4 Pace Setting Years for Bay Area Construction?

Posted on January 16, 2012 by admin

Inside Source office furniture Bay area Everyone seems to agree that cautious optimism is warranted. The economy appears to be doing a little better, unemployment numbers and down and construction is picking up.
This bodes well for the nation but how is the Bay area doing?

According to a recent article in The Registry, the Bay Area Real Estate Journal , major players in the construction industry in the area are predicting healthy activity for the foreseeable future with one global player going as far as to say that  “there will be four pace-setting years, beginning in 2012, in which construction levels top those seen in the dot-com era.”

The article also quotes McGraw-Hill construction as saying, “… after five years of flat or shrinking construction starts, the San Francisco metropolitan area is seeing expansion. The statistical area includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Marin and Contra Costa counties. Retail, office, warehouse and transportation-building work all are up year over year. Housing construction, mostly apartments, jumped last year and this year remains well off 2009’s floor.”

Other construction heavy weights anticipate “mega projects” of $100 million or more, totaling over $10 Billion during the next few years.

The construction industry, while welcoming the renewed market vigor, is concerned about labor shortages, not to mention the possible impact on  commercial real estate sales when all the new construction comes onto the market.

What’s fueling the sudden activity?  Primarily Silicon Valley tech company expansion and the Bay area is not the only beneficiary.  Many tech companies are also expanding their operations in other locations throughout the country.  For instance, Facebook has expanded its local real estate portfolio, as well as out of state in Prineville, Oregon and internationally in Sweden.

Many of the most aggressive expansions are by organizations that already have an expanding world-wide customer base and correspondingly need to expand their real estate to allow them to better serve these areas.

Read the full article here: http://www.theregistrysf.com/RTRE_bay_area_tech_construction_1.html

 

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Want to increase profits? Increase workplace flexibility

Posted on January 9, 2012 by admin

Inside Source office furniture Bay area: workplace flexibilityIf you’re looking for an edge in business, considering all the aspects of workplace flexibility may just give you what you need.

According to a recent Fast Company article, workplace flexibility is a key component in motivating employees – and we all know that the more motivated people are, the more productive and profitable they become.

Fast Company interviewed Allison O’Kelly, founder and CEO of Mom Corps “a full-service staffing services company that helps employers tap into the market of talent (men and women) that has opted out of the traditional workplace and wants flexibility. O’Kelly, a Harvard MBA, founded the company in 2005; it’s since grown to 15 franchise locations across the country.”

According to O’Kelly, there are 7 ways you can motivate employees using workplace flexbility – and workplace flexibility is a key component for mid to higher level executives.

She says that as highly qualified and experienced Boomers retire, they are difficult to replace.  The Gen X pool of employees is far smaller, leaving many key positions unfilled or not filled with ideal candidates.

She advocates the same policy adopted by Mom Corps, which incorporates the tenents of workplace flexibility, allowing employers to attract highly experienced, reliable and responsible Boomers to fill these positions in a way that allows them the flexibility of working the hours and from the locations they choose, while affording the employer the benefit of their skill.

According to O’Kelly, employers that do not see this as an advantage are already at a disadvantage in today’s competitive economy.

Read the full article here: http://www.fastcompany.com/1798976/easing-your-company-in-to-workplace-flexibility-allison-okelly-mom-corps

 

 

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8 Tips to a more healthy Work Day

Posted on January 2, 2012 by admin

Inside Source allsteel office furnitureWhether you’re really focused while you’re at work, or whether you find you struggle to stay on task, these tips from OpenForum will help you stay healthier and more productive:

1. Regular work breaks

We know it’s difficult to get up and walk away, especially if you’re struggling with a particularly thorny task, but, it’s essential to get up and walk around at least a few times during the day.  Not only does it give your mind a break and allow it to refocus, but it’s essential for your body’s health.

