Helping Employees Respond Positively to Workplace Changes
"[It] is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself."
- Leon C. Megginson
Megginson’s quotation, often misattributed to Darwin, has become increasingly relevant in the past few decades. We find ourselves today in a world Megginson could scarcely have imagined. Our embrace of globalization would have baffled a man who had lived through the Second World War and for whom the Cold War was an omnipresent reality. The monumentality of his computer age has been subverted by the subtleties of our own, replacing spectacle with splendor. For all his brilliance, he could not have foreseen the scale of change of the past twenty years, and yet his words, and his books on business management, still ring true.
Indeed, in this ever-changing business climate, you will likely experience a number of workplace changes that can have a considerable impact on employee happiness and employee productivity. While coping with those changes will be a part of everyone’s reality, workplace solutions are most effective when they come from the top down. Managers, department heads, and so on, leading by example, can have the greatest impact on workplace happiness. Outsourcing the management of workplace changes is also becoming increasingly popular as companies look to maximize time efficiency.
Common Types of Workplace Changes
Nothing is ever certain, and you may find yourself blindsided by a change that comes wholly unexpectedly, but there are a few main sources of workplace changes you can anticipate and prepare for. Broadly, these come in two major categories:
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Changes to Environment
Relocations to new facilities are common reasons for change, as are upgrades to your current facility. Tensions often arise from inequities among the staff. For instance, if your business is rolling out upgrades to workstations, employees may object if the new workstations are doled out to some employees before others. More commonly, though, the changes are resisted. Employees will covet the outmoded stations or systems, either because of comfort and familiarity, or out of simple nostalgia.
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Changes to Personnel
Being reassigned, or having a new member assigned to an existing team, can have a serious impact on employee happiness. Even in professional environments, both friendships and interpersonal conflict can be expected. In most workplaces, working relationships tend to seek a comfortable equilibrium, but this balance needs to be renegotiated when reallocating personnel.
How to Measure Workplace Setup Performance
Rethinking your square footage? Does shrinking square footage per employee lead to more productivity? There is actually one simple measurement you can use to find out where your workplace stands. Learn more >>
Workplace Changes Have a Large Impact on Employee Productivity.
Everyone has a natural disinclination toward embracing change. That reticence, in itself, can translate into wasted hours or a decrease in job performance. But even with the best of intentions and complete willingness, a lack of familiarity with a new system, facility, or coworker can eat into employee productivity. No matter how well a transition or a change is handled, a temporary drop in productivity is expected. That lull should be anticipated by the budget and the project planning for the incorporation of the workplace changes.
Solutions to Workplace Changes Start at the Top.
If you’re a leader in your workplace, lead by example. Demonstrate flexibility, trying not to let changes in circumstance interrupt your natural workflow. Be versatile, willing to try different approaches, or to take on new job roles. Your previous patterns, habits, and expectations may no longer be appropriate in your new circumstances, and showing an openness to redefine your role in a new system, for the good of the business as a whole, will have an immediate and tremendous impact on workplace happiness. Communicate with your employees, not just about the needs put on them by the workplace changes, but about their trepidation to let go of old habits or conditions and to start fresh.
Personalize the Office Space to Boost Positive Response to Workplace Changes.
For employees to feel comfortable and in turn feel less stressed, it helps to make the office space as homey as possible. Try and minimize the number of blaring fluorescent lights and see if you can get some peaceful natural light flowing through the office space. Furthermore, it is helpful to allow employees to decorate and personalize their cubicle or office space in whichever way they want, allowing them to feel more comfortable in an otherwise dull office space. If you feel the entire office needs a makeover, reach out to us! We’d be happy to help.
Productive Office Layout Essentials [Checklist]
A common workplace layout is not an uncommon business facilities strategy. There continues to be a steady incline of organizations embracing its rewards as well as its challenges — including how it may affect productivity. As you continue to tweak your strategy, look to this checklist to help you achieve a productive office layout. Get the checklist >>
Happiness Now, Productivity Later.
Finding workplace solutions to changes doesn’t need to be a negative experience. When you strip away nostalgia, habits and patterns often look like ruts. By encouraging employees to look at the big picture, and to embrace the changes with a spirit of positivity, you and your staff can treat the changes as an opportunity rather than a burden. Large-scale workplace changes can be a wonderful opportunity to do some housecleaning, and to solve some of the problems or issues that may have evolved in your business that were preventing employee happiness and productivity.
With any workplace changes, there’s going to be a learning curve, or a lull in employee productivity. By anticipating that, and giving employees some room, some slack in deadlines or workload, to weave those changes into their evolving job roles, you can ensure a more cohesive workplace, and you can build long term workplace happiness. By easing the transition, keeping open communication lines, and being willing to let go of old habits and patterns, you and your employees can develop new workplace solutions and take full advantage of the new options opened to you.
Are you looking to better support your employees through workplace changes?
