BE Furniture

Feeling too hot or too cold in the workplace is a very common experience for employees, in fact, a study by the UC Center for the Built Environment showed that just 11% of surveyed buildings showed 80% or more occupants felt comfortable with the set temperature. This issue of discomfort has a far-reaching impact on productivity and performance, with employees feeling tired, distracted as well as unable to focus due to the cold or heat. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to make your workplace more comfortable. What Is the Ideal Office Temperature? As leading suppliers of sit-stand desks, adjustable height desks , and ergonomic desks, our team has been in offices that cover the entire temperature spectrum, from hot and stuffy spaces to bitterly cold ones. With office environments largely controlled by HVAC systems and comfort levels differing between individuals, it’s always going to be a struggle to please everyone. So, what are the best guidelines to follow...

Did you know that 31 percent of all occupational health injuries are linked to lower back pain and upper extremity muscular-skeletal disorders, according to OSHA? Companies who have ergonomic plans in place have not only been able to dramatically reduce the number of lost workdays among their workforce, but they are also able to lower employee turnover. The good news is that helping employees to avoid injuries and retaining your staff are not as costly as you might necessarily assume. Here are office ergonomic design flaws that you can easily change to improve the way your staff works: Poor Lighting Needless to say, your employees need adequate lighting to perform their tasks. Make sure that office areas are equipped with high-quality lighting so that nobody has to squint to read the words on their screens. Lack of Adjustable Seats People are unique, and the way they adjust their seats will vary from person to person. Adjustable seats can ensure that everyone ...

Remember when you were younger and your parents or teachers would reprimand you for slouching? While many of us would want great posture, we are a nation of slouchers. Slouching isn’t just an aesthetic problem it can also lead to back problems – something that costs American companies over $100 billion each year. It may seem like slouching isn’t something that can be fixed, with most office workers spending an average of  38 minutes  out of every hour in bad posture. There are, however, a few essential ergonomic wellness tips that every office should implement to combat bad posture. Below we mention a few: Be Comfortable If you are  sitting at your desk  in front of your computer and something feels off, it’s time to move. Re-adjust yourself so that you are always working in a comfortable position. Sit Properly in Your Office Chair The right position is to ‘sit on your butt bones’. Move your bottom to the  back of your office chair ...

Often, office design focuses on the generation entering the workforce, how they’re changing things and what needs to change to accommodate them. But the reality is that people are working from an earlier age to a later age, making it essential that the office of the future can accommodate five generations together. Here’s some insight into this 5G workplace and what it means, from the commercial office furniture specialists. Retirement is a Thing of the Past For most people, retirement is a luxury and not an expectation, so they’re going to keep active in the workforce well after the traditional retirement age of 65. There are many reasons for this, including our longer and more healthy life expectancy and a lack of savings culture. This generation has considerable value to the workforce, with unmatched experience and hands-on knowledge. In terms of office design, this means not simply catering to the incoming generations. Office social spaces can’t be age specific and have ...

We started with offices designed for purely for function, then we invited it into our houses with the creation of home offices. As Millennials entered the workspace this changed into the coffee shop culture office where work is mobile, engaged and comfortable. Now we’re seeing the final combination of the three – a resimercial office design that brings together the best of all these worlds. What is Resimercial Office Design? Essentially, it’s about marrying the comforts and wellbeing of home into the functionality of a state-of-the-art office space in order to gain the benefits of both. When it’s properly executed, this exciting design concept has a positive impact on collaboration, ideation, wellbeing and productivity. It creates a space that is more lighthearted and welcoming – designed to literally make employees feel right at home. Elements of Resimercial Office Design Successfully bringing together the elements of home and work takes an expertly considered touch – y...

Buying new desks for the office isn’t as simple as it sounds! There are so many great options out there, from sit stand desks and  adjustable height desks  to desks in every modern and classic style you can imagine. Currently, one of the most popular desk options is a standing desk. Here are some of the benefits of this style of desk, so you can make an informed choice for your workplace. They’re calorie-burners:  We all know that sitting at a desk for hours each day is simply not good for our waistlines or our health. Standing desks help add variety and physical exercise to the workday, and users will burn more calories at a standing desk than a traditional one. They improve circulation: Being more active has another benefit – your circulation improves too! Getting your blood flowing is good for your health, helping to lower risks of blood clots and improving oxygen flow through your body. This has long-term wellness benefits too, helping reduce risks of heart d...

