Our Grove in the Scottish Highlands has just grown by the size of The Mackenzie School of English's new space!
Just imagine, that is 9000 SqFt of native Scottish trees! The trees such as Scots Pine, Rowan, dwarf Birch and Aspen will help to transform the open hillsides into healthy young woodland, rich in wildlife such as red squirrel, black grouse, capercaillie and wood ant!
Thanks to The Mackenzie School of English an additional 117 new native trees will be planted in the wild Caledonian Forest in the Amos Beech grove of trees with all the wonderful wildlife that will inhabit their new environment.
The Mackenzie School of English moved in to their new space in Leith, Edinburgh in the first week of May.
As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we have started our own grove in partnership with the award-winning charity Trees for Life. Trees for Life works on the restoration of Scotland's ancient Caledonian Forest in the Scottish Highlands.
You can plant trees yourself!
Like it?
Well, you don't necessarily have to redesign and fit our your space with us to achieve this, because you can plant trees yourself!
Have a look at the Amos Beech Trees for Life page:
Amos Beech – improving every environment we touch
SALONE DEL MOBILE . MILANO 2018
As Clerkenwell is fast approaching, it’s only appropriate I write my review on Salone de Mobile and Fuorisalone to compare findings and inspiration for the year ahead. The design trip was last minute; a now or never opportunity regarding 2018 so I was grateful to join the wave of people that jet set from every corner of the globe.
SALONE DEL MOBILE . MILANO 2018
With the flood of designers, exhibitors and creatives, accommodation was initially a slight struggle with business owners and money makers hitching up prices almost quadruple the price. However, I managed to book an apartment with a beautiful terrace in the Tortorna District of Milan. If your time is limited, I would recommend staying in Tortona as it is one of the more highly concentrated areas of ‘Fuorisalone’ crammed with exhibitions, cafes and events. The Brera district is very similar in this respect too, if not more so. But to really see as much as possible, confirmed as the world’s largest furniture furniture and design fair, Salone del Mobile at Rho Fiera is a must. Although, it’s easy to get lost in the labyrinth of displays and multiple halls, so be sure to make note prior of the exhibitors you’d like to see.
From an overall viewpoint, I noticed there was less of a focus placed on new product launches but rather exhibitors making a conscious effort to create memorable experiences, in fact very shareable as well. Particularly in the age of the selfie, mirrors and reflective surfaces was a prevalent player performing as a disruption to the spatial realm generating paradoxical type arrangements. COS supported the work of the California-based artist Philip K. Smith to bring ‘Open Sky’ an installation to Palazzo Isimbardi. That comprised of a series of mirrored panels each tilted at a 47-degree angle, which respectfully gave a nod to the experience, the architecture and Milan itself.
Continuing the theatrical-like illusion, the emergence of larger-than-life translucent and see-through products that act as a divider in any setting, a flexible alternative to facilitates our everchanging needs and wants. One of the most magical experiences was visiting HAY at Palazzo Clerici, the location oozed with historical features poetically juxtaposed with a series of installation that conveyed examples of past and future living scenarios; with a human-centric approach to interior design, rather than focusing on the structure. The Rayures modular screen in fluted glass for Glass Italia designed by the Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec was a notable highlight. A recurring expression of drama also took the form of translucent floor to ceiling draperies, which would add a show-stopping, yet fluid and soft tactile feature to any environment.
Many pieces of furniture acquired the shape of an exaggerated figure with plumper silhouettes, inflated curves and ballooned proportions. The Tacchini exhibition was a great example of softness and the continuing fluidity in mix of dusty pink, pastel yellow and off-set geometrics, all adding to the cocooning type feeling prevailed. I had taken a similar emotional response to CC-Tapis, especially the rug designed by Patricia Urquiola with the comparable tonal colour composition and a hyper tactile surface.
The integration of biophilia within products, exhibitions, and displays experience remained strong throughout Salone de Mobile and Fuorisalone, the recognition of the well-being benefits of biophilic design as reached a global scale, and the outlook being the trend is here to stay. The miniforms collection plays with shape and form to provide a seamless stand to place your plants, whether be it on the wall, floor or reflecting against a mirror. A perfect opportunity to add height and interest to any environment.
As well as nature, designers are looking up to the skies for inspiration as they explore the symbolism of the sun, moon, and space. This could be due to increasing cultural interest in spirituality, which can be seen to inform objects and settings to ignite people’s wonder and delight through magical and cosmic-like shapes. Equally, many exhibitions featured the use mismatching of materiality, furniture shapes, and products through styling, which also envelopes a similar unusual sense of awe due to the unexpected and uncanny (a.k.a the googly eyes).
Milan took me through an unexpected and unimaginable journey, I didn’t know what to expect. With just over 48 hours in the city, I consumed an incredible amount of design, good food, some wine and walked around 40km. Even now it’s still taking some time to digest everything I saw and experienced.
