Tag: Designing Offices (page 1 of 5)

What are the most important things to have in an office

As an expert, I can provide insights into the most important things to have in an office to create a productive and functional workspace. Here are some essential elements:

Comfortable and Ergonomic Furniture: Invest in high-quality, ergonomic office furniture that promotes comfort and supports proper posture. Ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks, and supportive equipment can help prevent discomfort and long-term health issues associated with prolonged sitting.
Sufficient Lighting: Good lighting is crucial for a productive office environment. Incorporate a combination of natural light, task lighting, and ambient lighting to minimise eye strain, enhance visibility, and create a pleasant atmosphere. Ensure that workstations are well-lit and that lighting levels can be adjusted to individual preferences.
Efficient Storage Solutions: Effective storage solutions are essential to maintain a clutter-free workspace. Provide ample storage options such as filing cabinets, shelves, and drawers to keep documents, supplies, and personal items organised. Digital storage solutions can also help minimise physical clutter by facilitating efficient information management.
Reliable Technology and Connectivity: A well-equipped office requires reliable technology and seamless connectivity. Provide employees with up-to-date computers, fast internet connections, and necessary software tools to perform their tasks efficiently. Additionally, consider investing in collaborative technology such as video conferencing systems, project management software, and cloud storage for streamlined communication and productivity.
Adequate Workspace and Privacy: Employees need sufficient workspace to carry out their tasks comfortably. Ensure that workstations provide enough desk space, legroom, and storage options. Consider the balance between open spaces for collaboration and designated areas or private offices where employees can focus and have privacy when needed.
Proper Ventilation and Temperature Control: Maintaining a comfortable and healthy environment is crucial. Adequate ventilation and temperature control systems are essential to regulate air quality and temperature. Good air circulation can help prevent fatigue, improve concentration, and contribute to overall well-being.
Communication and Collaboration Tools: Encourage effective communication and collaboration among team members by providing tools such as whiteboards, bulletin boards, project management software, and video conferencing facilities. These tools foster idea sharing, brainstorming, and seamless collaboration on projects.
Well-Stocked Office Supplies: Having a readily available supply of essential office items is essential for smooth operations. Stock up on stationery, printer paper, ink cartridges, and other necessary supplies. Consider providing communal areas with shared resources like printers, copiers, and scanners for easy accessibility.
Comfortable Break and Relaxation Areas: Designate spaces for employees to take breaks, relax, and recharge. Furnish these areas with comfortable seating, recreational items like games or books, and amenities such as coffee machines or a kitchenette. Encouraging regular breaks promotes well-being, creativity, and team bonding.
Safety Measures: Ensure that the office environment adheres to safety standards. Provide fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, first aid kits, and clear emergency exit routes. Regularly inspect and maintain electrical equipment, and establish protocols for workplace safety and security.

By incorporating these essential elements into an office space, you can create a conducive environment that supports productivity, collaboration, and employee well-being. Tailor these elements to the specific needs of your organization, considering the nature of work, industry, and the preferences of your employees.

Why it is important to have an organised office

May 12, 2023 / admin / 0 Comments

Having an organised office is essential for several reasons. In this response, I will explain why it’s important to have an organised office and what benefits it can bring.

Firstly, an organized office can improve productivity. When everything is in its place and easily accessible, it’s easier to focus on tasks at hand and complete them more efficiently. Searching for misplaced documents, files, or equipment can waste valuable time and decrease productivity. By having an organised office, you can avoid these distractions and stay focused on your work.

Secondly, an organised office can reduce stress. A cluttered and messy office can be overwhelming and stressful, which can negatively impact your mood and well-being. Having a clean and organised workspace can help you feel more calm and in control, which can improve your mental health.

Thirdly, an organised office can improve safety. Cluttered workspaces can pose safety hazards, such as tripping over cords or equipment, which can lead to injuries. By keeping your office organized, you can reduce the risk of accidents and promote a safer working environment.

Fourthly, an organized office can improve communication and collaboration. When everyone in an office has a system for organising their files and equipment, it’s easier to share information and collaborate on projects. This can improve communication and teamwork, leading to more successful outcomes.

Lastly, an organised office can improve the impression you make on others. A tidy and organised office can create a positive impression on clients, colleagues, and visitors. It can give the impression that you are organised, efficient, and professional.

In conclusion, having an organised office is essential for improving productivity, reducing stress, improving safety, promoting communication and collaboration, and making a positive impression on others. There are several strategies for organizing your office, including creating a filing system, decluttering regularly, and using storage solutions. By prioritising organisation in your office, you can reap the many benefits it can bring.

