Summertime for the Office
Summer is an amazing time of year; the days are longer, people seem friendlier, and who doesn't love a little sunshine? Unfortunately, we can't always take our work with us to the beach and there may be time when we long for the outdoors. Here are some tips to avoid the summertime blues and bring a bit of that summer sunshine to the office.
Flexibility
Allowing for more flexibility at work during the summer months will lead to a more calming work environment. Helping employees structure hours to make time for enjoying the outdoors is great for morale. We may get so caught up in our work that we forget to use vacation time; now is an excellent time to enjoy some of that as well! Also with the summer heat, it's a good time to make the dress code a bit more flexible; it's hard to deal with 95-degree weather in a suit.
1,2....BBQ!
Company barbecues in the summer months can be a great tradition and can help break the ice with employees. Firing up the company grill is a great way to get everyone outside to enjoy the nice weather collectively. Indoors, it can be fun to incorporate summer-themed food and drinks around the office. Refreshing drinks like iced tea and lemonade can make such a treat during the day, and can provide a nice break from the typical water cooler.
More of the Outdoors
The perfect solution to working during the summer is simply to spend more time outdoors! Whether we move that conference meeting outside once a week, or simply enjoy our breaks in the outdoors, it's important to capitalize on the opportunity to be outside during work hours. If you can't be outside as much as you'd like, it helps to bring a little bit of summer into the office. Desks can be decorated with beach-themed pictures or knickknacks or anything that will remind us of the amazing summer months we are in.
Does your organization do anything fun and celebratory during the summer? We would love to hear about it!
Sources:
https://www.themuse.com/advice/15-little-ways-to-enjoy-the-summer-when-youre-trapped-in-the-office
Creative Ways to Repurpose Office Supplies
At the office, there is likely a surplus of supplies we no longer use on a regular basis. It may seem that these items have no purpose, but with a little creativity, they can make handy tools and accessories. Here are 5 creative ways to repurpose old office items.
Ethernet Key Organizer
With most office spaces designed for wireless internet, what are we to do with the old ethernet slots in the wall? One great solution is to make a designed key chain from the cords so that we will never have to worry about losing our keys again!
Pencil Pen Holder
If we only use pens at work, we finally have a solution for those outdated #2 pencils in our drawer! With enough pencils and some gorilla wood glue, we can easily make an outside pencil wall to keep all of our necessary writing instruments safe and sound.
Floppy Disk Pen Holder
Speaking of pen holders, old floppy disks make an excellent pen holder as well!
BONUS: Floppy Disk Planters
We can throw a little 90's feel into the office and have our own personal office plant with these wonderful floppy disk planters!
Bubble Wrap Mailer iPad Case
Here is the perfect solution if you have a new iPad or tablet and don't want to shell out the money for a protective case. All we need is some unused bubble wrap mailer, and a little bit of ingenuity!
Rubber Band Gift Wrap
A great solution for that last minute office gift! Rubber bands can form a cool and interesting pattern to help get a gift noticed.
BONUS: Rubber Band Bracelet
Give your old cuff bracelets some charm by wrapping them around in colorful rubber bands!
Do you have any creative uses for repurposed supplies? We would love to hear about them!
Sources:
http://www.brit.co/repurpose-office-supplies/
EON Backpack Drive for the Salvation Army
Help the Salvation Army send students in our community back to school this fall, ready to learn!
Unfortunately, many students in the Colorado community return to school with empty backpacks or worn-out hand-me-downs. We are partnering with The Salvation Army, and you, to be sure the children of our community each have a backpack this fall. Students who are equipped with proper school supplies are more likely to stay focused and perform better throughout the year. It helps with self-confidence and keeps them motivated.
For $25, you can help us provide a backpack filled with needed school supplies, including pencils, paper, crayons, markers, folders, glue, scissors and more. To donate, order item number EONBACKPACK while supplies last. Donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your support!
Tricks for Efficient Office Lighting
We can all understand how office buildings use up a good portion of energy. According to Southern California Edison, the average commercial office building uses about 30 percent of consumed energy on lighting. The energy efficiency of office lighting often gets overlooked, but is an important aspect of sustainability for us to consider. Here are four tips to decrease our electrical intake at work.
#1: Opt for Natural Light
Daylight is by far the best source of light around for the workplace. Natural light is the most cost-effective solution, and it has been directly linked to improving employees' sleep activity and overall happiness. If we have plenty of windows but aren't close in proximity, it's time to consider rearranging the office.
#2: Turn off the Lights
We can save a lot of money by turning off lights that only require occasional use, such as the bathroom and kitchen areas. By turning off these lights after usage, we will save considerably on energy and also improve the overall longevity of the light bulbs themselves. We should pinpoint the areas of the office that don't always need a light on, and make sure to turn them off after we are done.
#3: Sensors
While turning off the lights is a great energy saver, it's easy to get busy during the day and become forgetful. Motion-sensor lights are a great alternative and will turn on and off automatically when an employee leaves the room. This will produce the same energy benefits as turning off the lights, just without the annoying reminders to coworkers.
#4: LED Lighting
If we are using the same old fluorescent lighting fixtures, it is probably time for a much needed upgrade. LED lights are designed to use about 75 to 80 percent less energy, and will last much longer, too! LED exit signs are also a great energy idea for the office and can last upwards of 25 years.
How does your organization promote energy efficiency? We would love to hear about it!
Sources:
http://blog.1000bulbs.com/a-guide-to-energy-efficient-office-lighting/#.VYA19vlVhHw
http://www.electricalmarketplace.com/blog/office-lighting-tricks/
NeoCon 2015
Last week, members of EON's furniture and design team attended the annual NeoCon conference in Chicago. NeoCon is the commercial interiors industry's biggest event, featuring the best products and most innovative ideas from all over the world. It was an amazing experience, as always - and here are some trends our team thought were most noteworthy from NeoCon15.
Height
Height-adjustable bases and tables were everywhere at this year's NeoCon. Anything that could possibly include adjusting height was on full display. Desks, l-shaped tables, u-shaped tables, and conference tables all showed what they were capable of with impressive height adjustments. One of the favorites shown below was the RISE Electric Height Adjustment Table, which features 3-, 4- and 5-leg tables and an adjustable-width frame.
Lounging
Lounge seating was another main point of emphasis this year. Overall, the lounge seating highlighted was very comfortable, full of soft fabrics and very welcoming and inviting. The swivel lounge chairs featured were very large, as were the private sitting areas on display. One of the most impressive lounge chairs was the KI Sway model, which is an incredibly comfortable workplace seating solution.
Color
A big color trend at NeoCon was lots of white with pops of accent colors like purple, orange, green and grey. Some showrooms created a very mid-century modern feel by using wood tones, and used the same pops of accent colors but were more muted overall. The overall color schemes felt very elegant and welcoming. One notable experience was the Jasper Group's modern showroom, which featured multiple collaborative areas.
What were your favorite moments from NeoCon15? We would love to hear about them!
EON Named Best Printer in ColoradoBiz "Best of Colorado" Awards
Thank you, ColoradoBiz readers! EON was named Best Printer in ColoradoBiz Magazine's Best of Colorado Readers' Choice awards. See more about EON's award here!
