Tag : office furniture

In 1967, two designers, Robert Propst and Herman Miller ventured to improve the privacy and lower the buzzing level of confusing distraction that office workers had been living with. They invented what they called, the “action office.” Recognizing that people are more productive working within their own territorial enclave that they can personalize, the inventers found a way of making walls around desks to provide flexible mini-office spaces.

Propst’s concept was to structure desk space with two or three-sided vertical divisions that defined a territory and provided walls for privacy and without hindering the ability of workers to view and participate with others. These walls were are also entirely flexible and adaptable allowing for multipurpose use. The idea of the “action office” was nearly universally adopted by 2005.

The desk mount allows offices to construct privacy spaces around the structure of individual desks flexibly and without damaging the furniture itself. Desk mounted privacy panels easily attach to the desks themselves using special mounts. They come in a variety of custom colors, frames and fabrics to enhance and match any office décor. The desk mount system quickly transforms open office designs into mini-office space which a person can call their own.

The carrel structure afforded by these desk-mounted panels also provides privacy for study in libraries or special classrooms or test-taking environments. Recent studies have shown that students with certain forms of learning disability function much better within structures defined by carrel spaces that cut off peripheral distraction.

This year marks 45 years since the invention of the “action office.” The concept has revolutionized the work environment of millions of busy offices. OBEX desk mounted panels can improve any open office environment. Please contact us to explore the options we offer.

This year, a fresh crop of vendors is rising to address the challenge of office noise control in the modern workpsace. While providing separation between employees at the workstation level is important, there are many other areas of the office that can also be acoustically upgraded for better sound absorption. Here are a few of the newest items available for helping businesses keep the noise down.

See Through Doesn’t Mean “Hear Through”

Glass is a lovely architectural component, but it poses special challenges for acoustic control. If the glass is too thin, sound can pass right through, and there’s no confidentiality. If it’s too dense, sound bounces right back into the workspace and reverberates. Unika Vaev is addressing this issue with “Glass Cover”—a 100% wool felt product that can be installed in attractive shapes and patterns to add visual interest and sound absorption to expansive glass walls.

Let the Sky Fold

SKYFOLD sounds like the name of a James Bond thriller, and the special effects are certainly something to see. This vertically foldable operative wall system accordions down from the ceiling, providing an instant reduction in noise on both sides of the panel. The STC rating is as high as 60, guaranteeing that meetings stay “top secret”. The system is electric rather than manual, for a very hush, hush operation. These motorized panels are available in a wide range of sizes and have even been installed at Texas A&M to divide up lecture rooms to host multiple simultaneous presentations.

Modern, Mobile, Modi

The Modi screen is a new take on the mobile acoustic privacy screen. It features a wood core with acoustic panels of wool felt (that seems to be the textile of the year), and can be provided in a number of different colors. The wheel can be outfitted in a contrasting hue for added whimsy. There’s a handy handle on the side so the screen is easy to tote from one workstation to another. This might even make a nice temporary door for a cubicle.

What new tools will you use to bring acoustic balance to your offices this year? Let us know in the comments.

Do your employees really care about the latest “eco-friendly” initiative at work? Are they on board with the idea of a mission statement that includes caring for the planet? Would they like to have a say in sustainability in the office? Evidence suggests that the answer to all of these questions is “Yes!”

Workers Love a Giving Attitude

Rena M. Klein at the American Institute of Architects explores a 2008 SHRM study in her article about “Greening the Workplace”. In the study, a strong commitment to sustainable practices was linked to improved worker productivity and higher morale. Energy and resource conservation programs were popular practices, as was support for cycling and other fuel-efficient commuting methods. However, the #1 practice that garnered the most support was reuse of old furnishings.

“Employees were asked which environmentally responsible practices they thought were most important for organizations to carry out. They reported that donating/discounting used office furniture/supplies to employees or local charity was the top environmentally responsible practice.” It’s always nice when what’s good for the environment coincides with what’s good for workers and the local community.

