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• Mark Dowse
• Uncategorised
• June 13, 2017

Advantages of an open plan office layout.

‘Advantages of an open plan office layout’ from Exeter office furniture and office fit out experts MD Business Interiors.

Some 20 years ago, it was the norm for businesses to separate their offices into different departments, with smaller office spaces and dedicated working areas separated by long corridors. Fast forward two decades and this has changed completely. Gone are the days of old fashioned offices with endless corridors and cramped work spaces. In 2017 more and more companies are tearing down the partition walls and are opting for bright open plan spaces.

It is widely reported that some 70% of all offices now have an open floor plan, as companies begin to understand the benefits in terms of the collaborative and creative nature of the space, and its ability to boost productivity and staff harmony.

Some 20 years ago, it was the norm for businesses to separate their offices into different departments, with smaller office spaces and dedicated working areas separated by long corridors. Fast forward two decades and this has changed completely. Gone are the days of old fashioned offices with endless corridors and cramped work spaces. In 2017 more and more companies are tearing down the partition walls and are opting for bright open plan spaces.

A lack of walls, doors or other physical barriers in open plan office spaces makes it easier for employees to interact with each other on a regular basis, promoting the flow of communication among employees. Friendships amongst colleagues will also be strengthened, which will make them more inclined to work effectively together.

Open plan allows businesses to create a collaborative working environment where new ideas can be generated and shared. Having an open space also makes it easier for both employees and management. Proximity of other staff members allows for minor issues or queries to be dealt with efficiently, without the need for a formal meeting. There is no need for people to search around individual offices in the hopes of trying to track anybody down and things are easier for managers as everyone is in a centralised area.

Overall, open plan is a highly flexible solution that caters to the ever-changing working environment. However, just as businesses are changing to accommodate new working practices, the world of office desks is changing faster than ever before.

Whereas elaborate executive desks and sizeable corner desks were once needed to accommodate a large monitor, a chunky desktop computer, possibly a printer and to store folders, paperwork, stationery, and the rest – things have now changed significantly.

Today people are working with laptops, flat screen monitors, MacBooks or tablets, with wireless technology and digital working. The general shift towards a paper-less office has also led to a reduction in the amount of paper used by offices and the amount of storage needed by employees. Improved accessibility also allows different departments to share resources such as printers, copiers, communal office supplies and more.

Bench desks suit the modern working environment
Increasingly, businesses are moving away from dedicated single employee workspaces, towards more flexible working environments, and bench desk solutions are the ideal solution for high density open plan work places.

Using bench desks enables businesses to accommodate more office workers in the same amount of space. Enabling people to work side by side and facing each other with bench desks it is possible to fit an extra 30-35% extra employees in the same space compared to using ergonomic or wave desks. And by fitting more people in their existing offices, businesses don’t have to invest in additional space when they grow and take on new employees.

Connex modular bench desk solution
As bench solutions are becoming more popular and mainstream in open plan offices, Dams have developed the Connex bench desking range, which is the ideal modular system for high density, open plan work spaces.

Connex bench desking is based on one principle – simplicity. The design of bench desks means that they are modular, so businesses can easily expand working space to accommodate expansion and new employees. With its clean lines and elegant form, Connex offers a choice of classic tried and tested configurations from a single desk to hundreds of workstations in a wide variety of sizes to fit any office space.

Connex offers a clean and minimal look to the workplace. The legs are shared between bench clusters, which not only look aesthetically pleasing, but save space and effectively reduce the overall cost. The simple design of bench desking also allows for other shared components such as screens and cable trays, reducing the quantity of all items required and resulting in significant cost savings.

With the option of adding colourful divider screens to personalise work areas, bench desks can refresh and liven up even the more traditional workspaces. And although they have an open appearance, bench desks don’t need to mean a mass of cables or wires on show. Bench desks in general incorporate very effective shared cable management, ensuring a clean look to the office and making it much easier to clean and vacuum under desks.

With Connex, horizontal and vertical cable management allows cables to rise up from the floor via single leg and mass cable risers, which improves office aesthetics and safety. Each desktop has two cable access ports in the 25mm tops allowing wires to pass directly through to the cable tray and risers to ensure complete cable control.

Assembly per cluster is quick and easy through its highly engineered parts which further increase the system’s functionality and flexibility. Bench desks are designed so that devices can be moved on and off in a few seconds. This makes hot desking where employees can simply plug in their laptops and start work, or changing seating rearrangements in the office comparatively simple and hassle free.

In conclusion, mention open plan to office workers and usually you will get a few grumblings in return, typically about general noise or distractions around the office. However there is no doubt open plan offices are here to stay, so the question should be how do we make them more productive for employees and businesses?

