As the world continues to progress in a more sustainable direction, we begin to wonder about the future of manufacturing. How will it become increasingly environmentally friendly? In a perfect world, companies will be producing products at net-zero and this thing we call waste would be a thing of the past.  

When it comes to furniture design, however, there are many companies venturing down the sustainability route, exploring ways to produce their furniture with a fraction of the waste, sometimes with none at all. 

At Reseat, we’re not really for buying new furniture. If you’ve got the option to explore second-hand options, that’s to be prioritized. However, this then begs the question: what happens when the lifecycle runs out and there’s no more furniture left to purchase second, third, or fourth-hand? 

If you are to consume new pieces, however, it’s best to choose a company that cares about maintaining a sustainable future as much as we do.

Here are three companies producing furniture with sustainability in mind, one chair at a time:

Coalesse

Coalesse sits as a part of Steelcase, offering a space for contemporary, modern office furniture to sit in its own spotlight. 

Coalesse’s sustainability goals align with the same ones as Steelcase, and sit alongside numerous awards for sustainability, including BIFMA and ISO 14001 certification. Coalesse and Steelcase together have been able to achieve carbon neutrality by 2020, and an immense reduction in greenhouse gasses by 34%. Landfill waste has been reduced by 36%, and an 83% reduction in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). 

With the future of design in mind, Coalesse sets their sights on further goals that will better contribute to a more sustainable manufacturing network. 

All information gathered from the Coalesse website.

Hon

Beginning in 1947, Hon has continuously emphasized the need for keen control on furniture life cycle, from start to finish. They focus on utilizing materials that already circulate the office world, creating pieces with already existing materials. Talk about upcycling. They’ve got parallel goals to Coalesse, including chasing a zero-waste to landfill goal, depletion in greenhouse gas emissions, and sourcing 100% renewable electricity. How cool is that?

Once you’re done with the product, they can be disassembled and recycled accordingly. They’re partnered with EPA SmartWay Shipping as well, which saves fuel and reduces emissions. Hon also carries BIFMA certifications, including a Level 2 certificate and three Level 3 certificates.

Sounds like they are on the right track to creating a sustainable future in furniture manufacturing. 

All information gathered from the Hon website.

Davies Office

Davies Office is a long-time contributor to the office furniture industry’s sustainability route. Also BIFMA certified, Davies Office is a great contributor to steering waste from landfill. They were one of the first members of the US Green Building Council. 

Davis Office was also coined as one of the only three companies to be awarded Greenbuild’s prestigious Leadership Award for excellence in sustainability. They are incredibly transparent about the specific processes utilized in maintaining a sustainable manufacturing method. For example, they are able to minimize the production of solid waste through an advanced cutting process that gets the most out of what material is being used. 

All information gathered from the Davies Office website.

In sum

Should newly-manufactured furniture be your priority when searching for pieces to fit your space? No. The most sustainable solution is by purchasing second-hand and extending the life cycle of the piece that is already in existence. 

Pursuing net-zero waste, reducing carbon emissions, utilizing the materials that are already existing are all ways these companies maintain sustainable manufacturing, and support the life cycle of furniture. And, when you’re done, run them by us to resell.

The Knoll Bertoia Collection is one of the most notorious lines throughout the office furniture industry. Its play on gridwork and topographic elements is truly captivating, and when scattered throughout an office space, can be a staple in that brings your work environment to life. 

But who designed the framework for the infamous Knoll Collection?

That would be Arri (Harry) Bertoia.

 

On March 10th, 1913, Arri Bertoia was born in San Lorenzo, Friuli, Italy. When he was 15, he moved to America and settled in Detroit, Michigan. There, he began his new life as an American. 

It was required that he learn English and History, so he attended Davison Americanization School to familiarize himself with the new language and historical context. To re-familiarize himself with the basics, Bertoia also attended Cleveland Elementary School.

After catching up with the most necessary basics, Bertoia then pursued an academic pathway at Cass Technical High School. There, he followed a program that was especially for those who were proficient in the arts and sciences. In 1936, Bertoia was awarded a one year scholarship to attend the School of Detroit, Society of Arts and Crafts where he had the opportunity to study painting and drawing. There, he was one of the most heavily awarded students. He really built up his reputation quickly. 

