If your company is ripe for a workplace redesign, it’s a perfect time to get some expert advice. Rearranging the office causes a certain amount of unavoidable disruption. You want to make sure the results are worth the hassle—and that employees will end up more satisfied than they were before. Create a Buffet of Choices […]

For a solution called “Quiet Spaces”, the new architectural offering from Steelcase is certainly making a lot of noise in the office furniture industry. This manufacturer has created many notable designs for the “cubicle era” and continued its success with the transition to workstations for the open office after the walls started coming down. Now, […]

In its quest to reduce unused office space, the GSA recently put together quite an interesting workspace utilization report. The agency has since taken its own advice, reducing office space by 50% and getting rid of six leases totaling $24 million dollars. Below are highlights from a couple of the case studies covered in the […]

Who took home the gold for Best of NeoCon 2014? Are these items the perfect choices to refurbish or renovate your office space? We’ll explore some of the best of the best in July. Architectural Products by molo This space-sculpting partition system brings new scope to the term ‘flexible’. Each Tyvek honeycomb accordion wall features […]

Is it about time your company had a thorough office remodel? This is a great opportunity to bring your work environment and furnishings up to date technologically and ergonomically. You can even do a complete rebrand for a trendier image. But even well-intended changes don’t always go over well with workers—unless they have some input […]

The physical office building is one of a company’s greatest assets and investments as well as a substantial source of liability. If the facility is well designed, properly maintained, and used to its fullest potential, all is well. But when it is in disrepair, the workplace can become unpleasant or even hazardous. If space is […]

Last week, we took a look at what the “Digital Natives” in Generation Y expect from a user-friendly workspace. This week, we’ll put together a sample collection for the modern office environment—the all-important lounge area. Don’t let the name fool you. Serious work can be performed here if the furnishings support the way younger employees […]

Gen Y workers, with their high-tech smartphones, internet savvy minds, lightning fast texting skills, and “always connected” attitude are now being referred to as Digital Natives. These office employees have a different set of needs and expectations for their work environment compared to older peers. As offices are redesigned and refurnished over the next ten […]

Will it meet or exceed our expectations? According to a LinkedIn survey that was turned into a charming infographic by Needa Shredder (yes, they sell shredders), workers have certain expectations for what things will look like in 2017. Among the items they think will be obsolete are Rolodexes, fax machines, and cassette tapes. That’s probably […]

Does going to the office make your employees feel blue? They might feel differently if they had a Haworth workspace equipped with Bluescape. This product is the result of a joint effort by Obscura Digital and Haworth. It’s a good example of the kind of “intelligent office design” that’s been sweeping the office furniture industry […]

Selecting startup office furniture is something of a balancing act. Brand new businesses need to attract excited, energized innovators who don’t mind putting in long hours at work. This means the office furniture really needs to be good quality. At the same time, funds may be a little tight. It doesn’t make financial sense to […]

If your budget is practically non-existent, even a set of deeply discounted used cubicles might be out of your grasp. In that situation, you need to get inventive and figure out a way to build your own really, really cheap office cubicles. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Cardboard This time honored […]

Does your office feature a graveyard section? More and more offices, hit with the recession, have become home to empty stretches of commercial square footage – barren corridors abandoned as employees clump together in different parts of the floor. There’s a silver lining to the phenomenon of the cubicle graveyard,however; as need to maximize floor […]

Cubicles were once a futuristic and positive idea, taking the chaos of open offices and turning it into an orderly universe with space for each worker to call their own, including expanded desk space, storage space, wall space and so on. Sadly, this utopia turned into a dystopia, as costs of office space rose and […]

The original cubicle came into being in the late 1960s, and at first office workers rebelled. For high level execs used to spacious offices they didn’t at first see the value of an enclosed workstation.  However, mid-level employees accepted the idea of their own space as a step up in many cases as cubicles improved.  […]

More and more companies are outsourcing their customer service to larger telecommunications firms and VoIP companies, and these in turn are searching for better ways to maintain employee morale and efficiency in an increasingly challenging field. When employees are exposed to excessive noise, they can’t concentrate, and when they are on the phone, excessive noise […]

When choosing to go with cubicles as your office fallback, it’s important to think about the kind of working environment you are trying to engender with your new cubicle installation. Is your office full of creative types who work together as a team to complete tasks and brainstorm ideas? A low cubicle height of around […]

When going from a open office layout or blended layout to a new cubicle style office, there are certain things that will have to change in regard to office etiquette. The feel of an office that is filled with cubicles is much different than one that holds traditional offices or is an open plan, and […]

