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Office furniture and design in the Bay Area have continually evolved to attract and retain young Millennial and Generation Z talent. It started with open office workstations in the mid-2000s. Several Bay Area tech giants implemented the layout despite mixed reviews from workers of all ages. Standing desks grew in popularity through the first decade of the 21st century too. Most offices use them as flex-seating for workers who want variety throughout the day. They may spend half a day sitting at unassigned cubicles, and the second half standing, perhaps to fending off after-lunch fatigue.
Owl Labs debuted the Meeting Owl in the summer of 2017. The device is a standalone smart speaker with a 360-degree camera on top. It integrates with Zoom, Skype and other videoconferencing services, and places the person speaking in a meeting front-and-center on everyone's screen. Mark Schnittman, chief technology officer for Owl Labs, told Venture Beat that the first edition of Meeting Owl is light on features because the company doesn't yet know what users want. But the data is trickling in quickly.
Statistics can say anything the author wants them too say, and that definitely holds true with a 2016 study by the Bureau Of Labor Statistics. Data compiled by the agency that year found that the average U.S. worker spent 39% of their days sitting and 61% standing. But when you take a closer look at the numbers, you'll find that in most occupations, workers either sit or stand a vast majority of their days. Waiters and welders, for instance, are on their feet more than 90% of the time. Accountants and software developers sit 80% or more of the time.
There is a clear age gap when it comes to concerns about environmental issues, and it could have detrimental effects on your recruiting efforts. A 2018 Gallup poll found that 75% of young Millennials and Generation Z (people age 18-34) believe that global warming is caused by human activity. That number dropped to 56% when the 55 and older age group was asked the same question.
A 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Thirty-six percent (36%) of American adults reported sitting for eight or more hours per day. Nearly half of those individuals said they did little to no exercise on a weekly basis either.
The 2019 workplace is a potpourri of humanity with everything from 18-year-old entry-level employees to 60-year-olds putting in those final years to maximize Social Security payouts. But when it comes to the open office layout, the differences in generations begins to show themselves.
The average full-time adult worker sits for about 10.5 hours per day, including the drives to and from work, according to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Construction workers, movers and others who work on their feet all day may feel envious of their sedentary counterparts. But once the science is considered, the physical laborers will appreciate their jobs more.
Office furniture not only provides workplace aesthetics, but also must be functional from both comfort and productivity standpoints. Employees require high-quality furniture to ensure efficient use of their hours, while storage cabinets must be adequate for proper organization of supplies and documents.
A 2017 study by the Brookings Institute found that the use of digital tools, particularly laptop computers, has increased dramatically in 517 of 545 surveyed occupations since 2002. Construction laborers, personal aides, security guards and even cooks now need adequate, if not substantial, digital knowledge to do their everyday jobs.
Interest in the standing desk alternative to traditional desks has been growing in recent years. According to the BBC, standing desks have already become commonplace in Sweden, Finland and Norway (why do those Nordic countries always seem to be ahead of the game?), with some estimates putting the adoption rate at 80 percent of office workers. In 2014, Denmark became the first country to mandate that businesses offer a standing desk option to all employees. But while spending less time sitting hunched in front of a computer might seem intuitively like a good idea, is there really any science supporting the increased interest? Turns out, the answer is yes.
Businesses around the world use technology to get work done. Between phone lines, computer set ups, printers, fax machines, and other electronics, every office needs to keep their power supply needs in check. Each device requires another cable or wire to be plugged in. Even if each desk only has one computer and a phone line, that can equal a large amount of cables to manage.
Access to your own private office can be a luxury in the marketplace. Although they are usually reserved for higher paid positions, independent offices can be given to other workers if it is deemed necessary. If you are moving in to your first office, or you want to re-design your existing space, you may be wondering what things you should be including.
Now more than ever, large parts of the population are spending over 8 hours sitting at their computer desk for work. As technology advances, many service jobs are becoming automated or computerized, making computers a daily necessity in any industry. The problem here is that sitting for a long period of time has been shown to cause numerous health issues, including back and heart problems, as well as joint issues and other related symptoms.
As the main piece of furniture in your office, the desk performs a multitude of functions -- from organizing your files in drawers, to making a statement with the design, and of course, providing a sturdy work space for the busy day.
Its 3:00pm on a Thursday and you can feel it—that aching soreness down your back and legs. While sitting may seem more comfortable in the short term, staying seated for long hours at work can lead to devastating health conditions. That is why it is important to use a set of office furniture tailored to your daily needs. A standing desk is one furniture option that can help reduce negative health effects by allowing users to stand, or sit on a high stool, while working.
When Google and other corporate giants decided to implement an open office setting instead of traditional private offices and cubicles, 70% of the American workforce followed suit, according to experts. However, some believe this trend may be more harmful than helpful. The Washington Post noted, “Google got it wrong. The open-office trend is destroying the workplace. Workplaces need more walls, not fewer.”
Were you aware that the average American worker is productive for only 3 hours daily? In a study of 2,000 full-time workers, it was revealed that many workers are not working for the majority of the time they’re on the job. The average person works approximately 8.8 hours daily, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Whether you are purchasing new office furniture to replace old furniture or you are expanding and need to accommodate new employees, the type of furniture you choose will have a significant impact on your company’s bottom line. It has been proven that employees who have access to furniture that is ergonomically correct and visually appealing can actually increase their productivity.
