has a light-hearted feel, whereas burgundy takes a sophisticated and serious tone. The verdict? Use it sparingly or just to highlight something important in the office.  

Blue: Productivity and Calming

Quite the opposite of red, and known for its calming ability, blue has the most significant productivity boost in the office. If you use blue as the base color for office productivity, you can use other colors as accents since so much goes well with the color. It has the opposite effect from red as it lowers the blood pressure. Creating a calming feeling, it aids the mind for concentration at its fullest. 

Green: Relaxing and Peaceful

Hitting that 40-hour workweek can be exhausting no matter what you do. Luckily, green has a significant effect on calming people down. It’s key to relaxation, mainly because green doesn’t strain the eyes. It’s no wonder offices have open windows with plenty of nature surrounding them. You can even place plants around the office to help create this effect as well. It’s perfect for keeping your mind at peace for those overwhelming projects and deadlines.

Yellow: Collaboration and Optimism 

As much as we love being relaxed and cozy, too much can put us to sleep. A touch of yellow can bring in some energy and positive emotions into the office space. If you want to highlight collaboration, yellow can help to bring out an uplifting and vibrant mood. It’s also known for stimulating creativity and optimism. Although, too much can be an oversaturation. It’s known as the least favorite color for most adults, so use it sparingly and in key spots.

Group of joyful and cheerful coworkers sitting together in bright creative office and laughing while discussing launch of new project of company

Working From Home

 So, you’ve set-up your at-home office, probably in a room that wasn’t used much before. Or maybe, you’re in the center of everything in your living room. You probably went from spending your early mornings and evenings at home, but now you’re there all day. Take a step back and see what color fits both your living and home working situation. You’ll find it makes a more significant influence than you realize.   

Back To The Office 

As a business owner, most of your staff might be working from home right now, and that’s okay. It has its pros with everyone out of the building. Now is the perfect time to renovate the office space a little. This doesn’t mean you need to break out the paint buckets either, you can do all of this with furniture as well. Not everyone has the luxury of owning a building or the budget to paint every wall and room in the office. By simply updating the furniture, you can make the entire room come to life.

Also, remember that each color’s tone and brightness take a big part of what you’re choosing. You don’t want to oversaturate your office or pick the wrong color for the wrong room. Our leader, Kim Gregory, can help you decide what message and vibe you’re sending not only to your clients but to your people.

More Than Just A Color  

A key thing to remember is the intensity and saturation of each color. Selecting colors in key spots means more than a whole room one color. The CEO having a blue highlighted door can mean trustworthiness and dependability. Green plants bring in freshness and nature into the office, and so on. So, before picking that basic beige or white walls, think about how you can truly optimize productivity with your color schemes. 

The History of the Office: Where Productivity and Creativity Flourish

a modern open office space with plants and white office furnitureOffices have a long, storied past. It’s where great deals are made, and where world-changing inventions come to life. But how did we arrive at the modern office? And where are offices going in the future? Today, we’ll delve into the history of the modern office to see if we can uncover any secrets to this crucial piece of modern society. If you’d like to convert your office into a more efficient, comfortable, and professional space, then Indoff Office Furniture can help.

The Origins of the Office

Here’s a fun fact, did you know famed English author Geoffery Chaucer is credited as the first person to use the term “office” as a place where business transactions take place? This was way back in 1395, appearing in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. Prior to this, the term was generally used when referring to a position that involved certain duties. 

We can find the true birth of the modern office in the 18th century when the East India Company and other large-scale, complex organizations began to grow and take hold of the world. It was during this time that the first office spaces were being built. These buildings were built with the sole purpose of getting work done. 