A trusted workplace change partner makes everything easier. Corovan can help you with move planning, reconfiguration, and project management.
2017 Workplace Tips Roundup
Supercharge 2018 with Our Top 10 Workplace Tips
This list of our top 10 workplace tips is a collection of the most inspiring, surprising and powerful ideas we found in 2017. From green plants and bean bag chairs to headphones and standing desks, we covered a lot of ground this year, and this is the best of the best. Enjoy!
1| Give the gift of silence
Workplace distractions cost American business more than $650 billion in lost productivity every year. The workplace solution: offer noise-canceling headphones and create separate spaces for noisy brainstorming sessions and team meetings.
Read more: Productive Office Layout Essentials [Checklist].
2| Embrace the touch-down space
The open office has improved creative collaboration and team-building at work, but more than half of all high-performing employees say they need private places to go when they have to focus. Give employees choice by creating flexible touch-down spaces, break rooms and meeting spaces that support different kinds of work.
Read more: Open Office Survival Guide.
3| Zone in on employee comfort
Take a page from the home office playbook and create home-like comfort zones for your team. Here’s the most enjoyable idea on our list of top 10 workplace tips: Bring in a cozy couch, a few bean bag chairs and some ergonomic furniture to create a quiet lounge area that feels like home away from home.
Read more: Office Hacks Inspired By Home Offices.
4| Cultivate a love of plants
The most surprising statistic of 2017? Simply adding a plant to your workplace could boost productivity by up to 15%! Pick up a hardy plant, set it on the office windowsill and reap the benefits of increased focus, improved job satisfaction and better air quality. It’s by far the fastest, easiest to-do item on our list of top 10 workplace tips!
Read more: 15 Must-Have Workplace Productivity Tools.
5| Make space for face-to-face meetings
Meeting clients in person is a powerful way to forge a stronger connection. Get your office ready by polishing up your reception area, creating a coffee-shop vibe and moving unused furniture and inventory into storage.
Read more: Create Space for In-Person Meetings.
6| Set up a seat swap
Up to 60% of your workplace conversations are with people who sit close to you! Shake up your floor plan to loosen up cliques and create new opportunities for creative collaboration. A facility support partner makes moving easy.
Read more: Workplace Trends for Employee Retention
7| Get a move on
A list of top 10 workplace tips wouldn’t be complete without exercise! Office design has a huge impact on activity levels at work. Encourage employees to get active by offering adjustable standing desks or clearing out a storage room to make space for a treadmill, free weights and a few yoga mats.
Read more: Your Summer Workplace Change Guide.
8| Join the activity-based workspace movement
Studies show that creating fluid, activity-based workspaces can dramatically boost productivity – especially for top performers. This is perhaps the most challenging of our top 10 workplace tips, but it has the potential to yield the greatest results.
Read more: Create your activity-based workspaces.
9| Attract and retain new talent
Unlike the millennials who came before them, Generation Z won’t be comfortable with open, unstructured workspaces. Instead, employers need to create workspaces for Generation Z with distinct spaces that support the three different work activities that most professionals engage in each day.
Read more: Creating Workspaces for Generation Z.
10| Turn up the tunes
Grab your iPod, turn on some tunes and watch your productivity soar. Researchers have dozens of studies that prove music boosts focus, creativity and learning. It’s another quick, easy idea that deserved a spot on our list of top 10 workplace tips.
Read more: 15 Must-Have Workplace Productivity Tools..
Are you ready to start your workplace transformation for 2018?
A trusted workplace change partner makes everything easier. Corovan can help you with moving, reconfiguration, storage and furniture installation.
Workplace Productivity Tools
This isn’t your usual rundown of apps, hacks and oversimplified workplace productivity tools that will clutter up your desktop and your phone, not to mention your head.
15 Workplace Productivity Tools (and why you'll really use them)
Here are 15 practical, doable and effective tools for improving employee productivity in a fun and easy way. Some of them even require not working!
1. A mother-in-law’s tongue.
Studies show plants can improve productivity by up to 15%, making plants one of the easiest and most effective workplace productivity tools on this list. We recommend the mother-in-law’s tongue, or “snakeplant”, which is almost impossible to kill.
2. A productive space.
Your daily workspace is a critical productivity tool. According to a Gensler workplace survey, ninety percent of office workers say workplace design has a direct impact on their performance. Take some time to consider a fresh design that will support peak performance, and connect with a workplace support partner who can make your ideal space a reality.
3. A written plan to create a more productive office layout.
This valuable tool takes time to pull together, but once in hand, it will offer benefits unlike any other. Get started with a productive office layout essentials checklist.
4. A microfiber cloth and a squirt bottle.
Studies show that a clean office can increase productivity by up to 5%. Your mother was right.
5. A modern employee breakroom.
A rusty old fridge and grungy microwave are really depressing. Increase productivity, boost morale and improve your corporate culture with a “destination” break room. No space? Design your own custom room dividers for a quick fix!
