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In recent months especially, we’ve seen shifts in the workplace towards employees returning to the office. As the pandemic recedes into the rear-view mirror, companies are engaging in return to workplace initiatives. That said, in the effort to attract and retain employees, companies are still focusing on a hybrid-style environment that enables flexibility for their staff.

Our partners at Haworth® recently conducted a study about the shift towards more office presence for employees, with companies still allowing for a percentage of remote work. They found that while employees are spending more time in the office, hybrid work appears to be here to stay.

Hybrid Work’s Impact On Employers and Staff

Haworth’s study found that hybrid work impacts companies and their employees in multiple ways:

• Employee Experience. Employees have a variety of reasons to want or need remote work, and organizations need to find a balance to attract and keep top talent. As a result, many organizations are redesigning office spaces with an eye towards more collaboration and better productivity. In turn, there are more opportunities for hybrid employees to be engaged.
• Organizational Culture. With many employers today, hybrid work has become ingrained. Companies are looking for new ways to engage employees wherever they are. In this vein, companies are focusing on outcome and results, while helping employees with their own needs. Companies will also be adjusting to space requirements in the workplace.
• Society, Lifestyle, and Real Estate. Cultural norms and inclusivity have shifted based on social dynamics. People are making decisions where to work based on work/life balance and family needs. Hybrid work also enables less commuting, and changes to commercial real estate footprints.
• Flexibility. One size doesn’t fit all with employees, and companies are better off when they can adjust to the unique needs of their workforce. Many companies are developing models that enable remote work, while still encouraging spending time in the office for collaboration.
• The Workplace Future. Employees today have become accustomed to hybrid work, and are showing a stronger preference towards the flexibility it offers. Companies are best served by fostering a culture and best practices that enhance productivity in this new environment.

The Need For Returning To The Office

All of that said, there are reasons for employers to encourage staff to spend time in the office in addition to working remotely. Some of these reasons include:

• Culture and Collaboration. Hybrid work often creates a disconnect in the workplace, especially between leaders and staff. Being physically present in the office creates more interaction, even if it’s just “water cooler moments”. Socialization helps to improve morale, and many employees prefer in-person collaboration to Zoom calls.
• Maximizing Workspace Potential. As companies spend considerable time and resources on remaking offices, they’ll want to utilize that investment. The result has been a decrease in individual spaces, and more collaborative areas. These spaces help to enhance creativity and connection among staff.
• Building Trust. Trust among employees and employers is important. It has a significant impact on productivity. With more in-person interaction, employees have opportunities for learning, collaboration and career development. This works both ways; employees feel empowered, while leaders support flexibility and maintain visibility.

Adjusting to the hybrid work environment is an ongoing challenge for employers today. As companies become aware of the elements that drive acquiring top talent and enhancing productivity, they create an environment where everyone thrives.

Are You In Need Of A Workspace Reorganization?

If you’re an employer in greater Philadelphia or South Jersey who needs to adapt their workspace to a hybrid environment, or are looking to maximize your office space in other ways, Bellia Interiors Group can help. We offer real and effective solutions for all of your office space improvement needs, and we deliver results that create a true return on your investment.

Click here to request your free work and space evaluation today.

In our experience with workplace design, we understand the unique challenges of designing exceptional healthcare spaces. The healthcare industry has a wide set of requirements, but there are also important items to focus on in office and facility design. With our partners at Haworth®, Bellia Interiors Group helps create medical facility spaces that not only offer maximum comfort and efficiency, but also can adapt to frequent industry changes.

Keys To Creating Effective Healthcare Spaces

As this piece from Haworth® points out, creating exceptional healthcare spaces involves focusing on a number of design aspects. Here are just a few:

1) Putting People First. The goal of any healthcare workspace design should be to a space where staff can perform at their best. Everyone from physicians, nurses, caregivers, and administrative staff contributes to patient outcomes, and workspace design should meet all of their important needs.

2) Adapting For Change. With the world of healthcare constantly in flux, office and workspace furniture products should have an eye for adaptability. Office design teams can plan for future changes through working with clients, and planning for expectations. Making a facility adaptable can also maximize the real estate investment itself, and make healthcare access easier for communities.

3) Encouraging Collaboration. In the healthcare realm, caregivers and staff must collaborate for the best possible outcomes. With this in mind, a nurse’s station or conference room can be designed for streamlined communication and a better overall team experience.