A huge range of Office Partitions to divide your space

December 20, 2022 / admin / 0 Comments

Office partitions offer a simple, quick and efficient way of dividing up your workspace into separate areas and, with our demountable systems, we can build a solution for any need.

The Benefits of Partitioning

Office partitions offer a simple, quick and efficient way of dividing up your workspace into separate areas and, with our demountable systems, we can build a solution for any need.

Partitioning Systems are a great solution for dividing a workspace up into different areas. Perhaps your staff would like quiet zones or separate meeting areas where they can discuss things in private? We can install them as part of your office fit out and can also add in Mezzanine floors for the full office design package.

We’re able to provide a huge range of partitioning systems for a variety of applications, from modern glazed partitions to create open plan offices, to solid partition walls to add completely separate rooms. We also install a huge amount of industrial partitioning for factories and warehouses.

Types of Office Partitions We Offer

There’s a wide choice of partitioning systems that we can offer, all built to suit different needs. We have partnered with CPD Plc (one of the UK’s leading office partition manufacturers) to bring you the best of their systems in the most economic way possible.. Some of our systems include:

Glass Partitions — available in single glazed or double glazed options. There is also an option to install integrated remote controlled blinds. We can provide them with visible frames or as a frameless option depending on your preference.
Crittall Glass – perfect for creating meeting spaces and private offices while maintaining a stylish feel
Industrial Partitioning Systems — ideal for factories and warehouses
Powder coated or Satin Anodised Aluminium (SAA)
Solid Panels which are decorated in hard-wearing vinyl wall covering

Office Partitioning Systems

December 1, 2022 / admin / 0 Comments

WORKS PARTITIONS

SINGLE SKIN STEEL

An ideal solution where a high quality, economical office partitioning system is required for manufacture and storage areas.

DOUBLE SKIN STEEL

Alternative office partitioning systems for installations where a smooth internal finish is required, for example partitioning walls for work offices, clean rooms and storage areas for chemicals or food products.

OFFICE PARTITIONS

ALUMINIUM COMPOSITE TYPE

Intended to provide attractive and economical executive type partitioned offices with a double skin that is decorated with a vinyl wallpaper covering in a range of colours and finishes. The system is quick and easy to install and is fully re-locatable.

METAL STUD & PLASTERBOARD TYPE

This type of office partitioning is intended where sound and heat insulation are considered a priority for your executive type offices. They can also be designed to provide fire protection where required to conform to building regulations and can be constructed in conjunction with fire rated glazed windows and veneered door sets. The solid panels can also be decorated with a vinyl wall covering.

Office partitions can incorporate single and double glazing, internal or external blinds and a choice of door veneers including vision panel options.

SUSPENDED CEILINGS

Suspended Ceilings can be incorporated into any office scheme, self supporting or hung from wires. The system can also be hung on the underside of a mezzanine floor and be installed with lighting, air conditioning, and other systems to fully utilise the area beneath the mezzanine floor. We can provide help and advice on fire rating , sound absorption and also aesthetics.

GLASS PARTITIONS

Ideal when you need visibility and to allow light into the room. The glass can be frosted to match company logo/colour scheme and can also be double glazed with a blind fitted within the glass cavity.

WASHROOM PARTITIONS

A full range is available – including Toilet Cubicles , Urinal Screens and Shower Areas . With various finishes to choose from you can quickly and easily provide additional washroom facilities.

Warehouse Safety Checklist

November 10, 2022 / admin / 0 Comments

Our warehouse safety inspection service helps you fulfil your legal duty to check the safety of your storage systems annually.

Whether you have a modest installation or several vast warehouses, your storage systems should be inspected at least annually for any safety defects. Our independent warehouse safety inspection helps fulfil your duty of care to employees and comply with HSE regulations.

Peace of mind and compliance

Why risk injury to your operatives, damaged stock and possible prosecution due to unsafe storage, when we can arrange a Level 3 inspection by an independent SARI qualified inspector?

This impartial inspection with a written report will highlight and categorise any defects. It also covers safety aspects such as load warnings and incorrect use of pallets. If racking issues are found, our racking repair service can quickly rectify them.

HSE Safety Levels 1 and 2

The HSE defines Level 1 as reporting damage to the Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS). The PRRS should also make regular Level 2 inspections of all your storage, checking they are suitable for their loads, correctly installed and not damaged.

A PRRS can be anyone familiar with racking damage. They could simply be an experienced person, but ideally they should be specifically trained; we can arrange this.