Productivity³ 

At the core of every office is the need for productivity to thrive. This need gave birth to the office cubicle. In 1964, office equipment company Herman Miller teamed up with industrial designer Robert Propst to create a concept of a “modern” office that would fight against the monotony of past office spaces, thus allowing for higher degrees of creativity to flourish. What they came up with was known as the “Action Office,” a precursor to the modern cubicle. Today, the cubicle is seen in a less-than-flattering light but its original intention was to create a private setting where employees could work without distraction, thus letting their creativity and productivity flow. 

Japan in the 20th Century: Birthplace of the First Open Plan Offices 

One the other side of the spectrum is the 20th-century Japanese office. Japanese offices pioneered what is known as an “open plan” which mostly relies on ergonomic decisions that aid in making employees as productive as can be. Unlike most American offices, Japanese offices have no walls dividing desks or cubicles; individual offices are also eschewed in this open floor plan. In order to ensure productivity, the office or group leader sits at a prominent position. From this spot, the leader can assign tasks and keep tabs on work as its completed.

Since this open-plan does away with walls, team members are able to speak freely with one another in case they require assistance or guidance. If this sounds like your current office layout, then you’re in good company! It wasn’t long before the open office plan pioneered by Japanese businesses began to crop up in other offices all across the world. 

Working from Home

There are countless industries in this world of ours. As such, some industries may benefit greatly from open plans while others are actually more beneficial with cubicles or team spaces. It all depends on the particular industry. But with the advent of the internet and the turn of the century, offices actually evolved to become more personal. So much so, in fact, that many individuals have gone on to work from home.

Everyone, from architects and freelancers to therapists and photographers, has made the move to home offices. Although there is still a prestige that comes along with a physical office address, there’s unbridled freedom that comes from working at home. In fact, many modern companies have remote workers who live in different cities or countries. All this can be done thanks to the advancements in technology and internet connectivity. 

Coworking Spaces Explained

Coworking spaces are an interesting development in the trajectory of office spaces. Sometimes, working from home just isn’t in the cards. Perhaps you don’t have an extra room to spare or your family is much too loud for you to properly speak with clients over the phone without interruptions. This is where coworking spaces can come in handy. Coworking spaces seamlessly combine the idea of open-plan offices with the premise of remote work. For low monthly rates, you can have your own desk in a modern, state-of-the-art office.

Coworking spaces are incredibly popular among freelancers, start-ups, and entrepreneurs so you’ll be in good company. In fact, that’s one of the main benefits of coworking spaces. Since like-minded individuals are all around you, you’ll be able to flourish in your own endeavors. Coworking spaces create a unique environment. You’re your own boss, but you’re not on your own. You can take time to speak with those around you and bounce ideas off one another and there won’t be a supervisor keeping tabs on your tasks. As such, creativity can flourish!

Finding the Right Furniture

Whether you’re planning on converting your spare bedroom into your home office or you’re ready to start renting a space for your startup, you need to make sure you have the right office furniture to guarantee productivity, comfort, and organization. This is where Indoff Office Furniture comes into play. We carry the best of the best in business and office furniture. Give us a call today to learn more about what we have to offer!

Five Fun Ways to Open Up Your Home Office

Comfortable workplace with modern computer on desk. Home office

Working from home is an exciting venture, but the initial interest may wear out quickly if your setup fails to suffice. After a few weeks (or even a few days!) you’ll get used to waking up at eight in the morning until five in the afternoon. Although, what makes a home office optimal is that you get to customize your space, which is not as feasible when you work in an office. If you’re in the El Paso area and you’re ready to take your home office to the next level, then Indoff Office Furniture can help. We’ve compiled five great tips that can turn your home office into your most productive space yet! 

Start With the Right Office Chair 

Whether you’re planning on using a standing desk from time to time or sitting at your computer screen all day, it is still in your best interest to look for the best office chair possible. There are a lot of options for you to choose from, but it’s important that you don’t purchase an office chair that is too comfortable. The more comfortable a chair is the more inclined you’ll be to slack off and possibly even fall asleep! With a more up-right and supportive chair, you’ll be able to tackle all of your tasks within the assigned time! 