A blog post by Flora Hogg
Key Tips to Arrange and Organise Your Office to Enhance Comfort and Productivity
Message from the webmaster: This blog was written pre-COVID19. If you’re looking for advice in relation to the return to the office after the lockdown check the folowing links:
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Is your team firing on all cylinders? If your answer to this question is “no” or “maybe”, then it’s definitely time to organise your office.
There was a time, not so long ago, when hardly any company paid attention or even put in any extra effort in their office design. All they did, and what some still do, was “strategically” arrange desks and chairs, add a computer and a telephone on every desk and expect employees to be productive just because they had decent working conditions.
Luckily, we now know better.
We know there is more to employee productivity than job security and a good wage. We know that our surroundings affect the way we work. So, as company owners or administrators, we strive to create a pleasant working environment that motivates employees and keeps them happy instead of pressuring them to deliver. Most companies are now looking for cost-effective ways to motivate and inspire their staff to become more productive in the workplace.
Companies have realised that it takes more than a pay rise or an employee of the month portrait on the company “wall of fame”, to get teams all fired up. Benefits and bonuses are also not giving the desired ‘return on investment”.
Don’t get me wrong. These are good motivators. They really are. But let’s be honest. These are nothing but quick fixes. In the long run, employee turnover depends on many factors, some of which are quite hard to quantify.
While it is a fact that human beings react exceptionally well and even get motivated when there’s some sort of monetary reward, there are other salient factors that can have a similar effect at a one-off cost.
What are these salient factors that can keep your employees inspired and get them motivated enough to enhance their productivity? Well, the answer has everything to do with how you organise your office. How your office is designed and organised can ultimately affect your employees’ productivity.
To help you keep your employees motivated and inspired at work, we have put together some ideas to help you get started.
9 Tips on How to Organise Your Office to Enhance Comfort and Productivity
1. Provide the Best Work Environment
This one goes without saying. It’s every employee’s right to be provided with a suitable working environment. But in terms of productivity, this goes beyond providing a space, a desk, a chair, and maybe a computer.
The right office furniture plays a huge role in enhancing productivity. Did you know that providing your employees with the right chair can increase productivity by up to 17.5 percent?
Your employees, especially those who spend most of their time seated, need to be comfortable at their workstations in order to perform as expected.
Following the classically stylish ON® office chair and athletic and dynamic IN, Wilkhahn is now adding another chair in the shape of AT, now the third in the range of its office chairs with free-to-move capability.
A healthy employee is a motivated and inspired employee. Provide them with the right type of chairs (ergonomically designed) to avoid unnecessary injuries and to let them stay focused on important tasks.
Think about it this way: how well would you perform if you had to endure a throbbing back pain?
You should also ensure that your employees are adequately equipped with all the necessary office accessories as you organise your office. Don’t have them waste precious time looking for a paperclip or the office printer. Help your team help you!
The best way to get started is to enlist the help of a design team that also provides workplace consultancy. Such a team takes time to understand what you need and comes up with tailor-made solutions. No two companies are alike.
This is why you should steer clear of pre-packaged office design and furbishing services. Instead, opt for something that helps YOU and YOUR employees stay happy and productive at the office.
2. Get Creative with Colour
It’s a well-known fact that the colours around us influence our mood and our reactions.
Workplace productivity doesn’t just happen. It needs to be triggered -- and colour is one of the most effective ways of giving it a nudge. Certain colours have also been known to significantly boost productivity. If you are not sure about what colour to use in your new offices and still want to make your employees happier and effective, go for green and blue.
If you want to go for optimism, energy, and innovation then mellow-yellow is your colour.
Again, this is pure theory. Be sure to consult with a specialist before making the final decision on the colours in your office.
3. Bring Nature Inside
A bit of nature in the workplace can work wonders especially for those who are starting to be fed up by the concrete jungle. As we all know, the number of people who crave being closer to nature is constantly increasing.
Biophilic design, in the workplace
Plants, apart from being great office decorations, can also motivate your employees. Researchers have found that incorporating plants as part of your office decor can boost productivity by 15 percent.
More importantly, they are the best source for fresh air. You don’t want your employees’ brains to be deprived of oxygen, do you?
4. Let there Be Light
When you set out to organise your office, keep in mind that light is the one thing that can affect productivity in the long run. Thus, ensuring that your office has adequate light is crucial.
While artificial lighting is the most commonly used source of light, too bright or too dim light bulbs can put a strain on your employees’ eyesight.
Negative effects such as headaches and drowsiness can drastically reduce productivity.
Natural light, on the other hand, has numerous benefits one of them being increased productivity. Natural light not only helps us stay healthy; it also affects our ability to work.
When workers are not visually stimulated, it affects their ability to remain alert and focused. Plus, the type of light used has a great impact on creativity in the office.
A nice blend of artificial light and natural light in the offices of ST Microelectronics in Edinburgh
So as you embark on redesigning your office, ensure that you use of natural light as much as possible. Always use glass partitions in rooms that don’t require visual privacy. If the space allows, you can also create an outdoor area for employees to use during their breaks. Bonus: this will also help cut down on your energy bills and make your company more eco-friendly.