In the Fall of 1937, Bertoia received yet another scholarship from Cranbrook Academy of Art in BLoomfield Hills, MI, again for painting. This academy was quite different from the rest, in that there were no degrees to be obtained; instead, it was a place for students to discover their passions. 

Six years after exploring Cranbrook and the opportunities that would come with it such as working alongside Charles Eames and Florence Schust, as well as receiving a monetarily successful offer for his pieces, Bertoia set out to California. 

Alongside Charles Eames, Bertoia set out to California to explore work with plywood. Though, soon after pursuing a welding class in Santa Monica, his designs were exploited by the Eameses, with no credit to him. The skills he learned there, however, would be the skills that would support him best in his career. 

At Point Loma Naval Electrical Lab in La Jolla, Bertoia studied ergonomics and stroboscopic photography. Meanwhile, his metal-molding pursuits carried on into the early 1940s. 

In 1945, Bertoia presented an exhibition of his works at the San Francisco Museum of Art. In 1946, he became a United States citizen. In the meantime, Bertoia was wishing to carry on his artistic pursuits while managing his personal life, and to his surprise, an opportunity arose around 1950. 

Upon moving to Pennsylvania in 1950, a peer from Cranbrook reached out in hopes of allowing Bertoia the space to flourish in design. Florence Knoll of Knoll Inc., recalled the intricacies that reigned within his work and promised him full recognition of his work. 

By 1952, his first collection was introduced by Knoll: The Bertoia Chair Collection. These are the line of chairs that you’ll most likely spot throughout the office. By 1960, his odyssey of what’s called, “tonal sculptures,” is the kind that is most heavily attributed to Harry Bertoia’s work.

The metals used were mainly rods of beryllium copper, which is a fantastic option for creating pieces that vary in height, ranging from only a few inches to a towering twenty feet high. Beryllium copper also has a wide range of variety in color, offering a wider horizon of potential creations. 

Near the end of Bertoia’s life, he spent countless hours getting his life’s work in order after being diagnosed with cancer in 1976. Feeling content with his works and legacies, Bertoia passed away at the age of 63 in his home. 

Bertoia undoubtedly left an abundance of illustrious designs here for others to delight in and remember him by.

In case you were left unaware, the month of May has been Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. It’s a month where we not only get to acknowledge but celebrate the countless contributions made by the community. The United States recognizes these contributions and heavy influence to the history, culture, and various achievements of the U.S. 

It’s important to acknowledge and celebrate the many contributions of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders because unfortunately, marginalized groups oftentimes go unnoticed in their successes.

As we progress as a society, it’s important to do what we can on an individual level to ensure inclusivity throughout not only our workplaces, but schools, communities, and personal lives. 

That said, let’s get into it!

Here are some Asian-American & Pacific Islander designers and architects you should most definitely be familiar with:

Helen Liu Fong (1927 – 2005)

Born in Los Angeles, Fong was one of the very first women to join the American Institute of Architects. After studying at the University of California, Berkeley, she soon commenced a successful career as an architect for Armet & Davis. She quickly became known for her googie-style of architecture, a well-known approach in postwar America. 

Her various quirky arrangements gave way to a new era of boomerang angles, dynamic forms, and neon lights (FineGold Alexander Architects). Fong is most known for conceptualizing and designing the Holiday Bowl bowling alley in Los Angeles.

Kenneth Cobunpue – Philippines

Most well-known for his indoor and outdoor pieces as well as lighting and accessories, Cobunpue’s multi-awarded work has been spotted on Oceans 13 and CSI. He is from Cebu in the Philippines, and successfully graduated from the Pratt Institute in New York.

Cobunpue’s work is captivating in that he specializes in incorporating locally sourced materials, in addition to executing a distinctive production process by hand (BudgetReno). His work can be found in the homes of Brad Pitt and various Royal Family members. 

Here’s a link to Kenneth’s website.

Group DCA & DCA Architects – New Delhi, India

Primarily designers and architects for commercial spaces, Group DCA & DCA Architects harvest their creative aspirations into design solutions for their clients. Founded in 1996, their work noticeably includes a lot of foliage, which we love to see considering the efficiency-promoting benefits it provides. 

