BE Furniture

Sustainability is a trend that just is not going to go away, bringing benefits to businesses in terms of cost-savings, good public relations and great style that builds their brand. So, what are the basic building blocks for creating a sustainable office? Here are the latest  modern office design ideas : Low-Carbon Transport: Did you know that in the USA, transportation accounts for 30% of all emissions? Sitting in rush hour harms the environment, increases stress levels and impacts on productivity. Businesses can support healthier, earth-friendly commuter options like biking or walking to work by having secure bike storage and on-site shower/change rooms. Physical activity also boosts productivity, engagement, and job satisfaction, as well as actively fighting depression and anxiety.   Natural Lighting: Sunlight is what sets our natural rhythms, telling us when to be awake and active and when to be asleep. It has such a powerful effect on us that studies have...

Office dress codes have been slowly disappearing over the years, and the days of wearing suits and ties are over. These days, many businesses are opting for a more casual look and business-casual policies are common even in the financial services industry. This trend is about more than just clothes, however – companies are reducing their levels of hierarchy and bringing junior and senior staff closer together. Business communication is less formal and more straight to the point. Even  office interiors  are becoming more connected and more casual, with mahogany corner offices being transformed into collaborative shared spaces. So, why is this happening? Here are some insights from our corporate office furniture team. Technology:  Tech has made the workplace more connected and more interactive than ever before. Where communications used to have to go through secretarial pools and formal business processes, it’s now easier and faster for a supervisor or manager to ...

In an age of wireless, digital technology, the designs of our workplaces are still held back by miles and miles of wiring and cables. In the conference room where virtual meetings, group calls and presentations are common, this issue is even more apparent. Limiting Your Options – From Conference Tables to Flooring  The conference table is the focal point of the room, a gathering space that represents your brand to your clients, partners and employees. For many companies, the look of this important piece of furniture is immediately affected by the need for connectivity boxes for connecting laptops and devices and handling every type of video output on the market, from HDMI to mini DisplayPort. This makes minimalist design challenging if not outright impossible. Then, it’s about accommodating the wires that run from the table to the screen (or screens) under the carpeting or beneath the baseboards and through the walls. This fixes your layout in a permanent manner, making...

Did you know that over 74% of organizations in the USA have a “bring your own device” policy in the workplace? As our personal lives – and devices – overlap so frequently with our professional lives, it becomes more and more important to focus on mobile device privacy issues. Here are just a few to consider from our  contemporary office furniture team . Pop-up notifications:  These are often a useful feature and many apps offer push notifications as part of their service. However, these can be hugely problematic when in the workplace. Ensuring that your smartphone or device is turned to “do not disturb” mode whenever it is being used in a presentation or even charging in a visible spot is essential. Overheard phone conversations:  These have been a workplace issue ever since telephones became popular in professional spaces, but cellphones have dramatically impacted this issue. Thanks to mobile devices, we are expected to be available anytime, anywhere – at home o...

Every forward-thinking company knows that employee engagement is key to the success of their business. After all, engaged employees are more satisfied with their jobs, less likely to leave the company and are more productive and effective in the workplace. While workplace relationships play a critical role in employee engagement, technology is also important to creating the right workplace culture and environment. Technology has a significant impact on how and even where we work, whatever the industry we work in. Here are some new technologies on the horizon that could impact on how we engage in the workplace. Artificial intelligence:  AI is slowly becoming more prevalent in high-tech work environments and shows incredible promise for the not-so-distant future. With the right application of AI, buildings could self-regulate temperature, lighting and air quality. Work environments have even been designed using AI, like the headquarters of software giants AutoDesk in Toront...

Is your office looking a little dull, a bit boring or lacking in character? Here are some tips from our team of corporate office furniture specialist in New Jersey on how to bring some new life and energy into your office in easy, affordable ways. Upgrade the lighting:  As office remodeling and furniture specialists, one of the first things we notice in an office is poor lighting. Lighting plays a huge role in the mood of a workspace and poor lighting leaves people feeling stressed, strained and unwell. It’s a source of migraines as well as creating a harsh or dingy environment, and it impacts your energy bill too! Replacing old bulbs with energy-saving LED bulbs with dimmers isn’t expensive and allows people light their space to suit their needs. A bigger project is to try bringing in more natural light by using solutions such as  architectural office partitions  made of glass. Add some nature:  Plants literally add life to your office – and are cheap and e...

Going Green is a trend that’s set to continue push the boundaries for office design for decades into the future, and for many companies the primary driver for achieving environmentally-friendly goals is to reduce energy consumption. With office buildings accounting for 19% of all commercial energy consumption, with the typical office building using 1.4 billion British thermal units (Btu) per year according to the US Energy Information Administration, it’s not hard to see why businesses are driven to lower their utilities costs. However, a recent  Harvard University study  has shown that there are actually even far greater benefits to the green office building trend. This study looked at a set of green-certified (LEED) buildings in 6 different countries (USA, India, China, Germany, Turkey and Brazil) over a period of 16 years with impressive results – they identified over $6 billion in combined health and climate benefits! The findings showed that globally, these proje...