One of the best tools a company has to attract and retain top talent is the amenities they can offer their employees, but what amenities are the most rewarding ones to invest in? Here are some ideas from our  commercial office furniture team. Personal project time:  Strictly speaking, this is more of a perk than an amenity, but it’s a great idea anyway. Pioneered by 3M, the aim is to allow employees a certain amount of time and flexibility to work on their passion projects. Although this sounds counter-productive, the reality is that it improves overall engagement and productivity as well as energy levels. Even Google has a “20% Time” rule to allow for this, which produced Gmail! Concierge services:  If you want your employees to stay busy, engaged and focused at work, the best thing to do is to take some of those distracting, everyday tasks off their hands. Concierge services can take care of your employee’s personal errands, like grocery shopping, ensuring that...

Sit stand desks , also known as  adjustable height desks  or flexible office desks, allow employees to choose a desk height that works with their personal preferences, helping to create a more comfortable and healthier workplace. Here are a few things to consider when shopping for your ideal sit stand desk. Height range:  Different models of adjustable height desks offer different ranges that they can extend to. The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) recommends a range of 22.6 inches to 48.7 inches. If you have a wide range of height needs in your office, it’s best to choose an option with the widest range – especially if you are hot desking and multiple employees need to be able to use the same desk. Ease of adjustment:  Always look at the mechanism for adjusting the desk and choose one that is easy to use and quiet. A loud mechanism or one that requires more work to use can be disruptive in the workplace and employees ma...

Moving offices happens for many reasons, whether your business is expanding, moving headquarters, merging with another company or remodeling. Whatever the reason for your move, it’s important to have a plan in place to manage your office relocation, ensure a smooth process and a productive start in your new workspace. Here are some tips from our  commercial office furniture team . It’s never too early to start planning:  As soon as relocation is confirmed, it’s time to start planning. The trick is to manage it the way you’d manage any other complex project: note down specific requirements, determine your budget and develop a timeframe. It’s important to have all the details ready about your new place too, from ensuring new furniture and fittings are in place on time, planning out the flow and layout of your new offices, and identifying different spaces for different activities. Go solo or find a partner:  While it is possible to carry out an office relocation you...

The New Year is about fresh starts and embracing new innovations, and our  workplaces  are no exception! Here are some of the latest trends that are making splash in the world of office design this year. Unconventional workspaces:  There’s a strong global trend to think outside the rules and ideas of a traditional office and make spaces more creative, inspiring and functional. Casual meeting rooms, collaborative spaces and breakout areas are common, as are unique features like yoga spaces, wellness areas, outdoor spaces and snack bars. Dynamic spaces:  Office square footage is still at a premium in many parts of the country, so companies are increasingly thinking about how to use the space they have for multiple functions. With flexible furniture like  sit stand desks , hot desking and movable walls, employees have a wider range of working options – and companies don’t have space sitting idle. The home office space:  This encapsulates two trends –...

If you’ve been researching  corporate office furniture  or thinking about redesigning your office interior, you’ve likely come across the phrase “active sitting”. Here’s a quick guide to what it’s all about. Active sitting is also known as dynamic sitting, and it is about keeping the body in motion while seated, rather than remaining in a static position. Products that promote this concept allow for the natural movements of the body, and include a wide range of seating options like balance balls, sit-to-stand desks, and height-adjustable wobbling stools. While these ideas might sound a little strange, there’s a lot of research that supports this idea as a means to remove the health issues that static sitting contribute towards. The Mayo Clinic links long periods of sitting with increased blood pressure, risk of metabolic syndrome, high blood sugar, weight gain, abnormal cholesterol levels, and even increased risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease. This i...

If you work at a desk for a living, chances are that you accept a certain level of discomfort as normal – after all, you’re staying stationary over a computer keyboard for hours at a time, right? Wrong! With a few adjustments and the right  commercial office furniture , you can make your workspace a much more comfortable and healthier place to be. Is an ergonomic workspace worth it? In short, yes. Numerous studies have shown that sitting at your desk incorrectly can cause repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis or back strain. Even though it might mean replacing some items in favor of ergonomic desks or more modern office chairs, your body will thank you in the long run. Not only will you be healthier, your productivity should increase too! Just follow these easy tips: Invest in adjustable chairs:  Each of us have different length legs and torsos, so it makes sense that a non-adjustable chair just isn’t going to work fo...

When it comes to choosing office furniture for you and your employees, you’re going to be faced with one significant choice: traditional sitting desks or  modern sit to stand desks . Both of these options have their pros and cons for employee health, comfort and productivity, and it’s important to evaluate them fully before making your decision. The benefits and drawbacks of sitting desks Traditional desks offer several benefits for employees. They are ideal for intense, repetitive work where focus is required and tasks are longer. They are also more affordable and often easier to install into your current workspace layout. Unfortunately, they also have their drawbacks. Sitting for long hours in a static position is not good for a person’s overall health and can result in poor posture, back pain and shoulder pain. Too much sitting has also been linked to increased heart failure and disability risks, and even to a reduced life expectancy. How do standing desks measur...