Get a Durable and Sturdy Desk 

Modern office interior design with office chair and desk in front of windows. Workplace with laptop.

Your office desk is the seed that will help you grow ideas into tangible success. You can go all out with your desk or you could keep it light and simple. Whatever suits your needs is what matters most! It’s also important to not go overboard with a large desk because you might feel like you have too much space and not enough supplies to fill it with. For example, a large desk might give you space for a filing cabinet, but if you don’t find the need for one, then it’s nothing to worry about! You want a desk that fits your comfort and your work ethic, all in one. 

Create a Comfortable Light Setting 

Your home may have a dark and ambient light setting throughout each and every room, but this isn’t ideal for your home office. When creating your home office, it is important to make sure that you have enough light so you can stay focused on your work. If the room is too dimly lit, you might become drowsy or bored, thus becoming too distracted and fail to get any work done. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the setting has to be painfully bright, especially to the point where it can be headache-inducing! If you have a spare room where the sun spills in perfectly, then you can use this place as your home office. 

Personalize Your Space 

Modern home working place with laptop, stylish lamp and plant in pot over white wall background

One of the best things about working in a home office is the limitless possibilities you have available. You could add pictures of your friends and family, encouraging sticky-note messages, candles, and any other personal items that help you get through your workday! Make your home office your own so you’ll forward to working every day. This way, you won’t loath your working hours. 

Make Sure Your Work Zone is Free of Distraction 

Everyone works differently. Some people have to physically leave their homes, others may have an easier time working in the comfort of their homes. Even if working at home works out better for you, noise is inevitable. Noise will especially be prevalent if you have little ones that hit the TV and their toys as soon as they come home from school. Even if you are not the one generating the noise, it is still your responsibility to keep it down as much as possible. Additionally, if you don’t have to worry about children breaking into your office, it’s still a good idea to make sure your office is unreachable (obviously, except by you). This way, you won’t get distracted or bothered while working on that big project. If locking the door isn’t an option, you can let your family and household members know that you’ll be working and that volumes will need to stay low. 

Indoff Office Furniture: Making Your Dream Office a Reality 

The world of interior design for offices is full of great options. You don’t have to be a master in office design and decorating when you have Indoff Office Furniture to help and guide you! Give us a call or visit us today to take a look at what we have to offer.

Office Furniture Trends You Can Expect to See in 2020

Still of the interior of a modern office aligned with wooden features, divided work spaces, office chairs, and office tables.

The new decade is finally here and now, more than ever, companies are becoming increasingly complex in terms of their functions and operations. Those who are on the front line of workplace design are working to anticipate the ever-evolving needs of businesses while creating a cohesive brand that encourages innovation and a company’s corporate vision and culture. The challenges that businesses face today have led to exciting transformations in the way that employees perform, interact with, and operate within built environments. Employees are now working in offices and workplaces that are designed for high-demanding business needs, with the goal to improve performance and productivity, attract talented new recruits, enhance wellness and well-being, and inspire new and innovative ideas. None of this would be possible without the prevalence of specialized office designs and furniture. As we plan for 2020 and beyond, these trends stand to make the most immediate and significant impacts on the future of our workplaces. 

Making a Comeback with Wooden Interior 

By today’s standards, most office environments are built with traditional whiteboard drywall construction and filled with metal cubicles. As brands become more focuses on sustainability and rearrange their workspace to attract top talent, facilities have adopted a more environmentally conscious attitude in recent years to meet their employee and tenant expectations and this is done with the help of wood. Wood is infamous for adding biophilic texture, lines, and warmth to traditionally sterile office environments. Linear wood paneling and slatted wood patterning also help create the illusion of depth. 

