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As technology enables a rapidly growing number of employees to work remotely, and as companies focus more on offices with inviting meeting spaces rather than desks and cubicles, outdoor office spaces are becoming a hot trend. In areas with comfortable climates especially, companies can take advantage of growing technology…ironically, to help people enjoy nature more as a means to becoming more effective.

This article from the Haworth blog delves into some details about the benefits of spending more time outside…and interestingly cites an article from National Geographic that explains how humans are wired to relax in natural surroundings, because that’s where our roots are as creatures.

As the article also points out, being in nature more helps our well-being in a number of ways. Being part of a natural environment enhances our cognitive function, our attention skills, and our creative problem solving skills.

As a result, companies are doing more to accommodate staff needs and desire to spend more time outside. It’s possible to create a perfectly viable outdoor meeting or working space that includes comfortable furniture and a strong Wi-Fi connection. With online meeting technology, employees can participate in meetings without having to physically attend, and can take advantage of that technology in a local café.

The article does acknowledge that it’s not always feasible to enable outdoor working spaces. But there are suggestions for companies to at least make that office environment a more pleasant, natural one, including setting up workspaces close to windows, adding plants and greenery, and changing the view to one of a more relaxing environment, with a fireplace or aquarium or other natural movement.

In today’s competitive world, companies must do everything they can to attract top talent, and enabling remote work is a great selling point. Outdoor office spaces are becoming a hot trend too, and it’s an advantage to a company looking to provide a more pleasant and optimal working environment that encourages rather than stifles creativity.

Find Out More About The Hot Trend of Outdoor Office Spaces

At Bellia Office Design, we can work with you on your office space to make it a more inviting one…whether you’d like to improve our indoor space or make use of your outdoor space. Reach out to us today and request your free workspace evaluation – we’ll help you love the space you’re in!

Our own Anthony Bellia joins Michael Pallozzi to discuss what it’s like to be a third-generation family business owner. He discusses what it was like to grow up in a family business environment and shares what was naturally expected of him as a child as well as details of the transition process of the family business from the second to the third generation. Only 8% of family businesses make it to the third generation. In their conversation, Anthony shares several success factors that makes a family business beat the odds and last three generations.  

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What does the future of office space design look like? It’s an interesting and sometimes difficult to answer question. With the world changing in so many ways and businesses adapting to changing needs, office design will require adaptation as well.

This article from the Haworth® blog goes into some details about five themes that will influence the future of office design: immersive technology, restorative spaces, shifting of space, increased collaboration, and increased human emphasis.

Immersive technology refers to using all of the aspects of virtual office technology to maximize the value and welcoming nature of space, including taking advantage of Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

Restorative spaces are places where employees can unplug and take a break from the flow of the workday. In the future, this will be seen as increasing in importance, especially as there is greater demand for restoration for employees.

Space shift refers to the replacing individual work stations with more spacious, flexible group spaces. As more employees have the ability to work anywhere, group collaboration will become more of an office space priority.

Increased collaboration means, in addition to more space for group interaction, that office spaces will focus on connections and culture among the employees.

Increased human emphasis means a greater focus on hospitable and welcoming office spaces, and employers placing focus on employee health for greater productivity.

In summary, the future of office space design is likely to be focused on the advantages of remote working ability, and using the opportunity to create a more welcoming space for employees and enhance group collaboration. As companies move into the 2020s, it is likely that we’ll see a whole new atmosphere in the workspace.

Ask Us About YOUR Future Office Space Design

If you’re interested in taking advantage of your office space and how you can make the most of your office collaboration in the future, reach out to Bellia Office Design! We can help you maximize your space, take advantage of new technology, and create an office that you and your employees will love. Click here for your free workspace evaluation today!

As the world adapts to creating a cleaner and healthier environment, one part of the ongoing process is new trends in healthcare facility design. As it turns out, office and interior designers can have a greater impact on the environment than they probably realize, and the design of a new or existing healthcare facility can make a world of difference in its carbon emissions.

This article from our friends at the Haworth® company goes into some details about ways that healthcare facilities can become more efficient and reduce their carbon footprint through building arrangement and design. Probably the most key factor is the ability for both employees to work remotely, and for patients and doctors to conduct virtual appointments…reducing the need for excessive facility space.

The article stresses three strategies when it comes to building a facility: build nothing, build less, or build clever.

Building nothing means taking advantage of the ever-improving ability for employees to work remotely, and repurposing existing structures as specialists’ offices, outpatient service areas, or outright leasing. The result is no new construction, which often results in waste.

Building less means maximizing available space and reducing the need for excessive space. As the need for outpatient services continually declines, a facility can make more effective use of its existing space without having to put an addition on the property.