Environmental Responsibility Is a Passion for Young Employees

Sustainability is likely to become even more popular over the next two decades as Gen Y workers will comprise most of the workforce by 2025. According to OXYGENZ (a research project led by Global WorkPlace Innovation), youth believe that the office should be designed with an eye toward eco-responsibility. “Sustainability is highly valued with 96% desiring an environmentally friendly workplace, but not at the expense of design.” Fortunately, the range of choices for office furniture that is well-designed and responsibly manufactured is growing.

Making Smart Green Buying Decisions

Of course, this doesn’t mean buying green is inexpensive—at least for new furniture. Cost can be a significant barrier to implementing an environmentally responsible program. In the SHRM study mentioned above, eight out of ten employees recognized this as one of the reasons such practices weren’t given more weight in the workplace. There is one option that satisfies:

• the requirement of businesses to keep costs low;
• the needs of workers who want (and deserve) ergonomic and finely crafted office furniture; and
• the desire of everyone involved to make sustainable choices.

Purchasing refurbished office furniture is that solution since the refinishing process consumes comparatively few resources. Employers can get their hands on the best name-brand furnishings restored to like new condition at a fraction of the cost of new. Buying items made with pre and post-consumer recycled content (like our panel extenders) is another smart choice. Our products are especially sustainable because they help businesses extend the useful life of their existing desks and cubicles.

As a fitting finale for our April series on beautifying the office, ProProfs.com provides this timely office design quiz. Fortunately, we got almost every answer right on the first try—we’ve been studying hard! There were some very telling tidbits of information and a few surprises tucked away in this quick true/false test. Here are some facts the answer key revealed (based on results from a variety of different studies).

• More than 8 out of 10 employees agree that their work environment has a big impact on their level of motivation. 7 out of 10 personalize their workspace in some way.
• Employees consistently rank privacy as the most important aspect of their workplace—even more important than lighting and temperature control.
• Workers in offices with fewer enclosures (open offices with no or low cubicle walls) report more fatigue and other physical complaints. Employees leave their workstations more often and have lower productivity when there are no panels.

Employees Want a Room with a View

The issues caused by lack of privacy in open office plans are no surprise. We’ve already blogged about most of these studies here at OBEX. However, we did learn something new:

“People decorate windowless rooms with twice as many natural scenes and objects, compared to people inside rooms with windows.”

That’s very interesting! It’s probably one reason why screensavers and motivational posters showing gorgeous outdoor scenes are so popular in the cubicle world. Employees shut away from exterior views crave a more beautiful environment.

Do we have a solution that fills this need? Absolutely. At OBEX, we have the ability to print polycarbonate panels with any type of nature scene you can imagine. Employees might really enjoy:

• Mountains capped with snow
• Seascapes and sandy beaches
• Fields of flowers
• Leaves or grass covered in dew
• Forest pathways
• Skies dotted with white clouds

You could turn your office environment into a walk-through gallery with nature scenes on panels gracing each workstation. This solution might be ideal for interior office spaces where most employees simply aren’t fortunate enough to have a seat by the window.

Law office furniture often seems to be the only holdout in the march to modernity. While tech companies and even shoe manufacturers embrace the trendy and the quirky, law firms still have a reputation for stodgy design. There’s nothing wrong with dark wood (or wood veneer) and lots of frosted glass. But even legal firms don’t all have to look alike. A law office that wants to gain a reputation for creative, effective representation may do well to reconsider whether its interior design makes the practice look out of touch. That’s not to say they have to remake the layout to resemble one of Google’s “imaginariums”. But it’s possible to have a contemporary feel without going overboard. Here are some ideas that may help:

Elegant Knoll

When you really want to impress clients with refined style, go with the Flo. The lounge furnishings designed by Florence Knoll have timeless appeal. This particular collection says: “We care about quality”. At the same time, it isn’t so flashy that clients will wonder if you are padding their bill to pay for lavish office furniture. The collection features seating options in many sizes to fit everything from a modest reception area to a casual meeting room.

Confidential MAiSPACE

A dark conference room with overstuffed chairs and a marble topped table may look impressive. But it can also be intimidating and gloomy. You don’t want clients to lose all sense of hope when they are attending a deposition. Keep things a little on the lighter side with modular meeting rooms that send a different message: “This too shall pass.” The type of installations provided by MAiSPACE are a good example of how glass and movable architectural walls can offer a sense of enclosure without making clients feel caged.