Utilizing Monochromatic Expression 

The Oxford dictionary defines monochromatic as containing or using only one color. Although, this definition doesn’t depict what it can monochromatic color schemes can do in terms of design. Monochromatic color schemes have sparked a color explosion that’s been taking place in commercial vicinities over the past several years. These color palettes only use one color, but they utilize the entire spectrum of shades, tones, and hints of that particular color to depict a uniform and recognizable theme. This design draws people in via creative expression and establishes an image that showcases functions and personality within a workspace. 

Implementing Hanging Horticulture and Vegetation 

Plants have become more popular in office environments than ever before, with the emergence of walls adorned with green and moss as staples of well-being and branding. With floor space at a premium, designers are turning to new heights to integrate their vegetation: ceilings. Office ceilings are the next frontier for companies striving to maximize space, efficiency, and incorporate the patterns of nature. Hanging vegetation often promotes home-styled environments where the lines of business and leisure are blurred. With plant design engrained in buildings seeking a sustainable and wellness-forward image, green has become and continues to be an undeniable feature in the near future of office design. 

Modular Modern Designs

By the looks of it, the open office space isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In the meantime, businesses are looking for ways to provide their employees with personalized, private spaces in which they can focus on their important projects. Beyond that, functional furniture is a key element to help employees stay creative, active, and extremely productive. This indicates that new studio drafting tables, standing desks, benching workstations, and even insulated phone booths are being developed and reimagined every day to help workers maximize their time in the office.

Dynamic Spaces and Flexibility 

The trend of dynamic spaces has begun to emerge, introducing people to the idea of multi-functional workspaces. These spaces typically include indoor-outdoor access via garage doors, movable dividers, and television and video equipment—just to name a few. Dynamic flexibility incorporates an entirely new generation of moveable, multi-functional, lightweight, and ergonomic elements designed to fit any space and purpose. This design trend also focuses on a complete transformation of environments from the meeting rooms, to a production area, to a quiet, semi-private space, with just a blink of an eye. All in all, these spaces are designed to meet the needs, application, and comfort in our increasingly multidisciplinary business world. 

Indoff Commercial Interiors: Here to Help You Transform and Modernize Your Office Space

If it’s time for you to renovate your office or workplace, we have all the materials, furniture, and office essentials to help you achieve efficiency and success! Contact us today to learn more about the products we carry and to have a professional help you find furniture to compliment your office environment.

7 Ways the Office Place Has Changed Over the Past 20 Years

Employees talk amongst eacn other as they work on their computers in their modernized workplace/office space.

Though offices have been around since what seems like the beginning of time, our experiences in working in them have dramatically changed. Long gone are the days of Rolodexes and smoking in the office. Now, work tasks and projects can be completed at the convenience of a smartphone, accommodations are made for the employees, and workplaces have become more open and diverse. We’ve gathered some information regarding some of the major changes that have taken place in offices within the past couple of decades. 

Employees Can Work Remotely 

Not too long ago, this was not an option for most employees. As of current times, approximately one-third of employees operate from a remote station, which is most often their homes. It is an accommodation that has increased worker motivation and has saved many companies the cost of running and owning more office space. With some industries, the internet has come into play by helping employees work from any location, full time. 

Major Alterations of the Office Desk 

In the 90s, office desks were jam-packed with all sorts of material and equipment, which were usually inconveniently heavy. A typical desk would contain items ranging from the phone book to staplers, pens, a telephone, notepads, dictionary, scissors, and more. Although these items can still possibly be found in an office today, most are missing from employees’ desks thanks to technology. There is no longer a need for bombarding an employee’s desk with tools that can be all found on the internet or through an electronic device. 

Office Designs and Styles are Ever-Changing

Approximately twenty years ago, many offices felt a bit more sterile, thus employees felt a bit stiffer and uptight at work. That is not necessarily the case as of recently. Contractors and business owners are constantly trying to find ways in which an office can feel more comfortable and inviting. Lighting fixtures tend to be less dim so that they are not too bright and headache-inducing. Sofas and couches are implemented to give employees and guests with a place to rest and take a comfortable break. Desks and chairs are designed to be flexible so that employees can move around and focus, all at the same time. 