 According to their website, the designers harvest the natural inspiration from air, light, and greens. Group DCA emphasizes the means of easing communication between employees, intentionally making their spaces naturally sociable and interactive.

Meejin Yoon

A Korean-American designer, architect, and educator, Meejin Yoon is undoubtedly one of the most notable individuals highlighted here. Her work includes the White Noise White Light for the 2004 Athens Olympics; the Sean Collier Memorial at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and the Double Horizon for the GSA at the San Ysidro Border Crossing. 

A few of Yoon’s work has been done alongside her business partner Eric Höwler, who she founded Höwler+Yoon Architecture with in 2004. Most notably, however, in 2014, Yoon was nominated to be the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s first female head of the Department of Architecture. In 2018, Yoon was appointed as the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University. 

Her work is considered to be a figure in pioneering a realm of design that centers its focus heavily upon intertwining technology and the public atmosphere.  

Here’s a link to Höwler+Yoon’s website.

Let’s make one thing clear: pride month is so much more than parades and rainbows. 

It’s a month to celebrate feeling at home in your body, or to give voices to those who don’t. It’s a time to validate intersectionality, to validate one’s own personal experiences, to validate those who feel confusion, or those who have never been more sure. It’s also important to honor those who have fought decades prior, and continue to do so today, for the rights of the LGBTQIA community. 

It’s all about creating a safe space and celebrating all experiences within the LGBTQIA community in a world where, unfortunately, total inclusivity in workplaces is beyond our reach at this time. 

The world of design and architecture, much like any art form, serves as a beacon of expression and celebration of culture and identity. The ways in which this is expressed has surfaced significantly over the past few decades, where the voices of various LGBTQIA creatives are pushed to be heard and understood. Equality in their work is truly what’s valued, and is achieved through pushing the boundaries surrounding generalized ideas of how space is interpreted. 

Some of these designers are highlighted here and celebrated for their voice in bringing due change and representation.

A.L. Hu

A.L. Hu works at the nexus of gender justice and architectural labor as a queer, non-binary designer of color. At Ascendant Neighbourhood Development in East Harlem, they are now working to provide sustainable and equitable housing for New York neighborhoods. 

With a Master’s in Architecture form Columbia University, alongside a B.A. in Architecture and a minor in sustainable design from the University of California, Berkeley, they also operate an online network for LGBT+ designers named ‘Queeries,’ and collaborate with an organization called ‘Design as a Protest,’ which works to eliminate inequity in design (Rethinking the Future).

If you’re interested in following their pursuits, here is a link to their website (hover your mouse over this sentence).

Sawyer DeVuyst

As a transgender man, this bicoastal model, actor, artist, and founder of Saw (2010) has designed the spaces of a few considerably notorious establishments. DeVuyst’s furniture makes its appearance at the Wythe Hotel, Etsy Headquarters, Chad Dickerson, Amazon headquarters, BCBG, Kate Spade, and Willoughby General. His contributions not only add a pop of modernism and playfulness within commercial spaces, but provide a sense of representation to those who resonate. 

His website outlines his personal and professional journey beautifully, found by hovering your mouse over this sentence.

Jane Greenwood

Jane Greenwood, co-founder of the Lesbians + Gay Architects and Designers group, is an outspoken champion for LGBT inclusion in the architectural and construction sector. 

She was named one of ‘Out’ magazine’s most influential people of the year 2017 and is a well-known figure who has successfully influenced change by advocating for equality in all areas and ensuring that people from all walks of life, regardless of gender, age, or race, are included and respected in the workplace.

The powerful advocating voices of various designers and architects such as these are truly what the world needs to hear, not just in the world of design and architecture, but across all platforms. Their role contributes to a greater cause by helping others feel seen, heard, represented, and accounted for. 

A big thank you to members of the LGBTQIA community for allowing the space for us to celebrate and discuss the cause and efforts made to elaborate on ways to encourage inclusivity and representation. Happy pride!

269,000 tons of it floats upon the surface, and beneath it, around 4 billion plastic microfibers occupy the deep sea (National Geographic). 

Those numbers do continually fluctuate, but within the past few centuries (mainly since the industrial revolution and upon maintaining global mass production), it has grown significantly and continues to poison our oceans’ ecosystems. 