6. A yoga mat.
Studies have long shown that even a short 20-minute break spent stretching and breathing can boost attention productivity and wellness, and even reduce absenteeism.
7. A comfy chair.
Ergonomic chairs are the cornerstone of a healthy, productive workspace, and they can save a bundle in absenteeism and healthcare costs.
8. A water bottle.
Fizzy or flat, flavored or not, it's been proven that guzzling water makes you more productive. Add in a walk to the water cooler and a chat with colleagues to get a well-deserved mental break, too!
9. A Pomodoro Timer.
When it comes to workplace productivity tools, a simple desktop is among the most effective. Set to ding every 25 minutes, it will help you stay focused and take regular breaks, key components of the famed Pomodoro technique.
10. Coffee!
A hot cup of joe offers a jolt of caffeine, and encouraging staff to take meaningful breaks does even more to boost productivity. Consider creating a coffee shop atmosphere in your workspace.
11. A treadmill. And a few basic free weights.
Think there’s no space for a gym in the office? Think again! Clear out your storage space to make room for basic fitness equipment, and watch your productivity soar.
12. A Playlist.
Decades of research shows that music is among the most powerful workplace productivity tools. All you have to do is press play!
13. A zafu.
This small, round cushion is a place for you to sit while you meditate. Researchers have found that workers trained in mindfulness-based meditation are happier and more focused, leading to higher productivity.
14. Deep Work, by Cal Newport
A tool unlike any other, this book has the power to free you from distraction and overwork, making you infinitely more productive in all areas of your life. His blog is good, too.
15. A little bit of gratitude.
Our second mental tool: Robert Emmons, the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, says considerable research demonstrates that grateful people are more likely to take on extra work, mentor colleagues, and encourage others – a happy way to boost productivity!
Are you ready to make your workplace more productive?
A trusted workplace change partner can help you create workspaces that support and foster productivity for you and your team.
Discover the benefits of facilities support »
Creating Workspaces for Generation Z
Quick, flexible workspaces for Generation Z hires
Your newest hires might be eager to climb the company ladder, but they’re not after your corner office. The young people who are joining the workforce today are radically different from the Boomers they’re replacing. They want flexible workspaces and adaptable schedules. They want freedom.
It’s not that they don’t want to work -- quite the opposite. Born in the mid-1990s, Generation Z grew up while the country was coping with the fallout from 9/11, and they came to consciousness around the time of the great recession, in 2008. They are independent, frugal and industrious.
Generation Z expects to work hard.
Multiple studies suggest that the young people who make up Generation Z are spectacularly entrepreneurial. One 2016 survey found that three out of every four high school students want to start their own business. They also want to change the world: A quarter of Gen Z kids already volunteer, and many hope to pursue careers as social entrepreneurs. It’s not uncommon for a Gen Z student to start work right out of high school, avoiding expensive educational institutions and the debt that comes with them. They’re learning online and on the job, instead. And many say they’ll stay three years at their first job - tops.
Generation Z want structured, functional workspaces.
What does this mean for businesses? Retaining young talent will be tough. In addition to mentoring programs, challenging project opportunities and a positive work environment, experts agree that employers must be prepared to create new workspaces for Generation Z.
Unlike the millennials who came before them, Gen Z won’t be comfortable with open, unstructured workspaces. Instead, employers need to create workspaces for Generation Z with distinct spaces that support the three different work activities that most professionals engage in each day.
1. Refuge spaces for solitary, high-concentration work.
The members of Generation Z are digital natives, and they’re constantly connected. When it comes time to buckle down and focus, it can be difficult for them to disconnect. Create small, closed-door “refuge spaces” with soundproofing, comfortable seating, whiteboards and enough plugs to power all their devices. Employers might also consider making some of these refuges into Wi-Fi dead zones, to facilitate self-imposed exile from the internet. These small, quiet spaces can also be used for private, one-on-one discussions.
2. Collaborative spaces for group work.
Your Generation Z employees are at ease in the digital world and at the vanguard of collaborative online work. The ideal workspaces for Generation Z include shared desk and seating areas and provide mobile glass boards and white walls that staff can use for brainstorming ideas. Room dividers from Loftwalls can help create distinct spaces in open-office plans, and partnering with a trusted facilities support company can make moving walls and furniture fast and easy. Finally: Be sure to include screens and WiFi to facilitate communication with team members and partners who are working remotely.
3. Social spaces for face-to-face connection and recreation.
A small, airless lunchroom with a microwave and a creaky old fridge just won’t cut it anymore. Workspaces for Generation Z will require social “third spaces” that facilitate meaningful connections with their mentors, colleagues and peers. Same goes for that muddy coffee and candy-filled vending machine: These young professionals are foodies, and they want good quality coffee and fresh food. These informal social spaces give your young team a place to recharge, host casual meetings and build relationships with their colleagues.