Building clever means anticipating the need for changes in services in the future. Designers can create areas and offices that are easily adaptable to changing environments, such as through modular construction and thoughtful placement of elements like entrances and trash receptacles.

These ideas and more are helping healthcare facilities not just reduce their environmental impact, but also to make the most cost-effective use of their costly space.

Find Out More About New Trends In Healthcare Facility Design!

Reach out to Bellia today if you’d like to find out more about how we can design or redesign your healthcare office and work facility. We can help you create an environment that maximizes your space, improves your productivity, and reduces your carbon footprint. Let us help you love the space you’re in!

As a business or office owner, you’re probably aware that any office needs sufficient and not overpowering lighting. But have you given any thought to why office lighting matters, and the difference that the right type of lighting can make on your staff?

Three Reasons Why Office Lighting Matters To Your Employees

As detailed in this recent article from our friends at Haworth®, there are three ways in which office lighting affects the well-being of the occupants: enhancement of work performance, the feeling created by access to natural light, and its effects on the acoustics of the room. With this knowledge, an employer can turn the office lighting into an advantage and add another perk to attract and keep top talent.

Regarding work performance enhancement, the article notes that any employee can be distracted by light that is too bright, or light that is insufficient for a task. Having the ability to control and adjust the amount of light an employee works with offers a level of empowerment and comfort that leads to a happier and more productive staff.

As far as the amount of natural light in the workplace, the article points out that more natural light creates positive energy, reduces stress, and makes employees generally feel more appreciated. It mentions skylights and additional windows as a great potential addition to office areas, especially during winter months that see less daylight.

In the third case, the article specifically mentions studies that show that lighting actually can affect the acoustics of a room, and have an impact on background noise and its level of distraction. This is a professional level of office design, but it may be worth the investment for office owners looking to create optimal spaces for employees.

If you’re interested in learning more about why office lighting matters in your business, be sure to give this informative article a read. If you’d like to know more about how we can help you with an office design that you and your employees will love, reach out to the team at Bellia Office Design today…we specialize in helping you love the space you’re in!

The competition among universities to attract top students is tremendous, and institutions of higher learning are continually seeking all sorts of ways to make their schools more attractive. According to this article from the Haworth blog, design trends in higher education facilities are creating whole new spaces and upgrading their existing ones, and adding a whole new dimension and incentive for attracting the best young minds.

The article notes seven design elements that students find appealing: the first impression; allowing for collaboration; mobile technology for remote work; flexible classrooms; space to allow focus; bright and comfortable spaces; and space to stretch out and relax. In each of these areas, schools have found ways to improve their furniture arrangements and make the most of their spaces.

The advancement of technology has created a wealth of opportunities, and working and collaborating remotely is among the foremost of those. The article cites an excellent example from the Donald W. Maine College of Business at Davenport University, where a hub is set up with ideal social space design. The space includes a coffee bar, tall tables with power and connectivity, three floors of enclaves, and a cloud-based platform for collaboration.

Another example is the Watt Family Collaboration Center at Clemson University, which made imaginative use of corridors to allow students to use the connectivity outlets and their laptops to work together in a lounge-type spot. The area is Wi-Fi accessible and creates an easily accessed space for gathering.

Take Advantage of Education Facilities Design Trends!

Does your school have a space you aren’t using to maximum effectiveness? Are you looking to improve a lobby, lounge, or study space to attract students? The professionals at Bellia Office Design are experts in design trends in higher education facilities. Reach out to us today to get started…we can help turn your space into something your students and faculty will love!

As we all know by now, recent world events have caused a great increase in employees working remotely, often on a full-time basis. The situation has reached a point where the ability to work from home is a key component of a job offer. With the office situation everywhere changing so rapidly, employers have had to adjust their offices and have had to learn how to support a work from home model.

This article from Haworth® gives a few examples of how several law offices have changed their office layouts to adjust to these needs, using Haworth’s help. While it is by no means unique to law firms, attorneys are one example of a profession where working from home can be highly conducive to better productivity…more comfort, fewer distractions, and more flexibility for employees who no longer have to commute.

As the article notes, companies with office space geared to a previous situation can now see this new reality as an opportunity, rather than an unnecessary overhead. In addition to seeking office design companies that can outfit homes with ergonomic desks and chairs as an incentive to attract employees, they can now redesign their office spaces to expand their capabilities.

One example is Warner Norcross + Judd, a law firm that actually reduced the size of their private office space to expand outdoor spaces, and created temporary work zones for people in partially remote positions. The ideas made for more attractive collaboration spaces, and an improved ability for employees to gather, socialize and accomplish more as a team.

Another option now available to business owners is the opportunity to convert unused office space into event space…where the company can not only hold its own promotional events, but also to host events for other companies’ and non-profits’ events.

