Office FYI

Sound Decisions

If you’re sitting or standing at your desk in the office right now, look up. Chances are pretty strong that what you’ll see is a standard ‘drop’ ceiling … metal tracks supporting square or rectangular white tiles. Also called acoustical ceilings, these are the sensible shoes of office design … functional but very bland.

And if you’ve ever been in a conference room with one of these ceilings, drywall walls and more than a few people, you’ve learned that these ‘acoustical’ ceilings aren’t really all that good at deadening sound. It’s hard to accomplish much with all that noise bouncing off of every surface.

So much focus in office design is on the visual side of things that it’s easy to forget to take our ears into account as well as our eyes. Improper acoustics can turn an office, and especially a large open space, into an auditory nightmare that makes it difficult to get work done. Designing spaces to control sound reverberation is an absolute must.

The good news is that deadening the sound in your office space doesn’t have to mean deadening the appearance as well. Consider suspended acoustic modules as a better way to go. The name may not sound much different from those old-school ceilings, but there are significant differences:

Function: The open ceilings and concrete floors in many modern workplaces are great for an urban vibe, but not so much for deadening noise. Acoustic modules make these or any other large or shared spaces more functional by absorbing unwanted sound.

Appearance: This is where suspended acoustic modules really shine, adding a unique visual dimension to a space. The design choices are nearly endless, from a simple grid to patterns that suggest ocean waves to any number of other geometric choices. The modules can be a subtle white or gray, or add bright pops of color for even more visual interest.

If the existing ceiling complements the room well but isn’t acoustically appropriate (as in many of those urban-style offices mentioned above), acoustic modules can allow it to show through. Some styles even allow for lighting placed above the modules for a more subtle look, a big improvement over those fluorescent fixtures bolted onto a drop ceiling.

Flexibility: A large space may not need acoustical improvement from wall to wall. Perhaps there’s a dedicated conversation area where quiet is called for. Acoustical modules can be placed strategically for just such a purpose.

Mastering the sound in your workplace doesn’t mean settling for bland and boring. Look into the nearly endless varieties of suspended acoustic modules and see and hear what you’ve been missing.

Questions about acoustic modules or other sound control in the workplace? Contact Douron.

Evaluating Value

When it comes to purchasing office furnishings (or most anything else), it can be easy to get caught up in the price tag and make a decision based solely on cost. However, it’s important to remember that the price of a piece of furniture, or a group of pieces, is not the same as its value. While a lower price may seem like a good deal at first glance, it may not necessarily be the best option for your office in the long run.

Value takes into account the overall quality and durability of the furniture, as well as its ability to meet the specific needs of your office. For example, a cheaper desk may not have the same level of durability as a more expensive one, and may need to be replaced sooner. This means that, in the long run, the costlier desk may actually be a better value for your office.

Another vital factor to consider when evaluating the value of office furniture is ergonomics. Poorly designed furniture can lead to discomfort and even injury for employees, which can result in decreased productivity and increased healthcare costs. A single injury claim will more than likely offset any savings realized in choosing lower-grade fixtures or furnishings. Investing in ergonomically designed furniture, such as chairs with adjustable lumbar support and desks with adjustable height, can help to improve employee comfort and well-being, making it a better value for your office in the long run.

Give consideration also to the overall design and aesthetic of the pieces. A well-designed and stylish office can create a more positive and productive work environment for employees, which can ultimately increase the value of the investment in furniture. While it may be tempting to opt for cheaper, less stylish pieces, the overall design of your office can have a significant impact on employee morale and productivity. The benefits of a more motivated and productive team will more than justify any extra expense over time.

While price is an important consideration when purchasing office furniture, remember that it’s not the only factor to consider. When evaluating the value of a piece of furniture or suite of furnishings, consider the overall quality, durability, ergonomics and design, as well as its ability to meet the specific needs of your office and employees. Taking the time to consider these factors can help ensure that you’re making a smart investment that will provide true value for your office in the long run and not just short-term savings.

Questions about how you can invest in the best value option for office furniture? Contact Douron.