Working in a San Diego cubicle installation can do wonders for productivity – but could be rather hazardous to your employees’ health. Be a good office manager or CEO, and make sure your worker bees stay fit as well as focused with these tips! Make sure they move it, move it. Surprise – sitting in […]

There’s often a disconnect between space planners and actual users, and this is even more apparent when it comes to cubicles. While cubicle sharing seems like a no-brainer to planners and facility managers in cases with limited workstations, the workers who have to physically exist in the shared space can sometimes find it difficult. How […]

A small business expanding from an entrepreneurship into a slightly larger setting often requires an expansion in office space – the home office or a single room in local building stops being sufficient. However, with square footage at a premium, affording as big a space as would be preferred isn’t always an option. Being able […]

Today’s guest post is from S. Arefin, a small office customer relationship management specialist who works for an online CRM company, the CleverTim. Arefin shares advice about the “big 3” factors that make your office space effective and enjoyable. Do you work solo in a small home based office? Do you have just a few […]

According to a Haworth white paper entitled “How Our Prehistoric Past Influences Modern Office Environments”, a lot of what we intuitively sense is good office design stems from our past living on the savannas. While a lot of employer focus on the quality and design of office furniture (which is important), they may neglect other […]

That’s a question explored in Sodexo’s 2012 Workplace Trends pamphlet. It reveals some startling statistics about how nebulous concepts like employee engagement really do impact the bottom line. In a survey of 50 global employers, research group Towers Watson found that firms with highly engaged employees improved their operating income by almost 20 percent over […]

What lengths would you go to if you needed to court a really splendid job candidate for a high level position? Do you take those candidates out to dinner at a fancy restaurant? Do you invite them to go on a fishing trip to catch blue marlin? Do you recreate your office space to make […]

At Cubicles Office Environments, we always look forward to seeing the great office furniture designs that are debuted at NeoCon. But we don’t have to wait a full year to feast our eyes on office designs if we cast a wider net. If you want to tour fantastic, award winning spaces from Moscow to St. […]

If you’ve done much reading about workspace utilization, you probably know about seat occupancy sensors that measure how much time workers actually spend at their desks from day to day. It’s an important piece of data to use in determining whether to gravitate toward a shared desking situation. But the future is likely to offer […]

If you haven’t taken the time to browse the 2012 Contract magazine, you’re really missing out on some hot interior designs. The IIDA Latin America contest brings truly gorgeous concepts to the fore this year. While we’re used to seeing western European offices showcased, we don’t always get to see all the brilliant work that’s […]

Are you confused by all the numbers that get thrown around about how much space you should allocate per office worker? Do the recommendations seem to have little association with the reality you see in your own business? You aren’t alone. If you want to understand what’s really going on, set aside 20 minutes to […]

Don King, VP of Sales at BiNW, has written a very insightful article about how the purpose of the office space has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. The days when gathering employees in one place because it was the only way to monitor and communicate with the workforce are long gone. Today, one […]

Steelcase’s “Defining the Code” research paper suggests that businesses have a lot to learn about what it takes to be truly global employers. Understanding workplace cultures in different countries may lead to subtly or even radically different ways of designing the work environment. Everything from the office layout to the office furniture may need to […]

Haya El Nasser at USA Today wrote an article in October about the way office design can stymie or promote more physical activity. It’s all well and good to encourage employees to use the stairs rather than the elevator. But what if the stairs are hidden in musty stairwells behind heavy fire doors while the […]

Are you renovating your office? Here are five ways you may be able to boost your LEED certification rating: Lighting – Install energy efficient LED lights and use infrared motion detection and timers that turn lights off when a room is unoccupied. Surfaces – Make sure every surface coating/covering from paint to carpet is low […]

Of all the research into office space usage over the past decade, Herman Miller’s studies have delivered some of the most surprising results. According to their data (collected by placing weight sensors in chairs to determine when they were occupied), a typical workstation is only in use 40% of an average workday. Even accounting for […]

The Facility Management Journal offers a very helpful diagram in its P&G case study showing a variety of office configurations. Each one features a blend of modern workstations and conference areas (as opposed to private offices), but the way they are set up shows how layout can support different types of teaming. “Consistent” teaming, where […]

…But don’t overdo it. That’s one takeaway message from a recent article by Global Office. This advice applies to companies where potential clients are likely to get an office tour. It’s great to have an innovative, eye-catching lobby, a stunning conference room, and a great view. But there comes a point where spending more money […]