The new challenge of how to support a work from home model offers a great opportunity to businesses who have found themselves with less used office space. More attractive collaboration, promotion, and employee incentive possibilities are available to companies that can make the most of their office space.

Call on Bellia To Support Your Work From Home Initiative!

If you’d like to find some ideas about how you can support a work from home model for your employees, reach out to Bellia Office Design today. We’ve remade offices, lounges, event spaces and more to maximize office space and productivity, and we can do the same for your business!

Designing spaces for higher education in 2021 is a very different animal than it was not very long ago. The competition for top academic talent in universities is much greater, and students are going to be looking for a variety of advantages and comforts involved in attending an institution. As a result, colleges are making adjustments and attending to a new list of student needs.

This article from the Haworth blog details seven design elements that are directed at attracting higher education students. They include a warm and welcoming atmosphere; ease of collaboration; flexibility to work anywhere; easily adjustable classrooms; and a focus on spaces that are ideal for comfort, relaxation and focus.

The piece goes into detail about the arrangement of university lobbies and socializing areas geared toward the type of student they hope to attract. As one example, it cites the College of Aviation at Western Michigan University – prospective students are greeted by aviation student ambassadors, and the rooms feature expansive windows and aviation graphics.

The piece also discusses an idea that at first glance seems paradoxical – the importance of enabling work from anywhere technology, while at the same time encouraging collaboration. The piece mentions the Watt Family Innovation Center at Clemson University and their innovative use of space in corridors, and the arrangement of the social space in “The Hub” at the Donald W. Maine College of Business at Davenport University.

In describing each design element, the focus remains on what a university can do to make life better for the student, and enable that student to meet the demands of higher education. This includes lobby, cafeteria, lounge, and classroom design that is geared to maximum comfort and focus. The result is an improved experience for both students and faculty.

Ask About Higher Education Spaces Design

If you’re interested in finding out more about how Bellia works with educational facilities, and how we create more functional and workable space designs, reach out to us today and tell us about your own needs. We’re happy to offer you our ideas for designing spaces for higher education!

With many workplaces offering remote and work from home environments, there is still often a need for additional space for collaboration, meeting and gathering. While employees are still working remotely and not physically attending meetings as much as in the past, multi-purpose rooms are coming back in the form of what is called “Third Places”. A Third Place offers an ergonomically friendly and pleasant alternative to both the home and the workplace for employees to collaborate.

The “Third Place” – Why Multi-Purpose Rooms Are Coming Back

This fascinating article from the Haworth® website describes the purpose of the Third Place and how several of them across the globe are designed. Outside entities have taken the time to survey employees, adopt feng shui methods of color and style of room arrangement, and offering a hospitality level that inspires employees to escape the cabin fever of their home.

In Haworth’s own example of a Third Place in an office building in Cambodia (called “The Atom”), they assembled an “Ideation” team to discover how best to support differing work styles and collaboration needs within the Third Place. Three rooms were designed to maximize the use of space, color and hospitality offerings. The furniture in all three rooms of The Atom are specially designed to allow for flexibility to support both work meetings and events.

As the world changes rapidly, so does the location of where we work. Multi-purpose rooms are coming back in a whole new way…a separate gathering Third Place that is designed to be inviting and enable workers to leave their home and enjoy a change from their usual environment.

If you’d like to know more about the design of Third Place and how to create your own flexible and inviting meeting space, reach out to Bellia Office Design today. We are a licensed Haworth® furniture dealer, and we can create beautiful, stylish, and effective office designs that provide a true return on your investment!

After a long period of so many employees working remotely, there is currently a move to return to the workplace. Employees are finding that they’ve missed the social interaction, the camaraderie with co-workers, and the convenience of face to face interaction. Now is a great time for an office redesign, and a renewed focus on creating a workspace that encourages employees to return.

Before you have a fully occupied office again, why not let your employees know you appreciate their presence with new furniture, a better ergonomic design, and improved collaboration areas? As this article from our friends at Haworth® points out, it’s an ideal time to replace older furniture and remake your office into a more inviting space.

But as the piece also makes note, it’s highly important to not only fully plan your new office design, it’s a good idea to take advantage of the change period…take the time to visualize the new office design and the new furniture layout, properly organize everything in your office before the move, thoroughly clean the newly vacated carpets, move out and shred contents that have been taking up space, and ensure that power supplies and other necessary equipment will be placed properly.

With employees suffering from cabin fever eager to return to the office and interact with their co-workers again, nothing will welcome them like a brand new office design, new and comfortable furniture, and other office elements creating a workspace that encourages employees to return.

Not sure where to start with your new office design? Reach out to the pros at Bellia Office Design today, and let us help you with top quality furniture and a new office layout that maximizes your space and efficiency! Reach out to us today and request your free workspace evaluation…we’re looking forward to helping you update your office for your employees’ return!