Now is the time to redesign workspaces for Generation Z
There are more than 70 million young Americans in Generation Z, and they’re starting to join the workforce in greater numbers. Start preparing workspaces for Generation Z now so you can leverage their talent and energy.
Are you ready to create workspaces for Generation Z?
A trusted workplace change partner can help you create the workspaces you need to support your company’s youngest, hungriest team members.
Join the Activity-Based Working Movement
Your laptop is powerful and practically weightless. All the tools and documents you could ever need are in the cloud. There’s WiFi everywhere. So why are you chained to your desk all day? Could you transform your work life overnight, just by moving your office furniture around? A group of forward-thinking office designers thinks so, and they’ve persuaded executives around the world to overhaul their old offices and create activity-based workspaces.
From stunning new projects in London and Amsterdam all the way to UCSF right here in California, the Activity-Based Working movement has taken hold.
What is the Activity-Based Working movement?
Instead of forcing people to work in offices or cubicles, the idea is that you create workspaces to support various work activities. Someone who needs to focus might head to a sound-proof cubby, while someone who needs to hash out a strategy with a colleague may go to a quiet spot for a one-on-one consult. Groups that need to engage in creative brainstorming will gather in spaces with couches and whiteboards, and perhaps with a video screen for remote attendees. In fact, according to workplace efficiency experts at Leesman, there are 21 activities employees perform throughout the work day.
With activity-based workspaces, you’re no longer a solitary prisoner confined to your own office. Instead, you’re free to roam from desk to sofa to, the office café, which is all a part of your shared office environment.
Boost efficiency at work.
Leesman created a unique measure of workplace efficiency called the Leesman Index, and they recently issued a landmark study on Activity-Based Working. Researchers found that knowledge workers who wholeheartedly adopted the activity-based workplace scored nearly 72 on the index, significantly higher than those who camped out at their desks, who scored just shy of 60.
The idea for activity-based working was born in the 1970s, but it didn’t become a reality until the early 1990s when designers in London and Amsterdam created the first real-world offices using this model. In 1995, Dutch workplace strategist Erik Veldhoen published the first book about activity-based working, called “The Demise of the Office.” Today, his company works with organizations to adopt the model as “a catalyst for organizations to rethink the way they work.”
Creating your activity-based workspace.
Creating an activity-based workspace really boils down to two things: studying how your team really works and then partnering with a trusted commercial moving company to reconfigure your office space so that it nurtures and supports existing work processes.
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Create a “financial business plan” for your office environment and determine the potential return on your investment in an ABW office.
- Consider an Occupancy and Utilization Study to find out what your team is doing when they’re not at their desks.
- Be sure to understand the misconceptions about ABW, and know what it is not.
Looking for some inspiration on this side of the pond? The University of California at San Francisco opened Mission Hall in 2014, the first school building to use the activity-based working concepts. The university has since set up a task force to study the impacts of this new workplace environment and has committed to constructing additional, activity-based workspaces going forward. They’re saving money, too.
Healthy, engaged and empowered employees.
In the end, the Leesman report says a well-designed Activity-Based Workspace can help to create healthier, more engaged and empowered employees, along with stronger collaboration and better on-the-job learning. Businesses with flexible office infrastructure are nimbler, too, and can more easily adapt to change. It’s a modern solution for the way we work today.
Work smarter with activity-based workspaces.
Corovan has been helping California companies reconfigure workplaces for more than 70 years. Ready to transform your workspace? We're here to help. Learn More about Facilities Support »
Productive Office Layout Essentials [Checklist]
A common workplace layout is not an uncommon business facilities strategy. There continues to be a steady incline of organizations embracing its rewards as well as its challenges — including how it may affect productivity. As you continue to tweak your strategy, look to this checklist to help you achieve a productive office layout.
Find all the open area in your business.
Take a walk around your business and decide where would a workplace change be best engineered. Ask yourself questions, such as:
- Do areas in your business exist where productivity is lacking?
- How can surroundings enhance employee attitude and productivity?
After having an internal conversation and narrowing down what it is you would like to achieve in your common workplace, decide why there are open areas in your business and begin to understand that in successful workplaces, there is always reasoning behind setup. After determining which areas in your workplace are lacking, make the decision to collaborate with a workplace change expert to make the most of your workplace.
Choosing from different types of open office layouts.
As a business manager, it is your responsibility and duty to your employees to choose the workplace configuration that fits best and being aware of the most adopted trends will get you off to the right start! Hoteling, hub and spoke method, neighborhoods and circular workstations are just a few common workspace configurations.
- Hoteling is a method where employees reserve a desk prior to the workday, but are not permanently assigned one place and, without the notion that the desk belongs to the individual, clutter is decreased because the employees treat the space as communal property.
- Hub and Spoke Method is a method which employs a hub desk in the center and stemming from it are spokes of other desks. Use a smaller workspace to create this model and eliminate assigned seating on the spokes.