Creating Aesthetics in a Commercial Environment

If you’re an Instagram user, you’re probably familiar with the concept of an aesthetic even if the term isn’t familiar. Ever noticed how a certain company’s posts all carry the same look and feel, and a consistent color scheme? That’s their aesthetic. Many brands use a style guide to extend that strategy well beyond Instagram and present a consistent look across all their marketing.

Commercial spaces can – and should – have their own aesthetics also. Let’s take a look at why, and how to go about it.

There are two main reasons why an office aesthetic is so important: First, it’s an extension of your brand, the face you show to the world. Second, the care put into developing an aesthetic sends a clear message to your team. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. If your workers are crammed into an unwieldy floor plan, working on uncomfortable furniture under bright fluorescent lights, you’re sending a message, but probably not the one you intended.

Conversely, a thoughtfully designed space sends a positive message about the organization and the degree to which it values its employees. There’s a tendency to view aesthetics as an unnecessary expense, but an office environment can have a huge impact on morale and productivity. Properly done, your office aesthetics can boost creativity, foster company pride, strengthen connections between team members and even reduce stress. In other words, the time and effort spent in getting it right are an investment in a better company, not an expense.

So what is an office aesthetic, exactly? It’s a combination more or less all the components of commercial design.

Those include some obvious things like color schemes and floor plans, but there’s more to it than that. As mentioned above, office lighting can have a big impact on aesthetics, as can natural light … generally speaking, the more the better. Smaller touches like incorporating more curves and fewer 90-degree angles in furniture and other fixtures can make a difference (research shows that spaces featuring curves are more likely to be perceived as beautiful).

Accent items such as hanging art or sculptures can make a big difference in the overall look and feel of an office, and plants have been shown to have plenty of benefits beyond their natural beauty. One study showed that workers in offices with plants had significantly reduced levels of fatigue, anxiety, anger and depression.

Finally, pay attention to the ears as well as the eyes. Noise levels in an office can have a significant impact on worker morale and health. Any design should include areas for collaboration, of course, but be sure to incorporate private, quiet spaces as well.

To learn more about how to integrate sound absorbing and space defining products, click here.

In the end, your commercial space should be as unique as your brand. Making the right decisions here not only makes a powerful style statement, but can result in a happier, more productive team.

Questions about the best posture for you? Contact Douron.

Office Wellness: Sights, Sounds and Smells Make a Difference

In the wake of the pandemic, employee engagement has become a front-burner topic for nearly every employer. As companies navigate the return to working in person to varying degrees, they’re devoting more and more attention to keeping team members safe, happy and engaged.

What role can the workspace environment play in office wellness? A big one, in ways both good and bad. In fact, employers need to factor in at least four of the five senses in office design considerations (probably not taste, unless you’re providing lunch). Let’s take a look:

Sight:

Everyone considers colors when designing an office space, but perhaps not their potential effects on the people in it. There is science behind the psychology of colors and the emotions they can elicit. To greatly oversimplify, green is associated with creativity; blue with security, confidence and analytical thinking. Red promotes productivity in physical work (but may hinder analytical thinking), and too much white leads to boredom. Yellow? Well, people just don’t seem to like it. Use yellow sparingly. Check out the red pops of color at Fireline Corp. here.

Sound:

Too often an afterthought in office design, the acoustical properties of a space are vital to productivity and keeping team members happy. We’ve seen many very attractive spaces that are difficult to work in, especially in the age of the open office plan. This might be because workers are too close together or because the space is designed with hard surfaces that cause every sound to reverberate. It’s often easy to fix the latter situation with strategically-applied acoustical panels to deaden the space. Ensure workers have private, quiet spaces available in an open office plan. Make sure to approach office design with not only your eyes but your ears. Check out 3form Edge ceiling features here.

Smell:

Our sense of smell is tied directly to our memories, and is another factor in work productivity. Employers walk a difficult line right now: Spaces need to be cleaned and sanitized regularly, but the aromas of bleach, ammonia or other harsh cleaners can have a negative effect on productivity. These strong smells may also cause headaches or even allergic reactions. Consider cleaning products carefully and look for agreeable scents. Beyond that, you might consider enhancing office wellness with smells: Lemon is known to be good for creativity, and lavender is calming, to name just two examples. But again, you need to be mindful of potential allergies.