4) Use of Technology. Technology is a key element of successful healthcare space design. Caregivers and staff need to access information, share test results, and much more. Facility design can facilitate better technology with mobile carts, wall-mounted workstations and more.

5) Protecting Caregivers. In the healthcare industry where staff works long hours and face stressful situations almost daily, burnout is a significant problem. Ergonomic furniture can be a huge help in offering respites for staff. Healthcare facility design should include specially designed stools, seating, height-adjustable workspaces and more.

Products And Design Guides For Healthcare Spaces

Bellia Interiors Group works closely with Haworth® to create exceptional healthcare spaces that make a difference for both staff and patients. We create office and space designs that engage patients, empower caregivers, foster community collaboration, and enable facility staff.

With a well-designed environment, a healthcare facility can truly impact caregivers, staff, patients, families and communities in a positive way. Our partners at Haworth® offer a free healthcare facility design guide that provides valuable information on industry trends, applications, product information and much more.

Click here to download the Haworth® Health Design Guide.

Do You Need To Remake Your Healthcare Facility?

At Bellia Interiors Group, we specialize in designing exceptional healthcare spaces throughout the greater Philadelphia area and South Jersey. We help you redesign your space to help you truly achieve a return on your investment, while creating a better environment for your employees, visitors, and customers.

Click here to request your absolutely free, no obligation design consultation, and let us show you the Bellia difference.

The title of this article probably made you blink. It’s likely that you haven’t given much thought to massage chairs at your workplace, much less how adding massage chairs can boost your business. After all, what are employees getting done when they’re in a massage chair? But in fact, massage chairs can offer a real benefit to your workspace.

The Benefits of Massage Chairs at Your Place of Business

For many companies today, especially in the post-COVID era, employee absenteeism is becoming a larger problem. Absenteeism obviously reduces your company productivity, and it increases the workload for the staff that is there.

So why is there so much absenteeism, and what can employers do about it? This article from our partners at Infinity Massage Chairs cites a study from the American Institute of Stress that estimates that over one million American workers are absent each day because of stress-related reasons.

There may be a variety of reasons for this, such as workplace anxiety or overwhelming schedules. But the good news is that you can offer your staff a solution. Giving employees an opportunity to take a break in a massage chair can help them reduce their stress level, and ultimately give them something to look forward to during stressful work periods. As a result, a workplace sees less absenteeism and improved morale.

Indeed, massage chairs are becoming more commonplace in the workplace. They offer numerous benefits, including reduced stress, improved focus, and increased creativity levels. But that’s not all. Massage chairs can also improve posture, reduce workplace injury, and increase blood flow. If a staff member is struggling with back, neck, or leg pain, a massage chair can help ease their chronic symptoms, and make it easier for them to be in the office.

Infinity offers may more benefits of massage chairs – you can read them here.

Can Massage Chairs Increase Your Productivity?

Needless to say, adding a massage chair to a break area or lounge will also reflect well on you as an employer. It shows that you’re interested in the welfare of your employees, and that you’re willing to help them become more productive in a unique way.

When you think about it, massage chairs are a relatively inexpensive way to address a common problem, and offer a more positive work environment. Attracting top talent is always a challenge for a business, and the better your working conditions, the more likely you are to bring in and keep valuable team members.

At Bellia Interiors Group, we offer office improvements in a variety of forms to office owners in greater Philadelphia and South Jersey. We’re happy to help you change your office for the better, including with high quality massage chairs for your lounge.

Click here to request your free design consultation, and see the difference we can make for you.

You probably see plants in office spaces almost everywhere, whether they’re real or artificial. They’re used to create a natural look and contribute to a relaxing environment. But have you considered the benefits of greenery that go beyond visual appearance? Our design partners at Mizetto place a high value on sustainability and the true value of greenery in your workspace, and they offer multiple reasons for adding plants to your office environment.

Why Add More Plants + Flowers To Your Office?

As the Mizetto people note, plants in the room create a welcoming environment that encourages creativity and reduces stress. It seems like a small thing, but that can actually improve the mental and physical health of your employees. Plants also add color and life to an office that would otherwise seem sterile and boring, and brings an outdoor feel to an indoor space.

Plants also contribute to better physical health through improved air quality. They naturally purify the air, and they produce oxygen and reduce carbon dioxide levels in the room. As this post from Leaflike points out, plants can also help to absorb sound in a room, making for a quieter and less distracting environment.

What’s more, plants in an office or workspace can actually contribute to improved productivity and concentration. In addition to being a calming element of the room environment, research shows that plants in a workspace can help us to focus and effectively process information.