Private OBEX

Privacy is always one of the top concerns for most legal clients. This means the popular open office plans aren’t a good option for clerical workers. At the same time, you don’t want staff to feel too isolated. Panel extenders offer a way to enhance workstations so that employees and clients get the sense of greater control over confidential information. With muted panel colors, acoustic fabrics, and classy aluminum frames, these panels are the right fit for any law office furniture.

In April, Knoll introduced a new set of office furniture by OMA. The collection debuted in Milan, Italy, and features the provocative designs of Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. This assortment of office “Tools for Life” features items that support both work and socialization. The underlying ethos of the project is unpredictable functionality. The pieces have obvious purpose yet can also be configured in unexpected ways to deliver surprising results. It’s the interface between people and object that makes the furniture come alive – like kinetic sculpture.

Spinnable Stack

The 04 Counter is an example of this animated furniture style. It starts as a solid stack of three horizontal beams. With a few quick movements, the stack can be twisted and separated to turn this monolithic wall into a space divider with all manner of angles. Each piece can rotate smoothly through 360 degrees to create a communal architecture for people to sit on, lean against, or gather around. We imagine the exposed beam surfaces would make a great place to set a file folder or a cup of coffee – until someone moves the beams again and knocks everything to the floor!

Sleek Styling

Additional items in the collection include height adjustable work/meeting tables, stacked swiveling coffee tables, bench and work/lounge seating. The materials featured throughout the set are simple yet diverse, ranging from natural elements like wood, leather and travertine to more sterile substances such as acrylic, aluminum and even concrete. You won’t find a lot of vibrant color (other than red) or 100 textile options, but the collection makes up for not being totally fashionable by being very capable. It’s all designed for a fairly mobile workforce that flits from spot to spot depending on the task at hand.

Sweet Silence

Naturally, there’s also an “ancillary” tool that serves as a privacy and acoustic screen. Here’s the product description: “A base of clear acrylic supports panels of foamed aluminum, travertine or wood grain laminate that can be cantilevered off-center.” No office toolbox is complete without some way to cut down on distractions and increase productivity.  These are floor-based models, so if you want something that’s desk-mounted, you can check out our OBEX privacy panels. The aluminum and clear polycarbonate would be a seamless match for the OMA collection.

Last week, we looked at some strange office furniture. But at least most of it looked like something you would want to use. This next collection is a little creepy. Mati Karmin from Estonia has taken “upcycling” to a whole new level with steel naval mines from an old Soviet fortress. This modern sculptor used ancient ordnance to serve as the skeleton for office furniture that is anything but ordinary. The decommissioned radio on the writing desk probably doesn’t actually work as an intercom, but it would be funny if it did. We’re sure the steampunk fans in the audience will get all kinds of cool ideas from this odd collection. The rust and bolts give it that old-time feel – and the curving shells have a certain cold elegance.

Does this office furniture make you feel uncomfortable, or do you think it’s the bomb? Let us know in the comments.

To finish up our July blogging, it’s time to relax and play a game of “what if?” For example, what if you could choose any furnishings in the world for your workplace? Would you gravitate toward wonderfully weird office furniture? Would there be any pricy and pompous pieces in your collection? Here are some of our favorite silly and one-of-a-kind picks from around the world.

Go, Green, Google

Where do you even begin with the delicious wackiness of Google, London? From floor to ceiling, the new offices are off-the-wall with color and action. But we’ve chosen to highlight a particular office accessory that really “shines a light” on how this hippest of employers is greening up its image. The task lamps in these workspaces appear to be made out of recycled cardboard or paper pulp. We’re betting they have LED bulbs too. The incandescent ones get so hot they might torch these trendy and eco-friendly shades.

Catch the Wave at Work

Rose City Office Furnishings has collected some strange office furniture that makes you feel like Friday all week. The Surf Chair brings your monitor and keyboard down to ground level. No matter what your day throws at you, there’s always the comfort of knowing that you can click over to YouTube to surf your cares away.

What’s in a (Swedish) Name?