The Use of Less Paper

The digital age has brought about software that makes the use of loads of paper unnecessary. Twenty years ago, paper material was necessary for any office as phones and computers were not as available as they are today. Going digital is now much easier than ever before. Many industries now utilize online technology to communicate, send, receive and store documents. As a result, the need for paper decreased dramatically. 

Waste Management has Improved 

Despite the fact that many offices use less paper, office waste has not decreased over the years. A vast amount of waste comes from the increased demand and purchases of office supplies and essentials by employers. Additionally, more and more waste is being generated from the use of departmental acquisitions and poor project management. As a result, many offices and workplaces are now adopting improved waste management systems, which is something you would rarely see twenty years ago and beyond. 

Diminishing the Tradition of the Cubicle 

From the 1980s to the 1990s, office spaces were known for going on a cube-modality frenzy and there was a fair amount of wariness over this new look. As the American population grew, so did the workplace. It did not make ergonomic sense to tuck every employee into a four-walled office space. It also failed to make sense to house everyone in a giant, noisy, open-air room. The logical solution lied somewhere in the middle with a hybrid office/open workspace. The average workspace is now formatted where employees can work amongst each other, interact, and make more contact. 

Facilities Management Software Has Evolved 

Today’s standard facility management software offers a wide variety of features and functionality that was not available before and it also looks more appealing. Gone are the boring screens that resemble DOS, replaced by colors that are easy on the eyes and a user interface that is intuitive. Updated software also offers a capacity for collecting, analyzing, and reporting on important data so that a company stays on top of its facilities and spaces. 

Get Started with Indoff Commercial Interiors for the Latest Office Essentials and More! 

We can never be sure as to what the next decade will bring, but as of right now, our professionals are here to help companies make changes to their workplaces to stay innovative and up to date. Contact us today to learn about how our office furniture and supplies can enhance your workplace, overall!

Myths of The Open Office Concept

Employees working together in modern open office space, corporate group team employees using computers, talking, discuss project, colleagues in coworking, collaboration, teamwork

Since the 70s, the open office concept has gained lots of traction. In fact, in America, it’s estimated that 70% of all office spaces were open office concepts of some degree. Championed by businesses like Facebook and other Silicon Valley giants, the open office was supposed to be the creative, collaborative workspace of the future. The problem—open offices have done just the opposite. 

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the pitfalls of such a system, as well as discuss potential alternatives. 

Open Office Lack Of Creativity 

It’s rare when a concept does the exact opposite of what it was intended to do; unfortunately, that’s what we have with open offices. 

According to a 2018 Harvard Business Schol research paper, open offices reduced face to face interactions drastically, promoting emails and instant messages (IMs) more. Perhaps more importantly, workers were less productive, efficient, and quality fell to boot. 

Other studies have shown decreases in creativity, productivity, job satisfaction, and attention spans. In an era where everyone’s attention spans are decreasing, the last thing a business needs is even less attention from employees.

If that wasn’t enough, higher stress levels, blood pressure, and job turnover are also associated with open offices. Not quite the office revolution that people were hoping for. 

So…Now What?

So cubicles are drab, but open offices are bad in almost every way. What do we do? Well, as with most things in life, the best option may be somewhere in the middle. Some companies are utilizing open office design in small groups. Each group will have its own sequestered space but will be able to collaborate amongst themselves. This boosts productivity and collaboration without having the noise of the entire office distracting them. 

Getting the Most Out of Your Office With Indoff

If you want the most productive office space for you and your staff, you’ll need to get the best equipment for your staff. Here at Indoff, we ensure that our collection of office furniture and equipment is of quality design and functionality. Contact us today to find the best office furniture for your goals! 

