Author Archives: Bellia Office Furniture

When you are thinking about choosing new office furniture, you might consider just Googling office furniture, and going with a low-cost or stylish pieces that you find online. Did you ever think about the benefits of using an experienced, professional company to help you? Here are 5 reasons that you should use a professional to help you choose your new office furniture.

Sourcing

When you choose the right company to work with, they have a large network of furniture manufacturers that they work with giving you access to more brands and furniture manufactures that you won’t find online.

Design and Aesthetics

When you use a company that is involved in the design and furniture industry, they stay on top of trends and are aware of the latest ergonomic standards and innovations.  In addition to the design and aesthetics, they will consider your furniture needs, how they support your brand identity and express who you are as a company.

Project Manager

Even if its just a small amount of furniture that your company is replacing, there are a lot of different things to consider including measurements, timelines, delivery dates, installation dates, etc.  A professional furniture and design company will have an in-house project manager to handle all of these details while you do what is most important–continue your business operations.  

Professional Installation

Furniture installation can be complicated, but when you use a professional they will make sure it is completed as planned.  They will handle your timeline, will have professional certified installers that will not only deliver your furniture on time, but ensure that the installation is in accordance with installation guidelines and standards.

Goal Alignment

Choosing new furniture is often a way for your company to achieve its business goals. A professional design and furniture company can see the big picture. Not only will they make sure that the furniture is aesthetically pleasing, but they will help you decide on furniture that will help you achieve a return on your investment.

Are you ready to choose a professional design team to help you reach your business goals? Let Bellia help you from the start.   We will help you evaluate your space, breakdown what is most important to you and your employees, and help figure out the best way to represent your brand.

Recently, a study at the University of Oregon concluded that employees with better daylight exposure and views of nature took 6% less sick days.  90 percent of a business’ operating cost lies in salaries and benefits for its employees, so focusing on anything that affects the productivity of its employees should be a major focus for businesses.

Designers and architects are keenly aware of the relationship between the physical environment and the productivity of its staff.  But many businesses have yet to invest in this and allow for this relationship to influence its decisions on design decisions.  

The Benefits of Natural Light Exposure

• Employees with windows in the workplace received 173 percent more white light exposure during work hours and slept an average of 46 minutes more per night.
• Workplaces with good daylight exposure can have up to a 40% increase in productivity and sales
• Natural light improves moods and decreases stress
• Employees consider daylight exposure to be the most desired element in their workspaces
• Exposure to daylight and natural elements can increase creativity by up to 15%

Because natural light exposure has a significant impact on employee wellness and productivity, it is an investment that will reap many benefits for your company.  Did you know that when you increase the amount of natural lighting in your space, your company will:

Consume less energy

When you increase the amount of natural lighting in your workspace, you will use less artificial light.  That means less energy consumption and smaller bills to pay. Further, when your company reduces the amount of artificial lighting, you will reduce your carbon footprint, not only positively impacting the environment, but creating just another selling point to attract top talent and the new workforce to your company.

Create a Healthier Workplace

By transitioning to a workspace with more natural lighting, your employees will thank you.  Studies have shown that many common health issues faced by workers, such as headaches, eyestrain and other illnesses are directly related to artificial lighting. It also helps increase attentiveness and improve sleep quality for employees at night.

How To Maximize Natural Lighting?

Even if you aren’t ready to do a complete renovation to your space, there are a few small ways to increase the amount of daylight that your employees are exposed to.

You don’t need to do a complete renovation to your building to maximize the lighting in your space, there are actually small fixes you can do to let as much daylight into your workplace as possible.

Full pane windows–these will allow the most to light to enter your space

Glass Walls and Dividers–in an open plan, glass walls and room dividers will allow as much light as possible to flow through the space.  No more dark corners.

Skylights (if you work in a single story building)–Skylights are relatively inexpensive and they bring a lot of light into the space even when you have only a few exterior windows.

Change your floor plan–Even if you have limited exterior windows, consider moving your productivity centers, desks, workstations and conference tables to a location near the natural lighting source.

Recent studies point to the fact that the most successful office spaces are empowered ones.  In 2010, psychologists in the UK conducted an experiment to see how the office environment affected productivity and morale. They used four different office layouts and observed how employees worked within them.  The empowered office was the most successful because it allowed employees to create their ideal working environment.  They were allowed to rearrange the decor and furniture to suit them best.  When all was said and done, employee productivity increased by 30 percent as compared to the other office layouts. Another interesting discovery came out of this experiment–when employees disliked their office space, they also disliked the company they were working for and their job.

How can you create an empowered workspace?

The best way to use office design to create an empowered workspace is to give employees choices. A great way to do this is by involving employees in the design of the space.  Studies have found that “employee control of their physical environment can enhance individual, group, and organizational performance.”  Some ways that you can give employees control is by creating spaces that include furnishings that are movable and adjustable, such as movable walls and seating, unassigned desk space and encouraging them to enhance their own spaces to make it comfortable for them.