- Neighborhoods in an open workspace is simply to place the desks of teams who work well together or, must collaborate for productivity, roughly in the same "neighborhood" of the floor plan.
- Circular Workstations are excellent for encouraging interaction. Traditional rows of desks make it too easy for employees to keep their eyes on their screens and never interact with one another, at a circular workstation, employees literally must face one another.
Pick out your furniture.
After landing on a configuration for your productive office layout, it's time to furnish it. Here are some things to think about while you make your office furniture decisions:
- Some cubicles may have demi-walls for a little privacy, and others may have none for a full open office feeling. With almost 100 cubicles and workstations to choose from, there is certainly something for everyone.
- Investing in bright storage cubes and cubbies is an excellent way to give employees a personal place to store personal items while remaining organized and under control. Take into account, how it will complement your chosen desks and ask yourself what employees really require.
- Adjustable beam benches is fresh choice for hoteling
- Modular office workstations allow you to easily make the switch from private offices to an open office plan when the need fits
- For small spaces, consider a circular workstation configured to fit three people in a space typically used for one workstation.
- Make sure to take comfort and ergonomics into consideration along with productivity and morale.
- Choose breakroom furniture that is unique to create a visual and visceral difference for employees.
Manage and eliminate noise.
American businesses continue to lose more than $650 billion annually in output because of workplace distractions. With an open office layout especially, it’s important for facilities managers to consider that not everyone is able to function with background noise. Here are some ideas:
- Offer noise canceling headphones to all employees, or create an organized station where employees can check them out for a specified amount of time — like the library.
- Build in spaces that make meeting face-to-face fun, and unique. One idea is to have a theme for each area, and most importantly it should be spaced away from workstations.
- Phone booths — it's a thing. These are just like from the 2002 movie phone booth, without the phone, but maybe still with some of the drama. The point is it’s a breakaway acoustically-sound space for anyone to take a chat. It gives the caller privacy and keeps the noise level down
- Modern employee break rooms. Create a breakroom that employees are motivated to visit when having a casual, non-work related conversation, where they can grab a latte and a healthy snack.
See beyond workspace configuration
Although the configuration and furnishing are the main elements of your productive office layout, there is always room to think about small changes that make a big impact.
Consider eliminating vending machines that sell primarily sugar-based snacks and provide bowls of fresh fruit and granola bars instead. It's a small cost with a healthy payback that your employees will appreciate.
Now — in that new found space where the vending machines used to be — you can add communal seating for two where employees can sit and chat. Additionally, water filters are great to have in offices, employees will start to bring in glasses and bottles to fill, instead of buying a new bottle of water daily and throwing it away—water filters in the office will cut down on waste and cut down on employee responsibility to recycle or dispose of said waste.
Are cell phones a distraction to employee productivity? Create a charging station with cubbies on a wall. This will encourage employees to place their phones there to charge and eliminates the temptation of using their phone at their desks.
You have all the tools you need.
The only thing left to do is take everything you have learned, collaborate, and create. Corovan provides 24-hour chat for its customers on its website so it is easier than ever to have questions answered. Now that you have the tools you need, along with expert advice and guidance— get creative and bring your unique vision to life for your business! You will be amazed at how soon you begin to see the results of your open office layout in your common workplace.
Open Office Survival Guide
If you're facing common challenges with the open office like everyone else, try this open office survival guide.
These days, open office plans are a common workplace feature. You’re likely more than a little familiar with an open office layout, because you’ve created one in your own workplace, or are planning to do so. At the very least, you’ve probably visited one.
Working in an open office space can create cross-pollination of teams, a casual work environment, and foster collaboration, especially with small but mighty start-ups. However, it can also mean the loss of privacy and quiet space when employees can’t shut the door. In fact, a study from CNBC notes that 58% of high-performance employees say they need more quiet work spaces. Your local space is a great opportunity to catch up with your customers or prospects. And we’ve got some great ideas on how to make that happen.
So what’s a facilities manager to do?
Without some basic ground rules and some space carved out for other activities where walls come in handy, you may not have buy-in from all employees. A workplace that doesn’t offer various type of meeting and break options can lead to unhappy, and unproductive employees. Facilities managers can make it easier for employees to co-exist peacefully in an open work place environment with these five tips. We’ve also included some suggested space solutions you can use right now.
1. Keep it on the down-low.
While it was perfectly acceptable when everyone had an office or a cubicle to confer face-to-face, quick in-person meetings can become a distraction to others.
Open Office Survival Tip: Put in place an in-office message system like Slack for quick questions rather than having folks yelling across the room or assuming a co-worker isn’t busy and can talk. For private meetings, create a touchdown space away from individual desks for meetings out loud that won’t bother anyone.
2. Be respectful.
Remember, just because someone in the office loves to blast Classic Rock tunes doesn’t mean everyone wants to sing along.