5. Arm Employees with the Right technology
Organising your office is not only about rearranging office furniture or even replacing the old desks and chairs with new ones. It also means equipping your employees with the right tools and the right technology to enable them perform their duties efficiently.
One huge mistake many employers make, especially when redesigning their offices, is to assume that their employees are happy with their tools or that they couldn’t care less about them.
As you organise your office, it is advisable to find out which of your team’s tools needs to be fixed or replaced.
Employees can very easily lose motivation if they have to use faulty or outdated office tools and technology. Yes, even if everything else in the office is brand new. After all, everyone wants to keep up with the latest technology. This is beneficial for both your employees’ careers and for the productivity level in your company.
Double monitor arms mounted on-sit stand desks at the new offices of CitNOW in Stirling
Using two computer screens, for instance, can boost productivity by up to 50 percent. By creating a wide-screen effect, your employees can perform specific tasks much faster and be more satisfied at work. Talk about shooting two birds with one stone, right?
6. Encourage Work Station Personalisation
A brand-new office design is a great way to boost morale. Your employees will love moving into their new offices and will enjoy the change in colours and furniture. But the process of organising your office doesn’t stop with moving and settling in.
Just like moving into a new neighbourhood, your employees are bound to feel “lonely” at the new workstations. Almost everything looks foreign and unfamiliar.
In order to counter this, you should allow your employees to add that personal touch to their new space.
Interior design, office fit out and furniture for Lomond Plant in Falkirk
Encourage them to throw in a few of their favourite personal items such as small teddy bears, family photos, cards with motivational quotes and so on.
Such familiar items will keep them highly motivated and inspired. Plus, it will make work feel more comfortable and more like home.
7. Keep the Air Flowing
Imagine if you could work here! Believe it or not, but some of us did: A trip to Actiu !
Organise your office so there’s a constant supply of fresh air throughout it.
A well-ventilated office provides the perfect atmosphere to work and it also improves employees’ overall performance.
Research shows that when you improve the air quality at work, you improve productivity.
Another study from the Technical University of Denmark revealed that indoor environment can influence work productivity by up to 10 percent.
A good indoor environment prevents health issues. It also makes the workspace comfortable to work in and, in turn, this help your employees focused and able to concentrate.
You should also ensure that your ventilation, heating, and air conditioning systems are checked and serviced on a regular basis.
8. Eliminate Clutter
A clean and organised office can help your employees get more done. Decluttering creates an optimal workspace, reduces any chance of getting distracted, and contributes to enhanced productivity.
Of course you wouldn't expect anything else but a clean and organised office at Morisons Solicitors in Glasgow !
Some people believe that a messy workspace reflects well on an employee – it shows how busy they. While this might be the case for some, the people around the messy workspace can be negatively affected by the mess.
One clever way of making decluttering a habit in your office is to simply turn it into a fun weekly or monthly activity. Make this a routine and encourage your team to discard unnecessary stuff and only keep stuff they use on a daily basis on their desk.
Another important thing is to make sure you have provided adequate storage space as you organise your office. After all, you can’t expect your team to keep clean and de-cluttered desks if you don’t provide them with the space they need to keep their stuff in.
9. Choose the Right Design and Layout
Where we work affects what we do. Your overall office layout and design plays a major part in the way your employees perform – you already know that. Now let’s see what you can do about it.
Maxim Office Space Glasgow
When you decide to relocate your office or redesign your current one, it is very important to factor in how the design will complement your employees’ performance and productivity.
Irrespective of the number of employees you have, a poorly designed office space will negatively affect your employees’ ability to deliver.
As you organise your office, your primary goal should be to enhance your team’s performance. Keeping up with the latest trends in office design should come in second.
Though it can sometimes be challenging to strike a balance between what the management wants, how much it will cost, and how it will affect the employees, it is always advisable to seek input of your staff.
Try to involve your employees in identifying suitable designs for their workspace as much as possible. This consultative approach and the idea of working in a space that they helped create is also a great motivator and productivity booster.
Conclusion
These are just some of the key areas that you should consider when in the process of moving offices, doing an office fit out, or a refurbishing an old office space.
On a tight budget? You still shouldn’t sacrifice comfort and choose the cheapest options irrespective of how they impact your employees. The better solution is to make the changes you need in phases.
Employee productivity is key to the success of your company and to achieve this, you need to organise your office so that it promotes agile working, enhances performance, boosts creativity, and fires up their motivation. Remember, getting the right interior design team involved from the very beginning will help you create the ideal work environment for you and your team.
Plus, a skilled team of interior designers can actually save you money. For instance, they can get you better deals on office furniture due to their long-standing relationship with suppliers. At Amos Beech, our goal is to help our clients get the best results with a minimal investment.
Get in touch with our specialists to find out how we can help you organise your office and boost employee productivity.
