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Your workspace makeover

Picture the scene… the end of summer is nigh, those summer nights have been replaced by darkness at 5.30pm, a drizzly haze filling the evening sky and gusty winds that remind you winter is just around the corner. However, it’s not all doom and gloom as its time to raid the wardrobe, rescue that woolly jumper and curl up on the sofa in-front of a roaring fire, binging on those old Friends box-sets. We’ve all done it, meticulously planning and furnishing our respective living rooms to be the ultimate place of comfort and relaxation…or put another way, our happy place.

So why can’t that same dedication be applied to our workspaces? So that we look forward to going into work, arriving at a workstation that oozes style, sophistication and above all, comfort. Well if you follow our advice, you can.

Sit-stand desks

As the name suggests, a desk that switches between standing and sitting means that you can be active without staying on your feet all day – too much standing could cause leg and foot swelling. Our self-confessed style guru’s recommend that you wear comfy shoes with a low or flat heel and lots of arch support whilst standing on a cushioned mat.

Flexible seating

We’ve all had it, eyestrain and acute back pain at some point or another, often caused by an archaic desk or an office chair that’s reminiscent of something found in the terraces of a football stadium. The key to comfort and increased productivity is a chair that easily glides up and down, so you can position your gaze in relation to your monitor and contours to your back, improving your overall posture.

The Generation Game

We live in exciting times, with our workplaces becoming more vibrant and diverse than ever, both culturally and with a mix of generations. This article explores the attributes and attitudes of each.

“Baby Boomers” – Born 1945 > 1964

I was born during the baby boom after World War 2 when the UK economy was in turmoil. I’m often defined by my spirit, determination and hard work. I have extensive knowledge of the company I work for which is why I hope to have a “job for life”.

I value productivity and hard graft and prefer to collaborate face to face rather than send an email. Because of my general work ethic, my company is assessing ways to keep me and my fellow Baby Boomers in the workplace as my knowledge and skill set are required for survival in today’s challenging environment.

“Generation X” – Born 1965 > 1979

I grew up in a recession, so my parents went to work, often juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet. As a result I became known as one of the “latch-key kids”. I am independent and resourceful in both my approach to life and work. I grew up in a world of conspiracy theories which means that generally I’m sceptical and ready to challenge the status quo. As a manager I believe I have earned my private office and like to keep an eye on my team so that I can intervene if needed. As a result I’m not keen on the concept of agile working.

Flexibility and privacy are very important to me and I may look to leave an organisation if this is not available to me.

“Generation Y” – Born 1980 > 1994

It’s the birth of the digital age, and I find everything online and tech related second nature. I have thousands of virtual friends which means I have access to a network and markets that the older generation can only dream of. My parents are from the Baby Boom generation and as a result work very long hours under pressured circumstances. I want a work-life balance that allows me to see the world and take in new experiences.

I’ve worked my way through university, enjoying campus life which means I fully embrace the agile working concept which is why I want my workspace to be the same. I enjoy the café culture and can often be found in Costa on my laptop working away. I see my career as an extension of myself and have adopted a non-traditional ethos of “anywhere and anytime” working. As a result I have lots of different skills and like the idea of regularly changing jobs.

“Generation Z” – Born 1995 > 2009

I’m at school and looking forward to university. Whilst I anticipate I’ll be entering the world of work in the next few years, I want to expand my horizons through education and travel. A consistent topic of conversation continues to be the global recession and austerity, so, with the help of my parents, I’ve become more financially aware. We live in an uncertain world with terrorism and extremism dominating the news headlines, so im looking for stability and therefore a job for life.

Im part of the YouTube generation and prefer to use influencers to inform my decisions. I cant imagine life without technology and prefer to be networking around the clock. A fast-paced life and constantly challenging work environment is vital to stop me becoming bored.

The aforementioned generations require very different working environments in order for them to reach their personal goals and maximise their productivity. If you’re interested in unlocking your workspace potential, why not speak to one of our consultants today?

It’s all in the details

We’re more aware than ever about the issues of pollution and sustainability. Many of us have been shocked and moved by the images reported in the mainstream media of fish and sea birds caught up, and in some cases, feeding on plastic bottles and materials.

As business leaders we have an obligation to do our bit, not only for our workforce, but for the worldwide community in which we live. Education is definitely hard at work, we just need to persevere and keep driving it through to ensure a more sustainable approach common practice.

Get the metaphorical ball rolling…

It’s important that you don’t bite off more than you can chew. Afterall you’re aiming for longevity and a change in daily practice, not a one-off headline or sound bite which will soon be forgotten.

Consider first your workspace environment. Are your computers switched on all day and left on standby at night? Research suggests that devices left on standby use ten times more electricity than those that are turned off. Incredibly, people leaving lights and electrical devices on accounts for a massive 50 per cent of your office’s energy consumption. Maybe think twice next time you leave something on?

Let everyone know you’re making a stand

Establish a green policy and make sure it’s circulated internally and externally. Add notes to the bottoms of emails asking recipients to restrict printing out unless strictly necessary. Even simple tasks such as only filling the kettle with as much water as you need can have a considerable impact.

Have you got a refurbishment or fit out around the corner?

As designers and manufacturers of contemporary office furniture and storage, we’re ideally place to advise and factor in the most carbon conscious products through the specifying process. What’s more, our in-house installation team will do all the hard work so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy your new surroundings.

Everyone dreams of a work-life balance, but is it achievable?