Entities no lesser than NASA have done research on the benefits of plants in the workspace, but chances are these benefits may be inherently obvious to you. That said, if you’re convinced that adding greenery to your workplace is a great idea, you have a number of possibilities for your plants’ placement and arrangement.

Mizetto offers a number of planting placement options, including modular plant holders in a variety of colors and designs, containers for high level storage, multi-level shelving, recyclable bins, and much more. If you’re going to add greenery to your working spaces, it’s well worth taking the time to strategically place your greenery for maximum benefit.

Interested in Learning More About Enhancing Your Workspace?

The team at Bellia Office Design can remake your South Jersey or Philadelphia area office space into a more attractive, efficient, and profitable environment. Whenever you’re looking for an office redesign or improvement, including adding and placing natural elements like greenery, we can make it happen for you.

Click here to request a free workspace evaluation, and find out more about the difference we can make for your workspace.

If you work in an office every day, you’re undoubtedly aware of the effect of poor ergonomic seating on your back. The major problem with it, though, is that we often don’t know if we’re doing damage to our spine in the long run. Poor seating habits and equipment can result in chronic and increased back pain over time, which in turn can lead to lost time and efficiency with your staff.

That said, the reverse is true too. If an office and the desks and chairs are properly arranged, and if a company educates its staff on good seating habits, it can result in improved well-being, and over all better spinal health for your employees.

Different Ways Office Furniture Can Improve Spine Health

Our partners at Haworth® make it their mission to create office furniture that is both comfortable and improves back health. Seating can improve spinal function in a variety of ways:

Lower Back and Lumbar Support. Effective lumbar support helps to prevent slouching, which can cause lumbar damage. Lumbar pads can preserve your spine’s shape, and keep you comfortable.

Lower Spine Support. It’s important for furniture to offer support for your pelvis and sacrum. Your chair should enable you to sit comfortably, without causing the pelvis to tilt.

Upper Back and Neck Support. Haworth® offers advanced ergonomic chairs that stabilize the upper spine and support the neck’s natural curve. Keeping your head upright with headrests prevents strain on the spine.

Armrests. Believe it or not, armrests are important to back and spinal support too. They help distribute the weight of your arms and reduce the load on the spine. Having adjustable armrests can help reduce back strain.

Adjustable Chair Comfort. With adjustable chairs, a person can enable the chair to ideally fit their body and posture. It’s important to adjust all of the chair’s features to provide full spinal support.

Do You Need Better Ergonomics In Your Workplace?

The team at Bellia Office Design can provide you with all of the ergonomic equipment you need, including fully adjustable and comfortable chairs. Let us help keep your staff comfortable and their production efficient. Reach out to us here and request your FREE workspace evaluation. We’ll help change your office for the better!

Source: Haworth®

No one who works in an office needs to be told about the distractions of office noise…it’s inevitable that there will be nearby conversations. Some of them will be work-related, some not, and sometimes the volume of people talking is louder than it should be. There’s also seemingly constant noise from machines, outside workers, and other sources.

In previous posts, such as here and here, we’ve discussed office noise and offered some solutions. There’s a new solution on the horizon that is becoming more popular…acoustical office pods! With acoustical pods from our partners at Hushoffice, your team members will have an opportunity to escape the conversations and other distractions, and fully focus on the tasks at hand.

Acoustical Pods In Multiple Configurations

Hushoffice designs acoustical pods for multiple situations, and they represent a real change in the office format. They can improve the way you hold online virtual meetings, meet as a team for brainstorming, or simply make a phone call without causing or fighting distraction.

Acoustical pods come in a variety of styles and sizes, and they offer comfort and relaxation in addition to privacy. They use advanced sound attenuation technology to truly block out noise, and they can be used for individual and collaborative efforts. With true privacy and nothing affecting concentration, your team members will have an opportunity to be much more productive.

Through Hushoffice, you have the option of the small individual acoustical pod, essentially slightly larger than a typical phone booth (remember them?), which is ideal for solo work and online calls. The medium size acoustical pod holds up to four people, and allows for small meetings, collaborations and creative work. The large conference pod is available for larger meetings, or for video calls with four or more participants. It’s ideal when silence and privacy of conversations is necessary.

Hushoffice offers additional high quality acoustical equipment too, including the accessible pod for employees with limited mobility, and the HushWall mobile divider that can me moved to different parts of the office and can serve as a whiteboard or to display content.