Bench desking isn’t just about saving businesses money, it keeps the environment of the office consistent allowing managers and colleagues to sit together which leads to improved communication and employees performing better. Connex bench desking from Dams is robust enough to cope with the rigours of a busy office and is the ideal modular system for high density office spaces.

For more information of the Connex and similar ranges contact us on 01392 834980 or email here.

(Article origin from Dams, Feb 17)

• Mark Dowse
• Uncategorised
• May 13, 2017

Office furniture and space planning for your business…..

We are experts on office design and space planning. Based on Marsh Barton in Exeter, Devon we help clients from all sectors of business to make the best use of the space available to them.

Office space planning describes the methods used to design and arrange office layouts so that staff can work together in departmental and team groupings, providing the best opportunity for efficient work flow, communication and supervision.

Office layout designs should provide an environment suitable for the business needs of the organisation. For example: call centres undertake their business ‘on screen’ and require small desk areas per staff member, minimum document storage, and may have limited requirements for photocopying facilities and printing. In contrast, companies handling paper based documentation like architects or accountants will require larger desks for their staff, storage for records, archive facilities, photocopying and printing facilities close to hand.

Organisations often have an informal policy on the desk footprint for each staff position. Different functions need different size work spaces. Some may work in open plan offices whereas managers may have individual offices. In open plan offices screens are sometimes used between desks to reduce noise and provide an element of privacy.

Space planning

We look at the way people move through a space to perform their daily tasks.  Our interior plans work with the natural flow and facilitate the functions that take place within the building.  The room shapes, business functions, acoustics, lighting and tactile response of the interiors are fundamental to the whole design concept.  Materials and furnishings are selected with great care — they help to generate the sensory experience for people at work, at their studies, or at play.

Our interior design specialists work closely with architectural and building services teams.  Together they produce design themes that work beautifully for either new-build projects or refurbishments.  At every stage, we are keen to consult with stakeholders and end users.  We seek their opinion on samples of furniture, lighting, finishes, fabrics, colours, and accessories.  Our inclusive approach means that we consider the special needs of users from the outset.

We undertake the following services on any integrated design projects and individual commissions incorporating comprehensive, interactive end-user consultations:

Filing surveys
Space planning and CAD furniture layout
Cost-effective procurement of fixtures, fittings, and equipment
Planning and management for office moves
Design for people with special needs.

We work with all sectors designing for businesses, offices, schools, warehouses, sports facilities, hotels, and restaurants.

Whether your project involves relocation and design of a new space, expansion or consolidation of an existing facility or cosmetic enhancements, MD Business Interiors can provide you with creative practical solutions that will provide efficient and effective use of space.

Get in touch with us via email here or call 01392 834980.

• Mark Dowse
• Uncategorised
• February 20, 2017

Create a healthier working environment with sit-stand desks!

The days when the only choices for office furniture and desks was which colour and whether to opt for straight or curved are long gone. The office furniture industry has evolved and changed to make the office healthier. These days, desk choice is not only about aesthetics, it’s also about working practices, productivity and well being, which is why office furniture and desk designers are constantly innovating to develop new desking solutions that suit all requirements.

Most manufacturers have a range of sit-stand height adjustable desks which have grown in popularity. Many allow the individual user to electronically adjust the desk height from a sitting to a standing position with the touch of a button.

Incorporating height adjustment technology used in the healthcare sector, the modern height adjustable desks have been designed to enable the end user to set their desk at any height or change the height to suit the task at any time.

So, why are height adjustable desks so popular now?

Firstly, they address and anticipate changing working practices.  Increasingly, companies are designing collaborative spaces into their office environments and a sit-stand desk layout enables a permanent or temporary collaborative space where colleagues can meet informally without having to move chairs or retreat to the more formal setting of a meeting room.

Secondly and most important, there is also a wellbeing element to the practice of standing meetings or even working while standing. Sitting in an office chair behind a desk for prolonged periods of time can definitely cause lower back pain or worsen an existing back problem. The main reason behind this is that sitting, in an office chair or in general, is a static posture that increases stress in the back, shoulders, arms, and legs, and in particular, can add large amounts of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs.

Prolonged periods of sitting have also been linked to increased risk of morbidity and life threatening conditions, including type two diabetes and cancer. Now a study co-commissioned by Public Health England has advised that office workers should spend a minimum of two hours on their feet at work – building up to an ideal four hours – in order to avoid the ill effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

The report specifically advises the use of sit-stand desks to help employers encourage their employees to spend less time sitting at their desks and more time standing while they work.

And the health benefits don’t end there. Even when an employee is sitting at their sit-stand desk, a height adjustable desk can help them to improve their posture by enabling them to position their desk at the optimum height for their needs.  That not only means an end to sitting hunched over a keyboard but also enables greater flexibility for offices that operate a hot desking policy.