Feel:

No one’s going to be very productive, or very happy, if they spend their days working in an uncomfortable chair or at a desk that’s not an appropriate height. There’s such a wide selection of ergonomic office furnishings from so many manufacturers that there’s really no reason not to get this right. In general, consider adjustability: Desks that allow standing or sitting, chairs that adjust to multiple positions. Check out more office spaces at Visit Baltimore here.

The Evolution of the Workplace

As we approach two years of a radically changed work environment due to the pandemic, much uncertainty remains. Plans to return to the physical workspace have been derailed or delayed by the Omicron variant and organizations are grappling with how best to move forward. What has changed in the workplace, and what needs to continue changing? Take a look at the evolution of the workplace.

Some businesses have decided that they can get along just fine with a remote workforce, at least in the shorter term. They’re in the minority, but many were already operating virtually pre-pandemic, so the transition has been easier. At the other end of the spectrum are those for whom remote work is not a viable option: service industries, manufacturers and so forth.

In the middle are the vast majority of businesses, trying to roll with the continued punches of COVID and figure out the best combination of in-person, remote and hybrid work for their own teams and circumstances. And if there’s one word to describe handling all this uncertainty, it’s this: adaptability.

That can mean a lot of things, but in terms of office design it’s really the continuation of a trend of several years: Many organizations had already seen the value of flexible workspaces in both the more efficient use of space and the ways in which they promote collaboration. That physical adaptability will now become even more important.

Remote and hybrid work means fewer opportunities for teams to collaborate in person, which is indisputably more effective. So when a team is in the same physical space, every effort needs to be made to maximize that opportunity with an environment that can adjust on the fly to changing needs.

Adaptability is required far beyond the physical workspace, of course. We still don’t fully understand how this prolonged stretch of diminished interaction will affect all of us as workers and as human beings, and business leaders will need to be even more flexible than their workspaces to accommodate the changing needs of their teams.

Check out this adaptable workspace at Frederick Innovative Technology Center (FITC).

COVID-19 Update

Douron’s COVID-19 Update

Douron is fully operational to provide service to our employees, clients, partners and community. We have received required status for distribution to essential companies per state and federal guidelines.

We are continually monitoring the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) for daily COVID-19 updates to provide our employees a safe and healthy working environment. Click here to learn more about how you can protect yourself and others from the virus.

We have established a continuity plan that relies on email, virtual meetings and remote connectivity as our primary contact and response method. With our software phone application, our employees can be reached at their normal extensions. Messages left on team members’ work phones are monitored and answered as quickly as possible.

Our showrooms in Baltimore, Rockville and Delaware are open. All of our facilities are being cleaned and disinfected regularly to ensure a safe work environment.

MANUFACTURING PARTNERS

Douron is monitoring the operational status of our manufacturing partners and we will provide updates, as we receive them, via email.

SALES

Account Executives will continue to be available by their standard email addresses, phone extensions and mobile phone numbers. All responses to projects from our Account Executives will be via email or phone.

CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT

Douron headquartered team members are in office and fully operational. Our continuity plan has been tested to make an easy transition as not to delay our ability to serve you.

WAREHOUSE, DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION (WD&I)

Currently, Douron is accepting all shipments and making deliveries, while safely completing projects. There is restricted entry for delivery drivers to our warehouse and paperwork is being delivered to the door. Our warehouse team has been provided rubber gloves, masks and disinfecting spray to utilize upon receipt of product and to use as necessary. All WD&I employees have proper documentation of the nature of their delivery being essential to the operations of our clients.

After installation, all furniture surfaces and cabinet are sprayed and disinfected. We want to ensure a safe installation process. Our employees are aware and following (CDC) guidelines of daily cleaning of tools and building materials; washing hands as often as possible; covering coughs and sneezes with tissues and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

WARRANTY AND CLAIMS

Our Corrective Actions Department is reviewing all claims made by clients and reporting information to the appropriate manufacturer.

If you are experiencing any warranty or service related issues, please fill out a warranty request form or email correctiveactions@douron.com.

We are working together with you to provide safe and healthy environments.

Sound Decisions

Evaluating Value

Creating Aesthetics in a Commercial Environment