Office1000 Blog June Archive

The Latest in Office Design

By Blog Stories at 06/23/2008 13:51

Change is inevitable as they say, and this includes the latest office design trends. Gone are the days when the main concern is functionality in the office and where workers are treated like some cute animal inside their own cubicles.

Collaboration and shared spaces are the new buzz words in the office design industry. Employers have already realized that workers need to interact a lot with their co-workers in order to work more efficiently. For instance, private spaces are less and public ones are more, where other co-workers can easily overhear their peers meetings, probably to encourage them to contribute something in the process. It also won't be difficult to see offices that save space by allowing workers of different shifts to share the same workstation during the day. This is called hotelling, and is also done when workers are mostly mobile.

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The 3 R's

Probably it is in animated shows, or probably it is shown in movies or the like, or probably it goes on around you, I am not sure. I am certain, however, that a room filled with a lot of crumpled paper is not a new scene to you.

It is interesting to find out that, even though we are in a digital age, home offices and office cubicles still overflow with a lot paper thrown away. I have no statistical data to back me up but it is evident that these tons of paper will not go away any time soon. It goes without saying that the need to reduce our paper waste should be fulfilled now. We are continuously depleting our rain forests just to provide utilities we dispose of without second thoughts.

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Do You Need A Copy Writer?

When it comes to getting information or copying them or just plainly doing anything, people tend to be different. Attention spans are different. Some are easily distracted while some people can easily keep their focus. If you are the type of person who always needs to be reminded of tasks and other responsibilities while working in the office, then getting one of these copy holders might be the thing you are looking for.

Unlike other copy holders in the market, this one from Safco can stand up on its own. There will be no need to pick it up once a while because a glance is good enough. This will also prevent you from completely forgetting any of your responsibilities.

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Non-Conforming Pens

Every now and then people come up with designs that try to defy what was the norm for hundreds--possibly thousands of years--now. Since nothing in this world is permanent, it is quite natural to assume that something new or non-conforming will come out in due time.

That is the case with pens. We were trained to write with these writing instruments when they were long and straight, forcing our hands to form in a sometimes-painful grip. Ergonomics will tell you that this is not the best design out there, but for, until now, this may do.

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Initiating Communication Through Knowing the Name

Inside one department store the other day, I found it difficult to ask some customer service representatives some questions because I didn't know their name. It isn't as if I cannot talk to them if I do not know them (though that might be a reason) but there's something in knowing other people's names that makes us comfortable when talking to them.

When working for organizations or institutions whose work generally make you interact with people not part of the group, I think it is just natural that you and your coworkers be required to put up name tags. This is because of the obvious reason that there are people like me who find it awkward to directly speak to unknown personalities.

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Safe Hunting

One of many Americans' favorite hobbies is hunting. May it be hunting for birds, fishes, deers, or whatever else, a lot of Americans, especially those living near the woods, love to make these animals their prizes.

Obviously an essential instrument in hunting animals is the gun. I don't think you can ever hunt without guns and end up without a scratch. Usually, hunters use rifles but some do use handguns as well.

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Remembering Your Father

Happy fathers' day to all the fathers out there who are reading this post. If you are not a father but a child or a mother to your child, then do greet your father or husband as well.

I feel that it is just right that we honor our fathers during this day for all the hard work they have done. Words will not be enough to describe how good they have been to us. Without them, we wouldn't have lived (your mother couldn't possibly create you alone, you know!). Without them, we will not become who we are today. Even though some of us probably didn't grow up with a father, or some of us are not in good terms with them, let us take a day off from all this indifference or hatred or whatnot. This is their day.

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Cutters

Another important tool inside the office is the cutter. Unlike previous tools presented here, such as the correction marker, the cutter is something more important, in my opinion. This is because of the cutter's versatility of uses and the way it may be utilized. However, it is a dangerous tool, something that we should be mature enough to know that we should not play with them.

What sets the scissors apart from the cutter? They both cut. The both of them can kill. What gives? Obviously--and I do not know why I am even mentioning it here--cutters are sharper than scissors. Cutters can cut thick cardboards. Scissors cannot. There is also the danger of making cuts that are not in straight line with scissors. At least cutters are more precise.

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Safety First

It is not uncommon to hear of accidents happening in the office. Injuries resulting from slips, trips, and other accidents, while they are not 100% avoidable, may be avoided if we only practice safety measures inside the workplace. There are a lot of things to remember and do to keep the office safe, but I am only listing some of them here.

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Mobile Phones are NOT Enough

Just when you thought having a mobile phone is enough, you will realize that having a regular phone alongside a mobile one is the best way to go. This is simply because there will be times when telecom service for your mobile phone will not be available due to, say, a fallen cell site in the network. When these kind of unfortunate events coincide with an emergency need to use a mobile phone, then that is when problems arise.

To go around this, we still have to install a regular phone like this phone from Clarity. Like with any other of Clarity's products, this phone lives up to its brand name. I believe it is specifically designed for emergency purposes, as people already prefer to use their mobile phones for non-emergency use.

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