Open Office Survival Tip: Provide noise-canceling headphones to your employees so staff can listen to their favorite bands or podcasts without irritating their co-workers. Your employees will thank you.
3. Put a lid on smelly food.
You’re eating what?! Make sure employees aren’t torturing everyone else with overly odoriferous meals.
Open Office Survival Tip: Encourage employees to take the time to step into a common area or break room to munch their lunch. In warmer months, if there’s some outdoor space on a back patio or roof, add some tables and chairs for dining al fresco or for casual meetings.
4. Try not to spread out.
Help keep staff clutter to a minimum. Remember, in an open space, everyone is now able to view their desk mate’s mess. And one person’s Troll doll collection is another one’s nightmare.
Open Office Survival Tip: Invest in some brightly colored storage containers for employees to store their stuff, like extra cords, books, and chargers. For larger items, Corovan can help with commercial storage options.
5. Be prepared to be flexible.
Not all open spaces are alike, and the more open, the more urgent the need for touch-down spaces, conference rooms, and break rooms.
Open Office Survival Tip: Give employees good choices. For those who need a to duck into a private room for a meeting, grab a break, or collaborate with co-workers, having those spaces in addition to the open space will maximize employee productivity and happiness.
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Create Space for In-person Meetings
Be more profitable with face-to-face interactions between your brand and customers.
Let’s face it: Screens are great, and thanks to technology, most of us can keep in touch with co-workers and clients with online tools anytime day or night. But sometimes, a personal interaction can be even more meaningful—with clients, prospects, and employees.
If you’ve got empty or unused space, you’re in luck. There’s value to having an office in real life. According to the Wall Street Journal, “In-person meetings let attendees develop transparency and trust in ways that are not possible with other forms of communication.”
In-person meetings can be a fun and helpful experience, for both employees and customers alike. Not only will your clients and co-workers love spending time in your office, it can set your business apart from the faceless competition. Plus, you can hear first-hand how you’re doing.
Your local space is a great opportunity to catch up with your customers or prospects. And we’ve got some great ideas on how to make that happen.
1. Clean up your office space.
If you’re thinking of opening your doors to customers, think about how your office looks to outside eyes. Your space is about to represent your company, so clear out the clutter, re-arrange desks to make it more open and friendly, and make sure you have plenty of guest seating for a designated in-person meetings place. Use Corovan’s warehouse storage for short-term or long-term storage for your goods and inventory.
2. Hold trainings for new employees.
Bring people into the office for team collaboration experiences. This is a good time to create touch-down spaces so contractors can feel welcome to come to the office and interact in person. Add flexible desks with USB ports and extra monitors so employees can easily plug in.
3. Bring café society into your office.
Create a coffee-shop style workspace where customers and employees can relax while they plug in. Make sure there are plenty of seating options, hot and cold beverages, and snacks. Then invite customers or out-of-office employees to grab a refreshment right in the office.
4. Trend Alert! Rethink your reception area as a customer area.
We’ve noticed that many companies have started offering their customers in-person office hours. A great place to meet up is your re-thought office reception area. Reception is your first impression to your customers and employees alike, so make it a good one. Update the space with modern furniture, extra seating, plants, and fresh paint to create an inviting atmosphere.
5. Go outside.
If you have access to an outdoor area, make it a workable space. Add café style tables or picnic benches for more casual encounters with customers. And set up a staging area for catered lunches for employees that doubles as a warm weather meeting place. Here are more summer workplace change ideas.
Work smarter with better workspaces
Ready to re-think your unused space? Setting up alternative workspace reconfigurations doesn’t have to be daunting: our experts can lead the way.
Your Summer Workplace Change Guide
Get 5 expert tips to keep employees engaged over the warmer months.
We can’t quite believe it, but summer is here. Studies show it’s the season when worker productivity takes a nosedive. When more people are out of the office on vacation, and those left behind wish they were taking time off. It’s a perfect time to start planning for a summer workplace change–such as an office reconfiguration, or even relocation. We’ve got five big ideas that will keep employees engaged over the warmer months. Everybody wins.
#1 Bring an outdoor feel to the workplace.
With the summer months comes warmer weather and a perfect time to create a sense of the outdoors—right inside your office. The most obvious thing to do: Open the windows, and let in some fresh air. For your summer workplace change, consider changing out the window treatments for lighter fabrics or solar shades to allow in more natural light. If the artificial lighting is a little much, replace bright overhead fluorescent fixtures (or turn them off), and give the office a new look with some lighter paint colors. If you have some actual outdoor space, set up a touchdown space there to encourage casual meetings, or quiet time, al fresco.
#2 Encourage employees to get active.
Longer, lighter days can help to jump-start a healthier lifestyle. This summer, inspire your staff to get moving: Schedule group walks or kickball games at lunch time, set aside a yoga space in the office, or start company-wide planking breaks. It’s a great time to consider adjustable standing desks, re-configuring conference rooms for more standing meetings, and consider handing out mobile headsets to encourage walking while working.
