How to enhance collaboration in the workspace

“...events, threats and opportunities aren’t just coming at us faster or with less predictability; they are converging and influencing each other to create entirely unique situations. These first-of-their kind developments require unprecedented degrees of creativity.”

- Former IBM CEO Samuel Palmisano

Collaboration is often considered a characteristic that is inherently dependent on the people in the workplace and the culture of an organization. It implies that collaboration is possible anywhere, if people are willing. However, a culture of collaboration needs to be fostered from within an organization. It is not just an attitude that needs to be nurtured from the top down but also one that needs to resonate within the very fabric of the work place.  

Tech giants like Google and their innovative approach to work space design are demonstrating that there is a strong and unmistakable correlation between collaboration, corporate success and innovation. Collaboration is not just an act but an ethos that gives companies an edge over their competition as it allows them to tackle problems far more cohesively than their less collaborative counterparts. 

So how does a company begin to inculcate an ethos of collaboration at the work place? Apart from management methods, and instilling a culture of dialogue that originates from the top down, companies need to factor in technological innovation as well. Considering these factors, companies also need to design the work space or the office in a way that it intrinsically pushes people together.

According to research 70% of collaboration at the workspace actually occurs at an employee’s desk. Most employees only seek out meeting spaces actively when they need privacy or anticipate that the meeting will take a while. Furthermore, collaboration is not something that is planned and often happens instantaneously. This means that simply adding a few more conference rooms to an office is actually not enough. The entire workspace needs to be designed, from the conference room furniture to the use of clustered seating, to promote collaboration. 

1. Increase Collaborative Space

According to a research report by Herman Miller 60% of the time workstations are not occupied by employees across industries while private offices are unoccupied 77% of the time. Considering this information, companies are slowly moving away from assigned workspaces and are instead focusing on increasing collaborative spaces. However, as we said before it is not about just adding more conference rooms but about creating actual work spaces or project areas, where employees can collaborate and work together on a project basis. Creating work clusters with office partitions, or just designated work areas without assigned seating can go a long way towards fostering collaboration.

2. Display Environments 

As office layouts have gotten smaller and walls have gotten shorter, people have run out of space to tack up schedules, mind maps, diagrams, lists and other work-related material. Even though people can now use computers for such information, research suggests that employees prefer working with physical material which they can refer to easily. Creating an office that provides employees with enough vertical space on which to display work related material is a great way to enhance collaboration. It also provides them with an inspiring and dynamic environment to work in. 

3. Create Variety through Landscape Planning 

Many businesses are learning to look at offices like urban planners look at cities as “highly image-able” places with qualities that are stimulating and create an atmosphere of exploration, attention, and engagement. This means that just as cities or neighborhoods have designated spaces for different activities, an office need to offer different spaces to cater to different working needs of employees. Creating a workspace that has varied seating options and multi-use spaces helps to reify an air of collaboration while helping an organization create a vibrant workspace that helps get the most out their workforce. 

Browse through an exclusive collection of office furniture at www.courtofficefurniture.com. Consult our experts for all your office décor related needs and to help you choose the perfect furniture for the workplace. 

5 Iconic Furniture Designers of the 20th century

When it comes to designers, chances are you are well versed with clothing and accessory veterans like Louis Vuitton, Donatella Versace or contemporary designers like Alexander McQueen. But what about furniture and interior décor? These master craftsmen and genius designers have changed the way modern man looks at furniture. Yet, their names are only well known in certain circles, while their genius goes unacknowledged by the larger population.  

Here is a list of 5 iconic 20th century furniture designers who revolutionized that way we look at modern office furniture.

Charles and Ray Eames 

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The quintessential modernist couple designed and created furniture, buildings and other art forms including exhibitions and film. They founded and spear headed one of the most creative design offices in post World War II America and their work reflected their contagious enthusiasm for life and art. Together they created some of the most iconic furniture of the 20th Century that shaped the way people looked at objects and designs. 

One of their most famous designs is the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. The designer couple wasn’t looking to change the world, when they set out to design a chair that had the ‘receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt’, as a birthday gift to friend. However, they did just that with this iconic chair which has since evolved into a hallmark of high end executive office furniture. 

Marcel Breuer 

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This famous Hungarian-American architect and furniture designer was one of the pioneers of the “modern” style of design. He was one the most influential designers of the 20th Century. Breuer was also a very successful architect, known for designing buildings like the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and the monastic Master Plan and Church at St John’s Abbey in Minnesota. 

Marcel Breuer’s designs have become representative of the philosophy and domestic culture of an entire era. He is best known for his work with extruded steel to create lightweight metal furniture. Inspired by the strength and flexibility of his bicycle, he applied the same material and construction principles to chair design and thus his master piece, the ‘Wassily Chair’ came to life.

Phillippe Starck

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Son of a French aeronautical engineer, Starck jump started his design career by designing the interiors of two nightclubs in Paris. Impressed by his work, the President of France, Francois Mitterand asked him to refurbish one of his private apartments.

Starck’s designs are subversive, intelligent and always interesting, making him one of the great designers of our time. The Hudson visitor chair by Starck is amongst the most iconic furniture designs of the 20th Century. It was designed by Starck for the Hudson Hotel in New York City. Each Hudson chair takes 8 hours to polish. It is included in the design collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Jean Prouve

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Born in Nancy, France, Jean Prouve was a craftsman, designer, rchitect, manufacturer, teacher and an engineer. His career spanned over sixty years during which he produced furniture, prefabricated houses and facades. His work had a stylistic appeal that combined bold elegance with economy. 

While designing the Standard Chair, Jean Prouve took into account the fact that chairs bear the most weight on their back legs. Tabular steel piping was used in the front legs while the back legs were made from voluminous hollow sections that passed the weight to the ground.  

Jean Prouve is considered one of the most innovative architects and furniture designers of the 20th Century. His life and work has been inspirational to many. The Standard Chair reflects his artistry in every way and serves as a beacon of modern designing philosophy.

Mies Van Der Rohe 

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He was one of the most influential architects and designers of the 20th Century. Mies’ minimalistic style proved to be extremely popular with the elite and the masses. His famous aphorism, ‘less is more’ is still widely used by many. By emphasizing open spaces and revealing the material used in construction, he helped define modern architecture.

Mies was highly respected in Europe for his innovative structures which include the famous Barcelona Pavilion for which he designed his most iconic creation, The Barcelona Chair. It is one of the most recognized objects of the 20th Century and is a tribute to the marriage of design and fine craftsmanship.

Meis’ work, radiates his confidence, rationality and elegance. Beyond merely affecting our lives, his works endow them with greater significance and beauty.