2. Make high quality healthy food a work day priority

Eating high quality healthy food is also good for enhancing brain activity as well as maintaining your optimum weight.  Our bodies are like computers: garbage in means garbage out.

3. Take a walk on the outside

Getting a breath of fresh air helps clear the mind and bring clarity to the task at hand.  It also exposes us to natural day light which can help offset the effects of seasonal affective disorder – a condition that plagues a huge percentage of people who work inside all day.

4. Water instead of caffeine

Although some of us really feel that we need that caffeine jolt in the morning to get us going, experts agree that too much caffeine is seriously detrimental to our health.  We’ve heard many times that we need at least 8 glasses of water a day to flush out the toxins and keep us healthy – so why not make it your New Year’s resolution to replace at least some of that coffee with life giving water?

5. Refocus on you

Make an effort to disconnect from your daily responsibilities and spend some quiet, alone time.  Whether it’s meditating, deep breathing or simply just relaxing without thinking, you’ll find it helps give you that breathing space you need to refresh yourself and center yourself.  You can only give to others when you first give to yourself.

6. Stand up

Standing at work could save your life, so make sure you do it often.   A 2010 study published by the American Cancer Society  reinforces the importance of this practice.

7. Human connection

Connecting socially with others during the work day lowers our stress levels and helps us stay healthier.  So, spend a few moments at the water cooler or chatting on Facebook – it will help you increase productivity when you get back to work.

8. Get ergo

Ergonomics impacts your physical health in a big way while at work. Making sure that the equipment you use, such your computer, office chair, desk and other equipment, is ergonomically designed is extremely important to avoid strain.

Read the original article here: http://www.openforum.com/articles/8-ways-to-a-healthier-workday

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20% reduction in Federal agency office space

Posted on December 21, 2011 by admin

When you see private sector office space design practices being adopted by the Federal agencies, you know it’s an acknowledged trend.

With the emphasis on cutting costs, it’s not surprising that the Federal Agencies are looking at ways to maintain lower budgets.  One of these ways is reducing leased  office space.

Instead of the customary 200 square feet per employee, they are now planning on allocating 157 square feet -a 20% reduction.

How will they achieve this?  Through space scheduling and hoteling – two growing  trends in the private sector.  Essentially this means that staff will book a desk space for times where they will need to be in the office physically.  The balance of their work time will be spent in their home office, or on the road, if that is what their job requires.

With today’s office space designs and efficient office furniture, it’s easily achievable.  Spaces can now be designed to function as multi-purpose communal space.  Work surfaces that can be quickly converted for use in a single desk context to use in a collaborative benching context are becoming increasingly popular.

In today’s office, private office space allocation is quickly being replaced by more open, shared spaces which not only encourage team co-operation, but also give more people access to natural light and line of sight contact with team leaders.

Read more about the Federal Telework Enhancement Act here: http://www.peoplecube.com/blog/index.php/tag/telework-enhancement-act/?source=20PerBlog_1211

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New York City’s coolest offices

Posted on December 19, 2011 by admin

Inside Source office furniture Bay area Google Chelsea officeThey’re the kind of offices that make you want to go to work.  They’re hip, they’re functional and they’re some of the coolest office space designs on the planet!

A recent article in Business Insider highlight’s New York City’s coolest offices with a photo gallery that will have you sighing in envy!

From Bloomberg’s impressive glass walled structure with wide open TV studios and decorative fish tanks to IAC”s Chelsea office (left) which boasts a flexible furniture system that adjusts to the building’s fluctuating shell, to Google’s playful environment sporting slides, scooters and lego (top left)- they all have one thing in common: design that takes your breath away and inspires creativity in everyone who enters.

The photo gallery also pays homage to a trend we’ve covered in this blog – the increasingly popular home office. (left) However, this home office in New York City is about the cutest one we’ve ever seen!  And, you’ve got to love the seconds long commute in a city as busy as New York!

Check out the rest of the images here

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