Over half of the world’s oxygen is produced by the ocean. It absorbs fifty times more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere. Heat is self-regulated among the ocean and between the poles, ensuring climate and weather patterns (N.O.S.). It houses over one million different species, of which sustain the world’s largest ecosystem, each element relying on the next for environmental support. 

The fact that there are nearly 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris floating around aimlessly in the ocean, carelessly polluted by humans, is posing a tremendous threat to the world’s largest ecosystem, known as the ocean. 

When it comes to marine pollution, however, where exactly does design come into play?

It was mentioned by Allied Market Research that in 2019, the plastic furniture market size was valued at $14,593.1 million, and is forecasted to hit $19,075.3 million by 2027. Now, are Steelcase Sit-Stands sitting at the bottom of the ocean? What about a Gesture Chair? Probably not. However, when furniture (or any plastic) ends up in landfill, it undergoes weathering, erosion, or are exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun. These factors combined contribute to breaking down plastic into microplastics. 

Microplastics are where it gets tricky.

They’re not biodegradable, so once they end up in the environment, they stay there. Over the past few decades, microplastics have been found in oceans, freshwater ecosystems, in our air (as dust and airborne particles), in more than 114 aquatic species, and even in the human bloodstream. 

When they come into contact with marine life invertebrate sea animals such as crabs and other crustaceans, they mistake it for food. Upon their consumption, they are likely to consume less food, thus leaving them with less energy to execute their daily life functions. 

As microplastics work their way up the food chain of marine life, from zooplankton to large marine predators, it is highly estimated that neurological and reproductive toxicity will occur. The consequences of pollution are immensely harmful, potentially damaging food chains to an unimaginable level (Britannica). 

An ecosystem cannot function properly if one element is out of place, so when we observe the millions of microplastics intruding a once natural-flowing ecosystem such as the marine environment, we suspect catastrophic damage. 

Now that we understand how microplastics form and can grasp their immense damage to various ecosystems, we can question solutions: what’s left for us to do? 

There are ocean cleanup nonprofits such as Ocean Cleanup, which aims to clean up 50% of plastic waste in the ocean in the next five years. For the furniture industry, there are various solutions.

One of them is us, Reseat. We offer second, third, and fourth life cycles for furniture that’s meant to last, reducing the amount of furniture waste that goes into landfill. We aim to offer full reupholstery services within the next few years as well, with ways to properly dispose of the waste.

There are furniture manufacturers, however, who create products both meant to reduce waste from the start and last a long time. 

One of those manufacturers is Humanscale. 

If you haven’t already become familiar with Humanscale and their products, allow us to introduce the two of you. 

Reader, meet Humanscale. 

Humanscale is a manufacturing company whose headquarters lies in New York. Creating net positive products and receiving a plethora of sustainability certificates, Humanscale offers a chair called the Ocean Chair, available in styles “Smart” and “Liberty.”

Its mesh is made from nearly two pounds of reclaimed fishing nets. They also make a point to emphasize their Net Positivity, indicating that by being produced, the product provides clean energy and water. 

Manufacturers such as them are what the design industry needs more of, utilizing more of what we already have rather than creating more products we likely don’t necessarily need. 

And when you’re done sitting in your chair, sitting at your desk, filing your papers away in your file cabinets, we’ll be here to find your things a second home and prevent your built-to-last furniture from going to landfill.

In case you weren’t in the loop about the commercial furniture and design industry’s most famed event, allow us to familiarize you. It’s a trip, believe us. 

NeoCon is the commercial design industry’s most important event of the year, and has been since 1969. It’s an incredibly fantastic event held in Chicago, Illinois, platforming ideas and new innovations that will help change the commercial environment for decades to come. New designs such as fabrics, flooring, furniture, and technologies are showcased here. It provides a space for the design industry to connect and exchange ideas. 

Despite awards being distributed, it’s not by any means a competition. It’s simply a showcase for the commercial design industry, celebrating all ideas, all contributing to the new ways we can collectively make office spaces around the world a better one. 

This year, NeoCon was held between June 13th and June 15th. More than 400 companies showcased their innovations between those days, bringing fresh ideas to the table. 

Reseat’s appearance, however, was truly a landmark in the commercial furniture industry world, redefining innovation in itself, showcasing not new product, but pre-owned gems and a platform to buy and sell them.