 

Essentials to Complement Your Office Furniture 

Office work essential tools with copy space on the right

You’ve got the swivel chair, the right-sized desktop, and the computer you need to perform your work on. You may think that suffices your office furniture needs, but little may one know about the essentials you should add to enhance your work performance! Office essentials are meant to be installed in your work-place to not only add a pop of color and visual satisfaction, but they are also meant to make your work process more efficient. You might be wondering as to which office essentials you could incorporate for your workspace, and we’ve got some ideas.

Drawer Organizers

Papers. Everywhere. We don’t doubt that every paper that is handed to you must be of some importance, but handling files becomes messy when you place them in any open space possible. It is suggested that your company adds drawers or bins for you to label and organize documents. This organization of documents not only helps you find papers easily by categorization, but it keeps your desk clean and professional-looking. 

Daily Planning Tools

Agendas, planners, and calendars are shown to help separate and manage out tasks throughout one’s week. You don’t need to have anything fancy or too grand, but having little planners can help make work look less overwhelming and more doable. By making work look more flexible, you are more prone to approach your tasks from a positive perspective, therefore calling for a better outcome or product. 

Desk USB 

It’s pretty common for an office to have wires and cords of all kinds in every corner possible. They can not only be a vexing sight but can also take up space you need to work successfully. All thanks to technology, grommet holes can be easily installed and placed on your desk. These grommet holes are made to retain USB outlets. You might need to charge your phone, connect a USB to your computer, and an HDMI cord, all at the same time. USB grommet holes have made it so much easier. 

Indoff Commercial Interiors: Your Go-To!

You can’t have the perfect office essentials without the perfect office furniture. Contact Indoff Commercial Interiors to gift your office with the most sophisticated, but beautiful furniture possible!

How Your Office Space Affects Productivity

wall mock up interior. Wall art. 3d rendering, 3d illustration

When you are in a cozy, dim-lighted room you naturally feel warm and relaxed, almost causing you to snooze off. On the other hand, when you are in a tense, cold, and bright-lighted environment, you tend to be a bit more stiff, awake, and alert. These specific effects apply to the offices we work in as well. And you’re probably wondering how you can be both productive and comfortable at the same time. Well, there are definitely a number of ways in which you can make this possible. Let’s go over the factors that play a part in our offices and what we can do to achieve the benefit of both productivity and comfortability. 

Lighting

Believe it or not, the lighting we work in plays a major part. Natural light is actually healthier and has been found to decrease chances of gaining depression and anxiety. Brightly installed lights do tend to keep working, but they can be unsettling and sometimes even too bright. It is encouraged to install windows in an office to allow for more natural light to come in and give workers a more upbeat vibe. 

Color

There is a variation of moods that color is enabled to trigger. Blue is said to create a calming and secure feeling. It would be helpful to incorporate blue hues to help office employees feel less stressed and more at ease. Green is helpful in reducing eye fatigue and helps employees stay efficient. Looking at a computer screen all day can be tiring for your eyes, so adding a pop of green would help a whole lot. Red is associated with evoking enthusiasm and inspiration, therefore this would help spark a company employees to be more creative and competitive as opposed to other companies.

Texture

Our sense of touch is automatically stimulated by the furniture we sit on, the equipment we are using for work, whether we are standing or sitting during work performance, and so on. Our consciences will also automatically dictate how we feel about a specific environment due to the textures that make up a place. It is encouraged that an office buys swivel chairs and the science behind that is due to the movement; employees need to move around sometimes to keep themselves going and open to the area. It is also anticipated that an office keeps equipment updated, the more recent and new equipment is usually made with more consideration of how people will be interacting with it, therefore companies are enhancing the textures of office equipment for our own comfortability.

It’s important to feel great at the offices in which we work in. People who do not look forward to going to work is tied to what they are feeling in an office space. If you care about the well-being of the employees you work with, Indoff Commercial Interiors is here to support you. Contact us today to receive the office furniture that is best fit for your company and productivity.