Before a remodel or a change to your workspace, consider doing the following things to empower your employees in the design decisions:

Hold design meetings that include representatives from all departments.  Make sure that you include staff as well as management to get a better understanding of what your employees need in order to perform at their best.

Conduct satisfaction surveys. You will better understand how your space is working with small surveys that assess how satisfied employees feel about your space, its amenities and technology.

As this article in Harvard Business Review states, your office environment is the key to high performance and satisfaction in the work space.  Further, the results of Gensler’s 2013 Workplace Survey (see graphic below) show that empowered employees were happier, more motivated and more productive.

Are you ready to turn your space into an empowered one? Give the team at Bellia a call to help you plan and create a space that will increase productivity, innovation and job and workplace satisfaction.

Just about everyone has been to IKEA.  The cool, modern furniture with cheap prices makes it hard to resist.  If you are thinking about using IKEA to furnish your office space, you might want to think again.  You might be able to furnish your office on the cheap, but are you willing to make other sacrifices in the long run?

Quality and Durability

Let’s face it, when your desk is made completely of particleboard, chances are it isn’t going to last you a long time.  The problem with lesser quality furniture (like IKEA) is that while it may look nice for the right price, you will end up having to replace it every few years.  Because of the lesser quality materials used in its construction, it is just not as durable. Additionally, because a lot of times you are responsible for putting that furniture together, you will notice that six months after you bought it, the shelves are a little creaky or the legs are a little wobbly because the screws that you tightened are coming loose.  Now you have to search high and low for that little wrench (provided by IKEA) to hopefully make your furniture a little sturdier.

Design (and assembly!)

While Ikea has some great looking designs, they all must be assembled by you once you have purchased them.  Not only are the wordless diagrams difficult to follow at times, assembling furniture takes a great deal of time.  When you are buying for a home office, it is one desk that needs to be assembled.  When you are buying for your company, it could be lots and lots of furniture that you are your staff will be required to put together.  Is this how you want your staff to spend their time?

Cost

Ikea has some great deals, but the bargains aren’t always what they seem.  If you choose the bargain priced ones at the lower end of the product range, you will get furniture that lacks quality.  The middle range and higher end products at Ikea will have a bit more durability and be of better quality, but will it really be a cost-effective purchase when you have to replace them after a few years of use?  

When you choose a reputable office furniture dealer, not only is the furnitured often guaranteed, but reputable office furniture dealers stand behind the quality and durability of their products.  Additionally, the furniture you purchase will be an investment that is worth it.  Let Bellia help you choose your office furniture today!  We work with a large network of furniture manufacturers. As leaders in the office design and furniture industry, we stay on top of trends and are aware of the latest innovations, so as we are sourcing products for your space we are not just taking into account the overall design and aesthetics, but also the needs of the client and how the pieces we choose will help them achieve their business goals.

As a business owner, you are undoubtedly reviewing capital investment options in order to reduce your company’s tax burden by implementing IRS Section 179 by December 31st.  Before you settle for just another piece of equipment, why not leverage this opportunity to update your work space in a way that will reduce your company’s recruitment and retention costs and increase your ROI by creating a workspace that will help you attract top talent and new clientele. Is your business in need of an update? Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does your floor plan boost employee productivity and engagement?
• Is your space supporting your brand image?
• Are you planning to grow?

Taking advantage of this opportunity will both save you money in corporate taxes and give you a workspace that will pay you back.  Here’s how it works –

Let’s say you are profitable this year.

You have a net income of $100,000 that you are posting on your 2017 corporate tax return.

If you are a C Corp then your blended tax rate will be 22.25%, and owe the federal government $22,250 for corporate taxes for 2016. Not to mention applicable state taxes.

However, if you purchase $100,000 in assets, you get to 100% depreciate that $100,000 purchase on your 2017 corporate tax return.

Now you have an additional depreciation expense of $100,000 on your 1120.

$100,000 in net income – $100,000 in depreciation expense = $0 in net taxable income.

$0 in net taxable income = $0 in tax dollars due = $22,250 is savings for your company and its owners.

But remember all invoices must be sent before December 31st. So don’t wait!

Congratulations to Bellia Enterprises for being honored at the 2017 New Jersey Family Business of the Year Awards. Each year, the Rothman Institute recognizes six businesses as the finest in the state, and we are honored to have been selected.

Maintaining a family atmosphere and staying true to the foundation created by three generations of family has been critical not only to our success but our expansion and growth through the years. At Bellia, our mission is to increase the magnetism within the Tri-state area by creating modern, inspiring workspaces to attract and retain top talent and increase productivity that will fuel the business growth of our community and being one of the best family businesses in the state will help to further our mission.

Join us in celebrating the 44th anniversary of our business.  A legacy forged by Salvatore and Nancy Bellia in 1973, grown successfully by Anthony & Tom Bellia, and still holding strong today with Salvatore, Anthony, Andrew and Michael Bellia now at the helm.