What does the future hold for office design? Steelcase believes it has some of the answers. Considering that this is the largest manufacturer of office furniture in the world, they probably have some pretty good insight. After all, they’re betting the future of the company on it! Steelcase recently talked with the Commercial Investment Real […]

Allsteel’s library of white papers contains a wealth of thought leadership on the topic of work. The company’s research includes information on what it is, how and where we do it, and what tools, technology, and practices ensure work gets done in the most efficient manner. For an insightful and detailed look at the newest […]

Are you a new business owner? You won’t want to miss this guest post by Shane Mac over at Venture Beat. Shane bucks the trend of “experts” telling everyone that the days of the physical office space are coming to a close. He argues that, while a remote workforce may be OK for well-established companies, […]

Darren Fleming has written a fascinating piece for the Ottawa Business Journal about the connection between outdated office furniture and high office lease expenses. Darren points out that a company with 10 year old furniture may be paying far too much for office space. That’s because older workstations are designed for use with older technology. […]

Carpet may be the last thing on your mind when you’re setting up a new office. But it’s really a foundational aspect of workplace design and office space planning. Floor Daily has an excellent trend prediction piece online for 2012. It provides an overview of what business owners and office designers are looking for right […]

Last week, I had the privilege of guest posting at Ergotron – a company at the leading edge or office ergonomics. The topic of that post was “Designing the Sit to Stand Office”. As height adjustable workstations become the norm rather than an oddity, this is likely to change the way facility managers, architects, office […]

Are you intrigued by the idea of making do with less office space but unsure what radical space re-allocation looks like in practice? Allsteel walks readers through the process with the example of real-life customer Deloitte & Touche. This firm had many private offices that averaged 300 square feet (half the size of an efficiency […]

An article has been making the rounds recently about Steelcase “designing for the future of work”. The company is using the coworking concept to bring the feel of entrepreneurial enterprise into corporate spaces. According to Greiner and Grazziano at Steelcase, all signs point to a future where work areas are less closed off and more […]

Last year, we looked at one programmer’s opinion about whether IT workers prefer offices or cubicles. But now there’s more extensive data available from a survey conducted by Computerworld. Author Cara Garretson reveals that not all tech employees have the same desires when it comes to their office setup, but there are some definite trends. […]

With the holidays coming up, it’s always interesting to see how many different celebrations are recognized at this time of year. In November, there’s Dia de los Muertos (the Latin American Day of the Dead), All Saints Day, Al Hijra (the Muslim new year), and Diwali (the Festival of Lights). Then, December holds Bodhi day […]

Today’s guest post is by Erik Braunitzer of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, leading agents for Bronx Rentals. Enjoy! With many technology companies finding rapid growth in the online world, their infrastructure and resources must also expand. Many Chief Executives are looking towards highly contemporary and collaborative design. Apart from choosing a paint & carpet color, […]

Some of the most interesting “Best of NeoCon” entries aren’t physical furnishings at all. Instead, they are software technologies that are designed to enhance the workplace. Here are a couple that might improve how businesses go about office space planning and furniture selection: 20-20 Visual Impression This 3D office layout and furniture design software tool […]

As we continue exploring the free office environment resources provided by Steelcase, you won’t want to miss their white paper about the true value of space and the value of what you put in it. The cubicle manufacturer advocates installing workstations on the ceiling of your office space so that employees can hang upside down […]

Today, we have a guest post by Susan Black from SofasAndSectionals.com. Here, she shares some food for thought for first time office owners: Decorating any office or workplace can seem a rather foreboding task on the surface, particularly if inspiration is somewhat lacking from the onset. That being said, the positive effects that a well […]

That’s not an idle question for certain congressional representatives. Arnold’s Office Furniture blogger “sjennings” reveals that many politicos on the hill use their offices as a crash pad most nights. Many own houses or apartments elsewhere (such as in their home state) and don’t want to take on an additional lease in D.C. Others are […]

Steelcase believes that many private offices are far behind the times when it comes to accommodating today’s high-level workers. Too often, productivity is stymied by a workspace that is designed to isolate rather than integrate. Perhaps you’ve seen some of the following layout and furniture flaws in private offices at your company: Guests are seated […]

HON recently put together a new software tool that lets you look at different Voi desking designs instantly based on 6 different user-selected criteria. You can pick the footprint, storage capacity, and location (private office, open plan, etc.) to fit each area of your office environment. HON’s main selling point for this laminated worksurface solution […]

An office layout should be about making efficient use of space and keeping employees happy, focused, and productive. That’s the approach the office space planning consultants at Cubicles Office Environments take to help you save money. But what would happen if you let employees be in charge of your office furniture layout? You can find […]