Achieve a healthy balance

The pressure of work and the stress of an upcoming deadline often means that “you time” and staying healthy tends to take a back seat. This is where we all need a bit of perspective as its our health that keeps us working, affecting our mood and how we think. More-over it affects our ability to stay creative and ultimately stay productive.

Achieving a healthy balance doesn’t mean making sweeping changes to your daily routine. Indeed, its often the small things that can have the most profound affect. Whether you are always on the go, or spend a lot of time at your desk, the commitment to staying healthy starts with you.

Here are a couple of pointers from Formetiq’s resident design gurus to help you out:

“I like to move it move it!”

Here at Formetiq we’re very lucky to have our own gym, complete with treadmill, weights bench and punch bag. Whilst not every office can feasibly have its own gym, you can avoid the mid-afternoon slump by simply staying active. Instead of a working lunch at your desk, go outside for a walk – do anything that raises your heart rate and gets those endorphins pumping! These small breaks are not only enjoyable but help clear your head ready for the next task. So do yourself a favour, break up long periods of sitting with occasional walking and standing. Height adjustable desks are hugely effective at keep you mobile whilst working.

Work to live don’t live to work.

When was the last time you got a good night sleep? Have you caught up with old friends to reminisce about old times? Are you making precious memories with your family? These are important questions to ask when thinking about your health. Time management can be difficult and very often, work commitments can extend into personal time. Whilst its good to be ambitious, to be the very best you can be, part of having good physical and mental health is maintaining a work-life balance. Personal time and rest enables you to process your thoughts and allows you to make long term goals whilst setting priorities. Sleep deprivation, stress and anxiety can make you forgetful, decrease productivity and generally make you more susceptible to illness. In short, don’t forget to put your wellbeing first, you’re not doing anyone any favours by doing anything else.

There’s no place like home…

In many a case you’ll spend more time at the office than you do at home. So why wouldn’t you give your workspace the same care and attention as your living room at home? What feels like home for one person could be very different for someone else, and businesses are no different. The style of your office can vary – you could aim for a plush, high-end luxury finish or a Shoreditch-cool warehouse setup.

What these very different but domestic-inspired offices have in common is a move away from the sterile, uniformity of a typical office and a move towards something more bespoke with domestic style finishes. Soft touches like cushions, sofas, lamps and coffee tables can provide a more relaxed atmosphere by providing a “softer design” more akin to a living room than an office.

By increasing the similarities between the office and home, staff can feel more at ease and in-touch with their surroundings. It becomes a place where they want to be, rather than a space they have to be in to work. By creating spaces that people want to work in, you improve the ambiance and the comradery that makes people feel happy at work and proud to be a part of your business.

Workspaces that foster collaboration

Younger workers or ‘millennials’ (as they’ve been labelled) tend to be a talkative bunch, thriving on communicating with their fellow co-workers. Many shudder at the thought of grafting away in a secluded cubicle for hours a day without access to others to brainstorm, query and get help with something they’re working on.

This presents a challenge for management as they need to create a space where collaboration is encouraged, a space where employees can visit one another and communicate efficiently and productively.

Although it’s essential to have a buzzing, creative and open atmosphere, there are naturally going to be times when even the most vocal employees want to get their heads down and concentrate. Indeed, studies define three different moods all attributed to distraction – controlled attention, stimulus-driven attention and rejuvenation.

Controlled attention refers to the moment where we seek to limit distractions and external stimuli in order to increase focus and therefore productivity.

Stimulus-driven is when we welcome a shift in focus when completing tasks such as responding to emails…essentially a change of scenery.

Finally there is rejuvenation. This is an essential period whereby employees unwind, reset and get focused before heading back to work.

Whilst not everyone will experience these different emotions in a day, its essential that the working environment provides an outlet for employees to express themselves. Doing so will lead to a more satisfied workforce and more productive employees.

We spend more time at work than we do at home…

Millennials crave a positive work-life balance. In order to attract top millennial talent, office managers need to promote a more laid-back, friendly environment. A flexible approach to office ergonomics, giving younger employees options and opportunities to collaborate will go a long way in helping your business retain the very best up and coming talent.

Pain in the neck?

If you’ve ever finished a long working week, winding away the hours at your desk, thumbs thumping at the keyboard as you pull out all the stops to meet a looming deadline, only to feel like your neck and upper back have been trampled by a herd of wildebeests, then we’ve got news for you, you need a monitor arm!

But what’s wrong with plonking the monitor on a stack of books I hear you cry? Well in short, just about everything… not only does it look horrendous, but your workforce won’t thank you for it. Come to think of it, neither will your superiors. You see, a good monitor arm can remove a lot of pain from the daily grind, allowing your colleagues to focus on getting things done rather than on how bad they feel.

So how can you spot a good monitor arm? Where does it fit into your workspace?

Ideally, your monitor should be an arm’s length away from you and be at a height where you can sit up and keep your neck in a neutral position. A monitor arm not only allows you to control the distance between your monitor and your keyboard, but it also allows adjustment throughout the day as you move your body.

Whilst the physical benefits are undeniable, there is a strong aesthetic argument to be made too. A monitor arm frees up valuable space on a desk which is proven to help productivity… also, the sight of a beautiful super-slim monitor “floating” above the desk is something very pleasing to the eye! The Libero from Metalicon blends sleek, clean lines and an elegant form with a reassuringly robust approach to office ergonomics. What’s more, with a box-to-assembly time of under a minute, it’s easy to see why the Libero is becoming the arm of choice.

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