Research – Sheehans Office Interiors

Spaces that Work: Arrival Back

sheehans5242020-08-05T13:27:15+00:00August 5th, 2020|Categories: Covid-19, Research, Solutions|

[Excerpts from Knoll Design Days 2020 Workplace Planning] Our clients' primary concern for the arrival back in the office is the health and safety of their employees, with considerations around how people enter the office, circulation within the workplace; and new behaviors that need to occur to ensure a healthy and safe work environment for everyone. Organizations are working to balance communicating new policies and procedures with providing their employees the freedom to work safely and maintain the choice and flexibility that we have come to value in the workplace. While a holistic approach is key, furniture plays an important role in a [...]

Knoll Workplace Research: Considerations for Returning to a Healthy Workplace

sheehans5242020-04-17T17:03:29+00:00April 17th, 2020|Categories: Design, News, Research, Solutions|Tags: Covid-19, Knoll Workplace Research, Safety and Wellbeing|

Help Your Employees Get Back to Work Safely After a major disruption that affects work and life, getting back to the office requires an intentional strategy to assure employees feel they are safe and can remain healthy in their environment. Successful transitions take a holistic approach, addressing health and well-being from a physical, mental, social and emotional perspective. Here are some tips to ease your employees back to the workplace Post-COVID-19 and give them confidence in their work environment. DEVELOP PEOPLE-FOCUSED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Establish flexible work strategies such as remote work options, alternate shifts, phased return to work Allocate spaces [...]

Spaces that Work – Workspace Etiquette

sheehans5242019-11-08T22:43:53+00:00October 9th, 2019|Categories: Research, Trends|Tags: Immersive Planning, Open Plan, Shared Spaces, Wellness|

With many clients going through workspace transformations, we’re frequently asked about workplace etiquette guidelines. As with any change, a new workspace – often with greater openness - requires some conscious adjustment. While each company, culture and space is different, below are a few tips to help champion good etiquette in the workplace. REDUCING DISTRACTION: Most complaints about the open office center on noise and distractions since sound carries so easily. The office noise etiquette tips below can help to reduce noise: Remember to modulate your voice and not use speaker phones If noise bothers you, utilize headphones when appropriate Take advantage [...]

Spaces that Work – the ABCs of Acoustics

sheehans5242019-10-26T00:33:30+00:00August 21st, 2019|Categories: Design, News, Research|Tags: Acoustics, Immersive Planning, Open Plan, Sound Masking|

For all the benefits: increased collaboration, engagement and knowledge sharing; open offices bring acoustical challenges that can have a profound impact on the productivity, health and wellness and overall effectiveness of employees, a company’s greatest asset. Fortunately, there are numerous acoustic design strategies to create an acoustically balanced environment. Knoll Workplace Research has coined this the ABCs of office acoustics solutions: Absorb, Block, Cover. A - ABSORB: Minimize noise by absorbing sound with the use of porous materials such as suspended ceiling tiles, soft carpet, acoustical wall panels and fabric and draperies. B- BLOCK: Manage noise via sound avoidance through smart space [...]

Spaces That Work – Across Generations

sheehans5242019-10-26T00:23:03+00:00May 21st, 2019|Categories: News, Research, Trends|Tags: Immersive Planning, Trends|

A conversation that impacts our clients as much as our own office, is how to best design and deliver a workspace that supports the five generations that comprise today’s workforce (Traditionalists or Maturists (before 1945), Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964) Gen X (1965-1976), Gen Y or Millennials (1977-1997), Gen Z (after 1997). Broadly speaking, each of the 5 generations in the workplace have their own sets of values, work habits, communication and technology preferences and stereotypes. And while it is important to recognize and understand the differences, tensions and why one work space won’t work for the other…. ...good workplace [...]

Spaces that Work – Healthier Workspaces

Rick Webb2019-11-08T23:19:07+00:00March 19th, 2019|Categories: Research, Trends|Tags: Ergonomics, Wellness|

Ergonomics is a term that is frequently used, but has many meanings. We know it plays a fundamental role in the health and performance of people and is closely tied to an individual’s wellness. But in today’s competitive market for talent, a company’s commitment to focusing on wellness is just the first step. They must also begin to think about the general wellness of employees, and Holistic Ergonomics plays a large role in that. Below please find 10 tips from our partner, Knoll, for creating a healthier more holistically ergonomic workspace. Making even a few small tweaks to office furnishings or [...]

Spaces that Work – Shared Spaces

Rick Webb2019-10-26T00:29:25+00:00February 19th, 2019|Categories: Research, Solutions, Trends|Tags: Immersive Planning, Shared Spaces, Trends|

Across industries and space planning approaches, shared spaces are increasingly integral to every workplace. Well planned shared spaces not only give employees a choice in where and how they work, but they also connect people to their space and each other. Open plan workspaces may take be tailored to specific activities or blur the lines and transform at a moment’s notice. Sheehans has adopted Knoll’s strategic approach to shared workspace office planning and follows an iterative and dynamic process to first identity the types of settings that support the work best e.g. (individual focus, secluded collaboration, team meetings, assembly, community interaction), [...]

Spaces that Work – Acoustics

Rick Webb2019-11-08T22:38:50+00:00January 15th, 2019|Categories: Research, Solutions|Tags: Acoustics, Open Plan, Shared Spaces, Sound Masking|

We're kicking off the new year with a new series titled Spaces that Work. It combines the hot topics of space planning and the latest research with real world solutions that we are talking about with our clients every day. In this edition, we're tackling an important one, Acoustical Privacy. We've all seen the pendulum swing to open plan and despite some of the backlash (read the Harvard Business Review's "Unintended Effects of the Open Office" if you haven't), given the cost of real estate we don't see it changing any time soon. From the MMQB to the Wall Street Journal, [...]