Reseat was recognized by NeoCon in three different categories within Innovative Technology:

• Silver Award
• Innovation Award
• Sustainability Award

Following NeoCon, two more awards followed, including a Business Innovation Award and being voted as a Metropolis Magazine Met Likes winner. Though unexpected, all of them remain recognition we’re grateful for. 

Founder and CEO, Brandi Susewitz, had a few comments about Reseat’s experience at NeoCon 2022:

“Starting this company in 2020, we had no idea what was going to happen,” she remarks. “Surely we did not expect to have been recognized on a multitude of platforms, let alone receiving five awards from major sources.” 

By no means are we here to gloat; rather, we take pride in our successes because they yield a source of credibility to our platform. What once started as a question has now come full circle in providing a legitimate source for users to buy and sell their used products. Our platform contributes to a greater cause for the users, landfills, and the earth. 

Reseat’s experience at NeoCon this year was by far one of the greatest opportunities for us to expand our platform and make new connections. 

We had the opportunity to further discuss ways to expand the Reseat ID, a tool developed to log inventory at the point of purchase. When you buy from Reseat or from a partnered manufacturer, you receive the ID at point of purchase, which contains the piece’s backstory in its entirety. 

This includes previous owners and locations, any re-upholstery done to the piece, and any damages or repairs. This way, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting, and what the backstory is. 

We also got the opportunity to discuss further developments, of which are extremely exciting.

Culture in the Workplace

When a workplace reflects the culture of its workers, those employees are more likely to thrive. This topic isn’t particularly in regards to world culture; rather, it pertains to the company’s values, goals, and reason for being. 

A workplace should reflect those that work there, alongside their goals and values as well. Achieving a workplace that is desirable by a mass group of people can be difficult, but one will find that the efforts are very much worth the results.

But why does it matter?

A study found in the Journal of Engineering and Technology Management by Robert F. Hurley reflected group culture and its correlation to new ideas and innovation. 

Tested at a group level of analysis among 8,969 individuals, all part of the development agency of the United States Government, their observations confirm the hypothesis that innovation and productivity was boosted when the idea of maintaining a culture was emphasized among the groups (Robert F. Hurley). 

Many other studies demonstrate the effectiveness of maintaining a positive culture within the workplace, and have supported the notion of its benefits. 

For example, maintaining a positive culture within the workplace has not only boosted employee innovation and productivity, but satisfaction, drawing in talent and retaining it,  and overall well being of the employees. 

Though culture differs between companies, it’s crucial to take the time to develop a cohesive workplace culture that will promote positivity and overall satisfaction. Ideally, the culture should be developed while remaining cognizant of the individual culture that exists amongst employees.

Design with Culture in Mind

There are a plethora of things to keep in mind when considering culture-motivated design. 

As interior workplace design begins to reflect collaboration, socialization, and teamwork of its employees, it’s vital that those designs remain consistent in efforts to maintain employee satisfaction and productivity. 

In a modern office layout, we may find a lot of collaborative additions, such as open office spaces, larger tables, and other shared spaces. This, in a way, forces those in that space to interact with each other, further fostering a collaborative culture. 

To introverts like myself, this social layout sounds rather unappealing; however, we might also find privacy booths scattered throughout the workplace, alongside dividing panels and walls that can separate the space and provide privacy without making the space look compartmentalized. 

If you recall my article on how to utilize Feng Shui properly in the workplace, you might recollect mention of scattering greenery throughout the workplace. It not only produces productivity, but in this context, provides an attractive barrier or severance between spaces.  

In light of providing privacy, it’s crucial to also recognize that sound can be an invasion of sorts. Minimizing the amount of sound that flows throughout the space can also be a great way to uphold a workplace’s culture. As mentioned before, dividers and other panels between individual workspaces can be a great addition. Meeting spaces with closed doors and soundproof glass are ideal as well.

Mental Health Advocacy

Mental health advocacy is also a crucial part of maintaining a positive workplace culture. As the stigma surrounding mental health discussions fades, it’s a great idea to provide spaces where employees feel like they can take care of themselves. After all, these are the individuals who are producing work for the company; it’s only right to make sure they feel taken care of. 