#3 Ask for feedback.
You won’t really know what your employees want unless you ask. Send out a workplace survey to find out how the staff members prefer to work—a casual lounge area, a quiet space, or with a standing desk? Make sure the changes you’re planning are perceived as beneficial to people who have to live with them. It’s also helpful when considering orders of equipment or office redesign. Plus, it will make employees really feel heard.
Corovan has a (workplace change) plan.
Consider a pro partner like Corovan for a workplace reconfiguration, or relocation. Get bids, advice, and checklists, plus help with packing, labeling, moving, and more.
#4 Downsize your office. . . furniture and stuff.
It’s much easier to re-think your office space once you've cleared it out. Donate outdated furnishings, unused desks, and extra chairs. When possible, recycle or repurpose furniture that’s no longer in use, and go ahead and toss anything broken. Get everyone involved in clearing out unnecessary clutter on individual desks and common spaces. Trust us, even if it’s just an office re-org, it will feel like a brand-new place.
#5 Hold a pre-move planning session.
Even when the end result is exciting, the move or summer workplace change itself can be disruptive. Hold a planning meeting in advance to game out your strategy. Pick a time to pack up and move that will be the least unsettling to employees during regular work hours (say the weekend or at night). Suggest in-house employees work from home if there’s no way around a day move. Put together a moving or workplace change checklist to make sure the office change is organized and timely. To get you started, here’s your free office moving checklist »
5 Office Hacks Inspired by Home Offices
If you’ve ever used a Post-it note to sweep away crumbs from your laptop keyboard then you’re well aware of life hacks. For those uninitiated, life hacks are simple tips or tricks that make your everyday life easier and better. With that in mind, we’ve found five office hacks, for your desk and workplace, inspired by home offices across California. They’re easy, they work, and they don’t cost much. Take a look.
1. Brighten and Lighten Your Office Space
Look around. What do you like in your home (office) that you wish you had at work? That colorful print you picked up on your trip to New Orleans Jazz Fest, maybe? The light pouring in from all the windows make working even in a small space, much more pleasant. Consider any of these colorful additions to your workplace.
Office hacks.
Add some fun artwork to the walls, change out the window coverings to bring in some natural light, and start an edible indoor garden with fresh herbs your staff could even water and use to add to tea or their lunch salads. For your desk: use mirrors to make your personal space feel bigger and bring in more light. Or, you can even reupholster boring chairs with fun fabrics. Check out more ideas on how to turn your ordinary workstation into a cool workstation.
2. Create Home-like Comfort Zones
Of course, what makes working from home so great is that anywhere you perch becomes your comfy office space: feet up on the coffee table, lounging with your dog on your outdoor deck on a sunny day, or leaning on the kitchen table as you make a fresh cup of coffee. If the mood strikes you, you can blast tunes and rock out as you work, or work in complete quiet. Think these options are only possible at home? Think again as you plan out your office space.
Office hacks.
Create a lounge area comfort zone with a cozy couch, floor pillows or bean bags. If the area is closed off, add a stereo or make it a quiet space. See if your office can open up to an outdoor area, say a back patio or roof deck, with tables for eating lunch or for a casual meeting or workspace. For your desk: Build a small coffee table out of used books, or even a wall divider (make sure they are books you don’t need to read!). For more comfort, consider the right ergonomic office furniture that suits your needs.
3. Make Room for Inspiration—and Increased Productivity
People who work from home find themselves more creative when they work from home. At home, you can access your favorite art book or fun family photos for ideas and an eye break. You never know where genius will strike, but creating relaxed, fun and creative environments surely sets the stage for great ideas.
Office hacks.
If your business culture is creative by nature, this is a must-have in your office. Clear a wall and turn it into a whiteboard with markers to get the ideas flowing. For your desk: Make sure that your workstation is filled with fun things to look at—from art to photos.
4. Get High Tech with Videoconferencing
Even people working from home get a little stir crazy, and with far-flung contractors, providing video conferencing and other high-tech tools is a great way to connect with employees working outside the office.
Office hack.
Provide mobile employees an “office in a box,” which can include an all-in-one printer, phone with a high-quality speaker, laptop with video and sound, a big monitor, even good-quality headphones. That way, mobile employees are set up for in-house touchdown spaces, and can stay in touch with co-workers wherever they’re working. Videoconferencing is also a great way to hold off-site client meetings. Office hack for your desk: Use binder clips to hang headphones or keys, and even to keep cords organized. And, use a kitchen basket to store your extra cords.
5. Provide Flexible Seating. Or Standing.
At home, you can sit at your desk, stand by a window, lounge in the living room, lie on the floor, whatever makes you most at ease. Maybe you prefer the family room Lazy Boy, or a kitchen table that’s high enough for you to stand and work. Research shows sitting all day is a serious health risk. Luckily, there are some great options for the corporate setting that aren’t sitting.