Research suggests that a sedentary desk job can have a significant impact on health and wellbeing over time and office workers should be encouraged to spend more time standing during the working day.

Having the option to stand, as well as sit during the work day has been proven not only to benefit the health of the user by helping to burn calories, improving posture and promoting mental well-being, but also benefits the business.

Put simply, a healthier workforce is a happier, more motivated and more productive workforce; not to mention the reduced risk of sickness days due to back problems and other symptoms of sedentary work habits. Studies also show that height adjustable desks promote creativity, team interaction, collaboration, and the willingness to share ideas.

So, when it comes to sit-stand desks, a modern desk is much more than a place to work; it’s a working culture that benefits both the employee and the company.

For more information contact 01392 834980 or email here.

• Mark Dowse
• Uncategorised
• January 31, 2017

Seven Ways to Make Your Working Day Healthier.

Don’t just sit there!

Whether you are a gym bunny or a couch potato in your spare time, a job that has you glued to your seat most of the day is bad news for health. A 14-year-long prospective study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that the number of hours spent sitting was independently associated with mortality. Those who sat more than six hours a day were at least 18 percent more likely to die during the study period than those who sat fewer than three hours a day, regardless of physical activity levels. Aim to stand up and move or stretch every 20-30 minutes – even if it’s just for a minute or two. And should you need any further persuasion to step away from your desk at regular intervals, here it is: a study published in the Journal of Biomechanics found that the mechanical pressure prolonged sitting places on the hips and bottom appears to increase fat storage in these areas by 50 per cent.

De-clutter your desk!

A clean, uncluttered working space is far more conducive to a productive day than a desk piled high with files, dirty mugs and scraps of paper. Depending on how bad the situation is, put aside half an hour (or half a day, in my case!) to clear your desk, wipe your keyboard and screen clean and organise your files and papers.

Work out your workstation.

If much of your working life involves sitting at a desk (or anywhere in which you are confined for long periods), make sure you are sitting comfortably. Chairs and worktops that are too high or low, lights that flicker, screens set too close or too far back, insufficient desk space, a twisted torso… all these occupational hazards can leave you feeling stiff, sore and fatigued by the end of the working day. It is your employer’s responsibility to ensure that your workstation is set up in an ergonomically correct fashion – even if that means investing in a special type of keyboard, a lumbar support or phone headset for you. If the responsibility lies with you, then invest in a workstation assessment to help you (and your staff, if you have any) are in the correct set-up. Once you’ve got it right, sit properly, with your feet flat on the floor, your thighs supported but not compressed by the chair seat and your back straight. Regularly ‘scan’ your body throughout the day, keeping an eye out for hunched, tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, a hanging-out tummy, a jutting-forward head or crossed legs.

Be green

Don’t leave computers, faxes, phone chargers and photocopiers switched on all the time – apart from the fact that it wastes energy, all electrical equipment emits electro-magnetic fields, and there is some evidence that these are linked with sub-optimal health and conditions such as insomnia, headaches and anxiety. This is even more important if you work at home. Certain plants can help absorb the pollutants emitted by office carpets, MDF, paint and anti-stain treated fabrics – such as formaldehyde, benzene and trichorethylene. Spider plants, peace lilies, Golden pothos and Goosefoot plant are all effective varieties.

Go natural

An overheated office with no natural light or fresh air is as far removed from the natural world as you can get, but it can help to bring some of the outside in or if all else fails, to ensure you get outside for at least 20 minutes each day. An American study found that workers in a call centre processed calls six to 12 per cent faster when they had a nice view versus those with no view. Office workers were found to perform 10-25 per cent better on tests of mental function and memory recall when they had the best view versus no view. Another study, from Washington State University, found that workers in a windowless room were less stressed and more productive when plants were brought in. Meanwhile, Swiss research found that employees working in environments with natural light recorded higher levels of energy than those in artificially-lit workplaces.

Get personal

According to the Chinese art of Feng Shui, it’s good to place something that reminds you of the non-work related aspect of your life on the left-hand side of your desk. Photos of loved ones should sit in the middle and top right-hand corners.

Ease your eyes

If you work on a computer, you are spending long periods of time focusing on something at a fixed distance, straight in front of you. To relax your eyes, regularly focus on something much further away (ideally, out of a window) and at things to your left and right. Roll your eyes from side to side. Another soothing exercise is to cup your hands over your eyes so that no light whatsoever can get in for a few moments. Repeat these exercises through the day. And don’t forget to blink.

From Sam Murphy (Health and fitness journalist, author and coach) original article in Huffington Post