Spaces such as breakout rooms, game rooms, or outdoor spaces are highly desirable in an increasingly mental health-positive workplace.

Choose the Right Seat

Let’s not play musical chairs when it comes to picking out your workplace’s furniture. For a company like Reseat or any other environmentally conscious company, pre-owned or re-upholstered furniture might be your go-to. If your company runs off of collaboration and idea-sharing, pick out some group seating, rolling task chairs, and some sit-stand desks. 

Other design factors such as color choice and decoration are important to consider as well. A quirky color palette alongside some oddities scattered throughout the workplace might reflect more of a fun, modern environment than if you were to stick to neutral tones and traditional furniture. 

It’s important to make these decisions while keeping the goal in mind to build a work environment that reflects the company’s culture.

Takeaways

Factors such as color choice, furniture, layout, and mental health advocacy are just some important elements out of many that contribute to a positive work environment culture. By maintaining these, you can attract and retain employees, fulfilling their needs as not only a workforce, but on a human-to-human level as well. 

Picture this: you just got this incredible Cesca chair second-hand, its iconic design ready to flaunt in the office. Then you see it: a massive stain right on its original fabric, plus, it doesn’t quite match the vibe of your space. Do you hit it with some Mr. Clean, or do you attempt to D.I.Y. and re-upholster it yourself?

Luckily, you bought it from Reseat (that’s us, hi there). 

With some inquiry through Reseat, you can get it reupholstered to resemble the chair of your dreams. This means that we’ll take your chair as it is and strip it down. With the textile of your choice, we will reattach an entirely new fabric, good as new, by way of Oakland-based reupholstery service Kay Chesterfield. Here’s a link to their website.

Need convincing?

Only 9% of the raw materials circulating through the global economy gets reused. 12.2 million tons of furniture waste went to landfill in 2017. 2 million tons of furniture is burned annually for energy, releasing carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere (we definitely don’t need more of that).

Buying second-hand already deserves a pat on the back. Look at you, reducing waste and the amount of scrap furniture that goes into landfill. Reseat is currently expanding our reupholstery services so that no matter where you’re based, we can get you covered (or get that chair covered, too). 

If you do find pieces that you love, especially those that take the shape of a sturdy, iconic design, but want to tweak the appearance a bit to better suit your space, you have that option. 

You can maintain the framework of a piece and simply tweak the textile. Yay for personalization! You’re expanding the lifespan of the piece as well, reducing the amount of framework waste that enters landfills.

In many cases, you can also make the furniture more comfortable, especially if it’s a chair or sofa that’s been sat in one too many times.

What’s our credibility?

When I sat with CEO and founder, Brandi Susewitz, she gave me a brief rundown of how it works.

Reseat collaborates with Oakland-based company, Kay Chesterfield, for all of our reupholstery work. 

Here’s a link to their website. 

An important note to make, however, is that these services are only offered locally. Susewitz points out, “we are only offering it locally but plan on expanding nationwide once our network is in place.”

Reseat is also working towards more automated reupholstery processes, meaning that users may also add these services to their cart for an additional cost.

Let me introduce you to Kay Chesterfield, Inc.

As previously mentioned, Kay Chesterfield is based in Oakland, California. Founded in 1921, this woman-owned business was coined by Sam Kay and further maintained by Mr. Kay’s son and daughter-in-law, Marvin and Lois Kay. 

The current president of the company and now fourth owner, Kriss Kokoefer, has maintained the Kay Chesterfield mission of upholding sustainable options in the furniture industry. They partner with contract industry designers, furniture dealerships, and other global companies and institutions.

They are a Certified B Corporation, meaning that they are recognized for their social and environmental performance. The City of Oakland formally highlighted Kay Chesterfield as one of the city’s most innovative Small Business Entrepreneurs as well. 

Some of Kay Chesterfield’s projects include companies such as Apple, Adobe, Cisco, Google, Kaiser Permanente, Netflix, San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco State University, Stanford University, University of California Berkeley, and many many more. 

All information on Kay Chesterfield was referenced from their website. Hover to check it out.  

At Reseat, we look forward to sharing our mission of reducing waste alongside our Bay Area-based reupholstery partner and encouraging consumers to use what they’ve already got! 

Reduce waste, and while you’re at it, make it look good.