The addition of acoustical pods to your office is a great way to help your employees focus, maintain privacy, and increase their productivity. It also shows prospective employees that your company is on the cutting edge of office technology, and that you want your team members to succeed.

Find Out More About Acoustical Pods + Other Office Noise Solutions – Contact Bellia Office Design!

If you operate an office in the Philadelphia or South Jersey region, and you’re looking for office solutions that improve your bottom line, reach out to the pros at Bellia Office Design! We offer a wide variety of office improvements that improve the look, feel, and efficiency of your office space. Click here for a free workspace evaluation, and start improving your office today!

As we’re all reading, AI is influencing everything these days, and the world of interior workspace design is no exception. The impact of AI on interior design is happening in a number of ways, and through it, we are seeing opportunities to truly transform how office spaces are designed in the future.

Ways AI Is Influencing Interior Design

The first and most obvious difference in office design regarding the use of AI is with time. AI allows designers to truly streamline their processes for more efficiency, and takes on multiple time-consuming tasks. This, in turn, allows for more time spent on the human and creative side, as well as making formerly complex design procedures simple. AI allows for more precision in design as well, and assists in creating spaces that meet aesthetic requirements.

Overall, AI makes the entire design process faster…enabling companies to focus more on creativity and quality, and be more competitive with their prospects in the office world.

AI also makes for a vastly improved process of visualization, and creating renderings that shine on a new level. It can create a much more realistic vision of a future workspace for a customer, which in turn can help with their decision-making. AI can make presentations easier for designers, and can be used to make a great impression on prospects.

With the combination of much faster design processes, improved presentations and customizable solutions for office owners, AI can truly remake this industry.

There is a flip side to that, though. The immediate concern, especially for creators and designers, is whether AI will replace them. And the reality is that AI can replace many important tasks. But there will always be a need for a human touch, and for design teams to collaborate and work effectively towards the best solutions. AI simply makes the process of producing designs faster and better…it isn’t likely to replace human designers.

Design companies would best serve their interests using AI as a virtual online assistant…it can help put together proposals, offer additional ideas, better customize solutions, and estimate costs. Used properly, AI can help office design professionals look great!

The Future of AI + Interior Design

AI is, of course, constantly evolving, and it’s not yet known how large a role it could play in the future. Currently, it’s offering a world of new opportunities in office design, as well as more efficient processes and a leap forward in design results. To paraphrase Neo in The Matrix, where we go from here is a choice we leave to you.

Are you looking to redesign your office space in the Greater Philadelphia or South Jersey region? Bellia Interiors Group can make it happen for you! We create beautiful and effective office spaces throughout the region, and we can help you maximize your space. Click here today to request your free office space evaluation!

Whatever type of business you’re operating, you may be dealing with space limitations in your facility. This can especially be true in a big city like Philadelphia, where square footage is hard to come by and is priced at a premium. Why not create a multi-purpose room that makes the most of your space?

When you dig deep enough, and see products that are available, there’s a long list of possibilities that can truly work wonders with your limited space.

Office Solutions For Multipurpose Areas

Our partners at Haworth® offer several products that can help you turn a conference room, lounge, or other areas into a multipurpose and collaboration space, including:

Immerse Tables – In addition to creating a welcoming atmosphere, these tables are made with unique configurations that can change for various situations. Immerse tables are available in five styles that can add design and personality to community spaces.

Immerse tables are available in lounge style, standard, or bar height, and can be easily moved or configured. Haworth® offers Immerse options for both individual and group meeting areas.

BuzziShade Light Shades – Lighting plays a key role in office design, and this includes turning spaces into multipurpose areas. Haworth® offers overhead pendant light shades made with various felt and other fabrics.

These shades can actually help absorb external noise levels and offer better acoustics, while making occupants feel at home. They’re ideal for collaborative spaces, lobbies, and welcome areas, and create a level of privacy.

PopUp Community Tables – Haworth’s PopUp tables offer a small space for individuals or small groups, and with small casters attached, they can move into and out of office areas easily. They’re available in multiple shapes, widths and heights, and can make for a small socializing spot or be used in a private enclave.

The PopUp table is especially useful for smaller spaces, and can help you make the most of lobbies, lounges, and even small café areas.

These are just a few of the products that can help you make the most of a collaborative space and turn it into a functional multipurpose area. With the right design team, you can turn a space that is often unused and using up overhead into one of the most useful spaces in your office!