From Arnold’s Office Furniture comes a post poking fun at the cheap yet trendy office furniture everyone loves to complain about: IKEA. The assembly instructions are apparently as difficult to comprehend as the names. This blog is all about the odd names chosen for IKEA’s collection. If you ever wondered what Lanarp or Hemnes is, click here.

The Bubble Employee

We’ve got to end up with this idea because it’s a really odd way to go about providing noise privacy for employees. These workspaces have wooden surfaces equipped with Plexiglas domes. Each one houses a clerk working at the office of PONS and HUOT in Paris, France. While it certainly is a novel way to limit the intrusion of phone conversations into the surrounding space, it doesn’t provide any visual privacy. Plus, it’s unlikely that the plastic absorbs much sound. It could get pretty loud inside your bubble!

One of the Best of NeoCon 2013 winners in the Conference Room Furniture category is a handy little meeting booth that caught our attention. It’s the Rendezvous from Swiftspace. As the name suggests, this is a small collaborative meeting room that can be set up at a moment’s notice. It seats up to six people at a time. According to the manufacturer, it actually takes less than a minute to pop this module out to its full size. That’s a record that even beats our easy-to-install privacy panels. The booth is about 6.75’ per side when it’s open and folds down to a width of just under two feet when closed. The whole thing is set on casters so it can be easily moved into storage or from one room to the next.

Team Members Still Need Privacy

We find a couple of things interesting about this design. First, it shows that there’s yet another aspect of the open workspace that’s being adapted to fit how people really like to work. Collaborative areas that have no physical boundaries aren’t necessarily attractive to everyone. Sure, it seems like these spaces would be the vibrant hub of the office. But it is possible to get a little self-conscious when you have to brainstorm within earshot and visual inspection of every single one of your coworkers. Sometimes, having a space that’s a little more private (like a giant cubicle) lets you focus on the matter at hand – even in a team setting.

Coworkers Suffer Less Distraction Too

Of course, the meeting booth provides more than just privacy for those inside. The rest of the office may also be happy not to have their concentration interrupted by conversations that don’t include them. There’s nothing more annoying than being at your desk working on something tedious when others are involved in creative collaboration close by. Fortunately, the Rendezvous’ wall height of 60” can be increased to 72” with optional Acrylic Privacy Panels to help contain the commotion. So, even this mobile meeting room apparently needs wall height extenders from time to time. We wonder if our OBEX panels can be used to create an impromptu “conference cubicle” to host team meetings. What do you think?

What do industry analysts and office furniture companies see as the big office furniture trends for 2013? Here’s a roundup of some popular concepts this season.

Today’s Facility Manager

Since facility managers work closely with business decision makers and procurement specialists to outfit offices, we pay close attention to their predictions. TFM sees a number of current industry trends that are driven by a need for greater efficiency and flexibility. While they mention a rise in collaborative spaces, they also note that many of these “huddle” areas require a certain amount of separation from the rest of the office.  Instead of having several large conference rooms, a company might choose to set up half a dozen teaming spaces surrounded by architectural walls or other space dividers.

Mobile workers and an age-diverse workforce bring new urgency to the need for flexible workspaces. There is no one preferred work mode or workstation style for all of today’s employees. Instead, workstations must adapt to a wide range of users. We’ve certainly noticed that a preference for panel dividers and cubicle wall heights varies among different employees by factors such as personality and assigned tasks. Often, having high panels around a workstation for concentration and the freedom to physically move to a work/lounge area for collaboration is ideal.

Chase Office

This office furniture supplier also notes the complexities of furnishing an office for four generations of workers. However, they place more emphasis on the company culture and understanding what it takes to keep employees engaged. Comfort and choice serve as the foundation for worker satisfaction. Employees do expect to have ergonomic equipment to reduce back pain and fatigue. This often means pairing an adjustable chair with an adjustable desk.

The BYOD (bring your own device) trend is also changing office furniture. Easy access to recharging technology is one key feature of today’s designs. In fact, there were a few wireless charging stations featured at NeoCon 2013. With these pieces of furniture, employees don’t even have to dock their device. They can simply set it down on a desk or side table to charge while they work. We expect to see tech built in to many more types of office furniture over the next few years. Pretty soon, you’ll see smart desks and smart chairs to go along with employees’ smart phones.