Office hacks.
There are plenty of office chairs out there that are both comfy and ergonomic. Another option is to provide standing desks for those who want the choice to change position from a chair to no chair at all. For your desk: Build your own standing desk with a small bookshelf.
Best Office Hack: A Good Moving Partner
A pro like Corovan can help you with your office moves and changes, whether it’s reupholstering boring chairs, installing artwork, re-configuring workstations, or creating more natural light.
Your Office Layout: What's it say about your business?
Four most common workplace types
Take a moment and look around your office. Is it open and lively? Closed and quiet? Do you notice natural light? What about a break room that beckons? You may not realize this on a day-to-day, but your office layout can speak volumes about your corporate culture—to clients, prospective talent, and anyone else who walks through your front doors.
These four most common workplace (personality) types can help you understand how people may perceive your business, or identify what type of business you want to be.
The throw-back.
This workplace hasn’t updated their office layout in quite some time. Think about it, what may dated furniture say about business operations or your technology? No need to take it all on at once. But maybe it’s time to rethink mixing in some new with the old. Start with eco-friendly furniture or a conference room update or sprucing up the reception area. Every little bit makes a difference. And trust us, your clients will take note.
The innovator.
No theory is too radical for your business to give a try. Open seating? Check. Wireless desks? Check. Espresso bar, Segway scooters, why not? Keeping your hard-working employees engaged and happy is this workplace’s top priority. Think you want to add a living wall, increase the natural light, or add eco-friendly furniture? Sounds good. In fact, your creative office layout may be key to inspiring your employees.
The team player.
Your workplace is a blend of in-house employees, contractors, and teams who need to easily work together. You’ve set up a flexible office layout, including clustered desks for employee collaboration, and standing desks for those who prefer it. Maybe you need a video conference hook-up, more open space, or touch-down spaces for contractors when they’re in house to really make it work.
The healthy balance.
There’s something for everyone in this workplace. In fact, a recent successful office layout redesign by Digital Ocean caters to both workers who prefer quiet as well as the ones who like the bustle and don’t want to be “shushed.” You can have a good mix of quiet areas as well as common work spaces and keep everybody in their optimal productivity zone. You also show your commitment to people by encouraging healthy employees. Think about transforming an empty office into a yoga room, create a space for playtime, and add a plant or two.
You'll always be our (office) type.
Corovan’s workplace reconfiguration experts can work with every office style type to plan the perfect workable layout for you. Learn more ».
2017 Workplace Trends: HR Emerges
People are at the epicenter of this year’s workplace trends.
According to a study of HR professionals, 83% of HR professionals felt the "employee experience” is either important or very important to an organization’s success.
An office birthday party where trail mix and fresh fruit are served. A yoga room that gives staff a mindful break. And reconfigured workspaces that allow employees from the same team to work together on projects.
Welcome to the future. Or at least to some of the employee-focused workplace trends predicted for 2017. This year, clearer than ever before, job seekers and employees have more leverage. In fact, a study of HR professionals revealed that 83% felt the "employee experience” – training, improving the workplace, and rewards—is either important or very important to an organization’s success.
Are you ready to embrace these workplace trends? With 2017 well on its way, we’re here to provide some ideas on how to re-think your office to better recruit, train, and retain top talent. It’s not as hard as you think.
Workplace Trendspotting Guide
Here, some of the workplace trends to keep in mind—and how you can easily integrate them into your office:
Create a healthy work environment.
Think about transforming an empty office into a yoga room, hold walking meetings, subsidize employee gym memberships, provide ergonomic cubicles and tips, or add a plant or two. Active workplaces show a commitment to employee well-being, which is key for recruitment and retention.
Meet Generation Z.
The post-millennial generation has entered the workforce. This group is tech-savvy, never knew a world without the internet, loves social media, and is team-oriented. Think about incorporating their skills in a workplace with a collaborative focus.
Focus on team performance.
Team-focused Gen Z and millennials have led to a spotlight on team over individual performance. According to Forbes, three-fourths of the younger generations reported working better in a group. This may mean re-thinking your office space so it’s conducive to team work.
Integrate a blended workforce.
The gig economy is upon us. Most offices now hire a “blend” of both full-time employees and freelancers who are expected to work together. Key to success: Ensuring communication with remote workers is state-of-the-art, such as creating “touch down spaces” that encouraging freelancers to come into the office.
Swap seats, open minds.
Did you know that 40% to 60% of all workplace interactions are with people sitting near you? You can risk falling into a rut. Shake things up with a seat swap. New neighbors can inspire new ideas, create collaboration across teams, and bring esprit de corps at nominal expense.
Consider a workplace change partner.
Corovan can help your office evolve. Whether its warehouse storage or re-arranging, moving, or adding desks for a team-centered focus, we can help.