HSE Level 3

You must also have a Level 3 inspection at least annually, preferably by an independent specialist, such as a SEMA Approved Rack Inspector (SARI). It’s much more extensive than Level 2, and complies with SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association) guidelines, which are recognised by HSE.

A Level 3 Expert inspection categorises damage as Red, Amber and Green risks. Red is the most serious; if you continue using storage assessed as Red Risk, you could face prosecution.

How to design an office on a budget

October 18, 2022 / admin / 0 Comments

Companies are rethinking how offices are designed. The drab room full of cubicles is a thing of the past. Nowadays, companies are taking into consideration how the design of an office affects their employees. Employees aren’t going to be enthusiastic about coming to work if their office has a dull and uninteresting design.

Designing an office that works for you does not have to put you in debt. You can avoid the expensive task of hiring a designer by learning the best ways to design an office by yourself. The pay-off of having more productive and happy employees will make up for the cost of redesigning your office. Here are ten simple ways to design a fantastic office on a budget?

Choose your vibe

Before starting the process of designing your perfect office space, it is vital to decide on an aesthetic that you want to base your design on. Choosing an aesthetic for your office will guarantee that everything in the space is cohesive and works together. Once you have your aesthetic figured out, then you can dive into the real designing.

Add a touch of nature

Adding plants to the desks or window sills is a small but great way to bring some life into our office. It will make the office look more green and make the employees seem less like they are stuck inside. It’s as easy as buying potted plants at your local garden store, or if you have enough natural light you can even grow them.

Keep it tidy

No matter how expensive your decor is or how much money you put into designing your office, it will not look good if its a mess. Keeping your space neat and tidy is free, and it can give your space a whole new feel. While tidying your office, you should look for anything hindering the intended design of the office. If anything takes up space and is unnecessary, then get rid of it. A clean and tidy office looks even better when it is minimal and open.

Open Office

If you are designing an office for your companies team, open office space is a popular and inexpensive option. Open office spaces are not just showing up everywhere because they are trendy; they are also cheap. The more open an office is the less stuff you have to buy to divide it up. With this open space, you can then start figuring out where you want to put specific furnishings to personalize the space and give it your own touch.

Budget Office Storage Ideas for Small Spaces

October 10, 2022 / admin / 0 Comments

Do you have a small space for your office or work space? Whether you have just a desk in your home or a small office, chances are you will need storage. The storage can help you keep the space organised and pulled together looking.

I just emptied a closet/office at work to carve out some space for myself. After using the space for a few days I realize, it’s a disaster. I have papers everywhere and a mishmash of filing bins and metal organizers but nothing goes together.

Do you feel like your work space is a mess and you need to look at the space with fresh eyes? Before you buy follow these steps to make sure you choose the storage that’s right for how you use the space.

Determine Your Storage Needs

The first step before you buy anything is to look at what you need to store. Does your desk have drawers? Do you have lots of papers, office supplies, files, printers, pens and pencils, craft supplies, etc. Knowing what you need to store will help you when you start shopping.

If possible, your space will look more coordinated if you can get storage that serves your purpose, but also coordinates. To make the space look organized and pulled together don’t buy a piece here and a piece there. Once you determine what needs to be stored, get pieces that work together.

In my case, being a paper pushing CPA I have lots of invoices and other paperwork that stacks up. I also have many printers and lots of office suppliers. I really wanted shelves, but to keep them from looking chaotic I needed lots of storage inside the shelves.

Ask Yourself What You Use Every Day

What you need to store may be different from what you need to access every day. For example, you may want to store paperwork, but you don’t look at the paperwork daily. Things you use daily might be stapler, envelopes, tape, pens/pencils, etc. These things need place to be that isn’t just sitting on the desk.

Desktop Storage

If your desk doesn’t have drawers. you will probably need something to hold things like stapler, tape, stamps, pens & pencils. There are so many desks now that don’t have any storage. Consider whether your desk faces a wall or faces the open when you get desktop storage. If it faces the wall you can mount things on the wall for more storage.

Shelving

If you have the space to fit shelving, there are so many inexpensive options. You can choosing floating shelves, but be aware that these are not usually a good option for heave things. For shelving, Ikea is one of the best and most budget friendly places to go.

Pulling it all together

The most important thing about storage for your work space is that it works together. This is what’s going to transform your office space from just a desk with a stack of papers to a grown up place.