Your Team For Philadelphia + South Jersey Office Design

Interested in finding out more about how you can remake your office space? Put the office design team at Bellia to work for you! We can help you create an attractive, inviting, and functional office that makes the most of your space, and makes a difference in your bottom line.

Click here today to request your free workspace evaluation!

Everywhere in the business world, companies are looking to improve product and manufacturing sustainability, as the world looks to a cleaner future with the goal of zero waste. There is always room for improvement and making things better, and while the ultimate goal may never be entirely achievable, many businesses have shown remarkable innovation.

This is certainly true of our partners at Haworth®, and their new “circular” lounge chair, Haworth Cardigan.

A Revolutionary Lounge Chair of The Future

The Haworth Cardigan lounge chair was designed from top to bottom with one goal in mind…true circularity and sustainability. It’s truly an amazing advance in lounge chair construction…and its inclusion in your office can demonstrate a true commitment to bettering the future in your company.

The sustainability features of the Haworth Cardigan lounge chair include:

“No Leftovers”. Haworth Cardigan is made from a steel frame and legs, knit to fit fabric, a foam seat pad, a plastic seat shell and six metal screws. There’s no glue involved, and assembly and disassembly with just six screws is simple.

3-D Knit Fabric. The knit-to-fit technique uses the exact amount of fabric the chair needs, with no leftovers or waste. In addition, there’s no sewing or cutting involved.

Biomass-Balanced Foam. Biomass is organic matter that becomes usable fuel, such as food waste and other materials, to avoid the use of fossil fuels.

Recyclable Materials. Instead of new raw materials, Haworth Cardigan’s construction comes from recycled materials, including recycled polyester and water bottles. The steel frame is fully recyclable, and the plastic seat shell is polypropylene construction.

Minimal Packaging and Shipping Impact. Haworth Cardigan is packed into the smallest possible container, making for smaller boxes and more boxes on trucks. It’s also completely packaged in recycled cardboard, without any plastic.

As Haworth® is showing, we can create a future with less waste and environmental damage, without giving up comfort or essentials to our businesses or our well-being. You can read more about Haworth Cardigan and its amazing sustainability features on the Haworth® website.

Are You Making Your Workplace Sustainable?

If you’re looking to drive more sustainability in your office or workplace, we can help! At Bellia Office Design of Philadelphia and South Jersey, we create workspaces that truly look to the future. We help you with maximum efficiency, comfort, and sustainability. Find out more today…click here to schedule your free workplace evaluation. See the difference we can make for your future!

See more office design news, trends and more when you Follow Bellia on Facebook!

Images courtesy of Haworth(R).

In the modern world of education, students of all ages are using laptops and other devices constantly. They use them in the classroom, at home, and wherever else their studies and homework may take them. While these devices open up a whole new world of possibilities and simpler solutions, it does occasionally present a challenge in the classroom…namely, keeping students’ devices powered up.

Altering Classrooms To Accommodate Power Stations

With most all students using devices in the classroom, there is a much greater need for a power source. Students occasionally forget to charge their devices, or may not have had an opportunity to do so. With typical electrical outlet availability, the availability of charging sources is very limited. In addition, students charging their devices may take up too much space.

As a result, today’s schools and universities are coming up with solutions that enable everyone in the classroom to stay running. This article from the Omnicharge website cites the statistic that 40% of K-12 classrooms in the U.S. have 1:1 device availability, and 88% of college students own a laptop. As the article points out, students almost have to have access to reliable technology in today’s world.

The latest solution is adding power stations to school and campus classrooms. One such modern device is the Omni Power Station, which offers portable power. The Power Station plugs into a wall without any complex setup, and it includes power banks that pop out and enable students to move around the room easily while charging. The power banks recharge in three hours, so students have a continual supply of power.

This case study from Omnicharge demonstrated the ability to provide available power to all of the students in the Fenton Charter School District. See more features of the Omni Power Station here, including the usage of an app to check out the power banks.

Ultimately, the addition of charging stations and advanced charging technology makes it possible for educational facilities to focus on learning…and doing so through advanced technology and improved ability to stretch educational horizons. But even with all that, you still need the power!

Do You Want To Revolutionize Your Classrooms?

Bellia Office Design works with educational facilities throughout the South Jersey and Philadelphia area. We modernize and beautify classrooms, offices, lobbies, break rooms and much more. Find out what we can do for your school…click here to request a free space evaluation today!

See more stories, case studies, and customer testimonials on our Facebook page!