The Evolving Workplace:
What We Can Learn from 2020
We can all agree that 2020 has been the year of unpredictability--the workplace world has had to learn to adapt to changing circumstances at a moments notice. Whether you have transitioned to working remotely or are now returning to the office and gradually re-occupying, circumstances have been changing rapidly and unpredictably. Without a doubt, there is something to learn from experiencing and adapting to these transitions. We've gathered our key lessons and takeaways from 2020 in workplace design and want to share them with you!
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Mental health matters. A safe office is designed to be safe for the mind, not only the body.
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The pandemic has brought about a great deal of anxiety surrounding the workspace, and for some, has permanently shifted the way they view in-office jobs. While implementing different tools and barriers to keep the office physically safe is highly important, this year has placed an emphasis on the significance of keeping our minds safe as well. Having a sense of safety is one of our most basic human needs. Safety in the workplace goes beyond implementing solutions to keep the body safe, it is also about integrating design elements that send a safe signal to the brain. Science now shows that certain qualities in the material world have direct influence on levels of peace, calmness and wellbeing. You can increase the psychological safety of your office by integrating nature elements, residential-inspired design pieces, more curves & less sharp angles. |
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Even if they look different, meeting spaces are still important to the success of a team. |
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2020 has proven to us time and time again that meeting spaces, whether physical or virtual are where the magic happens. As much as it may have felt safer at times to cut meetings down to a minimum, facilitating gatherings and collaboration is a vital part of workplace success and wellness. Zoom meetings have dominated the working world of 2020, and we recognize the importance of continuing these virtual meetings on a consistent basis. However, in-person meetings, if still possible can be a fantastic way to boost the motivation of your team and inspire creative ideas. In order to make meeting spaces a safe reality during 2020, we've learned to make necessary adjustments: huddle spaces, work cafes, open workspaces and fireplace rooms are just some examples of how in-person meetings have been made possible. Moving into 2021 and onward, let's remember the value of meeting spaces, whether physical or virtual and never take them for granted! |
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Your team members all have different needs. That is something worth embracing. |
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The circumstances of this year have demonstrated just how unique every individuals needs are. The old model of one-size-fits-all is no longer appropriate for the workplace design standards of the present and future. Each individual has a distinct way of relating to stressful circumstances and will have unique needs in accordance to how they feel and think about their workplace environment. We encourage you to embrace this individuality and reassure your team that you are there to hear their concerns. As we move into 2021, office design trends demonstrate approaches catered to staff members' comfort levels and safety needs. |
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Being flexible and open to creative solutions might just save your business. |
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The pathway of navigating uncertain circumstances is non-linear. This is the time for open-minded brainstorming and allowing different perspectives to inform your decisions as you guide your business through uncertainty. The best way to go about this, is by opening communication with your team. Allowing people to voice their questions and concerns will help you come up with solutions that work best with everybody's needs in mind.
Meeting employees needs while maintaining productivity could mean implementing some untraditional and creative solutions. Don't be afraid to try something new! This might look like: alternating workdays (half the team coming in on certain days and the other half on others). Initially, you may not be able to solve all problems right away, this is why it's important to remain open to making changes as you gather new information and experience the results of adjustments made along the way. Stay open and stay optimistic!
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Our New Project in Emeryville:
Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld Law Firm!
We had the pleasure of moving WRR Law Firm to their brand new offices in Emeryville, East Bay! Our team provided all new furniture, space planning services, delivery, assembly, installation and transported their existing content to the new space! We'd like to make a huge shoutout to our GC-Partner Marvin Collins Construction! These stunning shots are by John Sutton.
Be. Emeryville.
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Witnessing members of our community struggle with makeshift at-home workspaces inspired us to create a solution to a growing problem. We want to make commercial quality home office furniture available for everyone so we can all experience productivity, motivation and wellness while working from home. Be. Home Office Design is designed to meet your home office furniture needs with ease, so that you can break up with that dining table and fall in love with your new desk as soon as possible! |
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Our Holiday Celebrations will be Virtual this Year! (And we're excited about it)
Traditionally our team at Be. comes together every year for a big Holiday party with delicious food, games & our beloved White Elephant Gift Exchange! This year, we're taking precautions and keeping our party safe by hosting it on a virtual platform. We're planning Bingo and even a potential gift exchange! We can't wait to update you on how it goes! What is your team doing to get festive this year?
Be. Festive.
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COVID-19 - What We're Doing
To ensure our customers’ businesses are supported we have taken specific steps as part of our business continuity plan. These steps include:
- Moving employees to work from home in a thoughtful, choreographed manner. This ensures your businesses continue to receive excellent stability and support.
- Working closely with our manufacturing partners to make sure we have continuous production updates regarding product delays and deliveries. Product delays will be communicated and handled on a case by case basis. We are stocked with loaner furniture programs in the event of emergency requests.
- Our distribution and truck services are open full time and making timely deliveries. Your safety is our priority. All of our workers are fully equipped with protective gear—masks and gloves are worn at all times and social distancing rules are strictly followed.
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We're passionate about creating custom workspaces.
We create custom workspaces for clients of every size, in virtually every industry. From idea to installation, we help transform your workspace into what it should Be. Interested in our services? Contact us!
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Looking for more? Connect with us on LinkedIn for more articles, more conversation, just more us.
General inquiries:
Phone: 866.473.3222
Sales and referrals:
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Be. Workplace Design | ph: 866.473.3222 | fx: 925.771.1579
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