How To Upcycle Your Furniture With Paint

September 9, 2022 / admin / 0 Comments

Upcycling is a great way to breathe new life into old furniture – and it’s amazing how just one coat of paint can completely transform an otherwise plain-looking chair or chest. Follow this helpful ‘upcycle your furniture guide with paint’ for some easy styling that’ll have you second hand pieces looking as good as fresh!

Buying used furniture

Have a good idea of what type of furniture you need before heading to car boot sales and markets – and when you see something, picture where it would go in your home. This way, you’ll be less likely to buy pieces that aren’t particularly useful.
Remember there’s a huge used furniture market online. Many people sell pieces at bargain prices, or even give them away for free on community threads and websites.
It’s important to be flexible if you’re looking for a really unique piece. Some creative thinking can turn old doors into smaller cupboards, or crates into shelving. For inspiration, take a look at DIY and upcycling blogs online.
If a piece looks shabby because of a bad or fading paint job, or it has surface scratches, you can easily transform it with a little sanding or painting.
Make sure you check furniture is structurally sound for the way you’ll use it. If there are holes in older wooden furniture, it’s probably had woodworm.

How to revamp your furniture

Gently sand the surfaces removing any rough edges.
Remove excess dust using a dust brush.
Prepare the surface thoroughly, so it’s as even as possible before you prime.
Once the primer is dry, sand the surface again and remove excess dust.
Before you begin painting, section off your first coloured stripes with masking tape, starting from the top and working towards your feet.
Paint the first colour and wait until it’s dry before you put more masking tape on for the second colour.
Remember to wait until your first coats are completely dry before painting second coats of each colour.

Home office wall decor ideas to create an inspirational display

August 9, 2022 / admin / 0 Comments

With so many of us working from home on a regular basis, the space we spend so much time in deserves some extra love. Home office wall decor ideas will refresh your space and help you keep motivated throughout the day.

Let’s face it, staring at the same bland four walls everyday hardly make for the most motivational working environment. Luckily, it’s easy enough to switch your mindset from ‘out of office’ to optimistic by treating the walls of your home office ideas as a blank canvas.

Home office wall decor ideas

Getting creative with your working space is proven to boost positivity and productivity, making you much happier day to day. Whether you opt for positive paint shades, styled-up shelving, decorative artwork, or all of them, your home office wall decor ideas are sure to make the work days fly by.

Build a beautiful backdrop

While it’s important to consider the view from your desk, consider the backdrop from your computer camera, too. You’ll need to think carefully about the wall behind you and the impression it will create on video calls, as it is likely to now be one of the most seen parts of your home.

Work in tandem with your home office lighting ideas to ensure both your face and backdrop are perfectly lit, while avoiding irritating screen glare.

Stay serene with green

Bringing greenery into an office environment helps evoke a sense of calm and stimulates creativity, making it just as perfect for craft room ideas.

Try painting walls a soothing shade of green, or for a quick fix, fill a shelf with plants.

If you’re short on desk or floor space, or you’re not very green fingered, hanging botanical wall art can help destress and set you in the right mood for a productive day.

Pick a positive colour scheme

One of the main benefits of a home office is the opportunity to create a colourful environment that works for you – not your colleagues. Think about how you react to colours and tones and pick accordingly: some people feel stressed by bright shades while others find them stimulating.

If you’re wary about home office design mistakes and unsure on colours, there are some that might be worth considering, given the proven effects they have on mood and productivity.

Stay organised

If it’s small home office ideas you’re after, think about making your walls work a little harder. With a few practical accessories, they can easily accommodate all your organisational needs – the key is to make it look stylish.

Whether it’s a blackboard, corkboard or DIY pinboard, position it in the middle then work out with a couple of wall-mounted pockets and small shelves to keep all your bits and bobs close to hand.

Drawbacks of working in the office

July 28, 2022 / admin / 0 Comments

Working from home can have certain benefits in terms of time efficiency and mobility. However, there are many other advantages to working in an office that cannot be compared to remote working.

In this blog we look at the drawbacks of working in an office.

Regular distractions. The simple fact of being in an office with more people makes communication more fluent and more fluid, which may result in a noisier working environment. This could possibly interfere in the worker’s concentration and may reduce productivity.

Lack of privacy. Some people are not as extroverted and may not like working in a team as much as others. This is a disadvantage if we work in open spaces and offices, as these more introverted employees can end up feeling uncomfortable.

Your productivity will decrease if you’re feeling stressed at work. And, in an office setting where there’s more pressure from both your superior or fellow employees – it can be hard to stay on task with what needs done when everyone else seems so preoccupied too!