Our company has grown and expanded over the past 40 years, but remains steadfast in our principles of integrity, quality service and community involvement.  As we continue to expand and grow our business, we are reminded of the importance of maintaining a family atmosphere–a key to our success.

Thank you to all the Bellia staff, family, and our clients and the community for all of their support throughout our 44 years in the business.  You are the reason we are the business that we are today!

What is a break out space?

A break out space is any space in your office that is open to employees or clients that is separate from your workspace. It can be a comfortable space for people to hold informal meetings, relax or eat their lunch. It is an appealing space to employees because it allows them to disengage from the pressure of work and reduce stress levels throughout their workspace. By including a break out space for your employees, you can achieve many positive outcomes such as boosting employees positive mindset, maximizing productivity and driving creativity and innovation.

Things to keep in mind when creating a break out space:

Providing different types of seating in your break out space is important. Remember these spaces are multifunctional, so you will want to include sofas or soft seating for relaxing, and multi-purpose chairs to allow more flexibility for the area.

Lighting and acoustics are also important to consider when creating your break out space. Ideally, if your break out space can be situated near natural lighting that would be best for your employees. Studies have found that exposure to natural light will positively impact your employee’s health and wellness. Regarding the acoustics in your break out space, you may consider carpeting or screen partitions to minimize the noise levels.

Do you think your office is ready to add a break out space? If you are considering it, give the team at Bellia a call to help you plan and create a comfortable space for your employees.

Because the average employee will spend over 1500 hours every year in their workspace, choosing office furniture is an important part of creating a productive, functional and positive work environment.  Whether you are upgrading your existing space or planning from the start, here are a few tips that will help you in choosing the right furniture for your space.

COST.  Office furniture is an investment. Determining a realistic budget is extremely important. Your budget will be what determines your bottom line, it will help you narrow down choices and make decisions about where you can cut corners and what items are absolutely needed in your furniture choices.

QUALITY AND COMFORT.  Choosing furniture that is comfortable is something your employees will appreciate, but it is also important to choose furniture that is of high quality and from a reputable supplier.  By investing in high quality furniture that is also ergonomically designed for the comfort of your employees, it will be a cost-effective measure that will save you money in the long run.  Lower quality furniture will not last as long and repairs and replacements can really add up.

BRAND AND CULTURE.  After you have considered cost and quality and comfort of your furniture, you should consider the impact your furniture choices will have on your brand and culture.  Ask yourself: Are my furniture selections reflecting the organization’s core values and brand?  Because furniture is one of the most important investments that you will make, it should be a brand messenger and a reminder to clients and employees of how important they are to your company.

FLEXIBILITY.  One of the best ways to get the most out of your investment is by purchasing furniture with multiple functionalities.  Furniture that is flexible is a great choice for any floor plan and it will positively impact employee outcomes (and make your employees happier too!)

Finding the right furniture for your space can be an overwhelming task. Because of the many options available to you in purchasing furniture, it is best to find an experienced team of professionals that can help you narrow down your options and create a space that is beautiful, cost-effective and a positive, productive work environment for your staff.

As the nature of 21st century continues to evolve and change, schools have begun to move away from the traditional classroom and are embracing more modern spaces that support new and innovative ways of learning. Because the physical classroom environment has become an extension of the teacher, choosing classroom furniture is a critical component in classroom design.  Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when buying furniture for an educational environment.

Functionality and mobility.  The modern classroom environment is flexible and collaborative and needs furniture that will support diverse learning styles. Choosing furniture that is easily reconfigurable and adaptable will allow for classroom teachers to quickly transition from individual learning to group work quickly and with little disruption to learning.

Size and Ergonomics.  When choosing furniture for classrooms, it is important that it be sized accordingly to the age of the child.  Adjustable seating can be quickly changed to accommodate different size students.  Furthermore, ergonomics are also important to consider because studies have shown that many students suffer from back issues due to years of sitting in uncomfortable seating.  Comfortable seating and furniture in classrooms can actually help students to focus and as a result retain more of what they are learning.

Safety and Durability.  Safety and durability might be two factors that seem obvious when deciding about classroom furniture, but they are often overlooked.  Because furniture for an educational environment will need to endure a great deal of wear and tear, choosing furniture with durable aluminum frames and laminate surfaces will last a lot longer than other options. Also, it should be safe.  Chairs should be sturdy and not tip easily and if using adjustable furniture, it should be easily reconfigured so fingers and hands don’t get pinched in the process.

Health Considerations.   Not only should a furniture’s construction be sturdy and stable in terms of safety, it should also meet health standards.  It is important to pick furniture that is made without the use of toxic chemicals.  The furniture should meet the standards for low levels of VOCs. The best furniture for classrooms should be green certified.

At Bellia, we work with a large network of furniture manufacturers. As leaders in the office design and furniture industry, we stay on top of trends and are aware of the latest innovations, so as we are sourcing products for your space we are not just taking into account the overall design and aesthetics, but the needs of your classroom.