Yep, it’s national work from home day.

June 30th is National Work From Home Day, and considering the sudden shift to working from home upon the pandemic onset in 2020, we’re now questioning whether or not it’s a preferred lifestyle. 

Pre-pandemic, only 3.6% of American employees worked from home. Amidst the first few months of the pandemic, however, more than half of American employees shifted to making their home their workplace for 20 or more hours per week (Global Workplace Analytics). 

Today, we get to observe the varying preferences amongst the workforce. Do some detest the thought of working from home, or is it a preferred way of living?

Let’s look at some statistics.

According to an Owl Labs survey:

• Post-pandemic, 92% of people surveyed expect to integrate working from home at least one day per week.
• 80% expected to work from home at least three days out of the week. 
• 50% of people surveyed indicated that they’d likely choose an employer who offered remote work as opposed to employers who do not. 

An HR workplace benefits consulting firm, called Mercer, surveyed 800 employers and found that 94% of those employers noted work-from-home productivity either stayed the same or increased since the uprise of work-from-home lifestyle (SHRM).

So it looks like people, for the majority, savor the schedule they maintain for themselves in working from home. In fact; they seem to prefer it. But are they productive? 

Is it better this way?

Remote workers encounter less distractions of a shared office environment, no commute, and also are granted freedom to maintain their personal life more than they normally would.

When people have the ability to spend time with their family, get their body moving, and pursue an overall higher quality of life, they can balance their work-life dynamic. Job satisfaction has more to do with than just the job itself; it’s got a lot to do with how much this job allows you to be a human being, which includes maintaining productivity at work alongside at home. How can you produce high-quality work if you don’t take care of the vessel that actually does the work (that’s you, by the way)?

Don’t take it from us, take it from yet another survey report by Owl Labs, which suggests that remote workers reported being 22% happier than workers who stayed strictly in an onsite work environment. 

It’s clear to us that having the option of remote work is increasingly popular amongst employees and is a key in employee retention. A hybrid working model is also a viable option. 

But what if you’re having trouble balancing your work-life balance? Here are two solid tips for maintaining a good balance between your home life and working-from-home life:

Take a break.

This can mean several different things, and quite honestly, I’ll suggest taking what resonates with you and works best for your schedule. 

Go outside, get some fresh air, take a few minutes to draw, to breathe, to stretch, to finally clean that weird corner in your bedroom that collects clothing. 

A lot of the time, when we persistently push, push, and push our work out striving for maximum productivity, it drives our mind into a cloud of absent-mindedness. By taking a break, we can reset this cloud and drive it out instead of letting it collect. Come back to work with a fresh mind!

Get a schedule going.

Set times that you will do your work, and times that you will take a break to do whatever you need to do. 

It’s good to solidify those so that you can set boundaries with people who might ask you to share your time with them. It’ll also help you with keeping yourself and your work in check. 

Hopefully, your understanding of the new normal has expanded and better solidified. Working from home isn’t nearly as intimidating as it may be made out to be after all.

Happy working! (and break time, and scheduling, and family time, and exercise, and mindfulness, and eating…)

For many of us who were left unaware, July is Disability Pride Awareness Month!

Though not technically a nationally recognized holiday, Disability Pride Awareness Month encapsulates the wide spectrum of disabilities held by those who don’t have as loud of a voice as their able-bodied or neurotypical peers. It provides a space for those voices to not only be heard, but uplifted and embraced. 

Amplifying these voices is incredibly important considering the immense deprivation of representation throughout millions of day-to-day lives, and can be found lacking in employment, education, any leadership position, media, and many more areas where representation of any kind can be explored. 

In all honesty, I did not know that Disability Pride Awareness Month was something that existed; I’d never heard of it before. This surprised me considering I myself am a disabled person. Though, upon becoming aware of its existence, embarked on a researching task to familiarize myself with it, and hopefully act as an academic buttress throughout this article. Plus, I get to tie it into design while I’m at it.

Disability Pride Awareness Month Tidbits

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed on July 26th, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. It essentially warrants civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination, guaranteeing that people with disabilities will have the same opportunities as all others in participating in everyday American life (United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division). 

This newfound pride month also has a flag that corresponds with the notion that voices of the disabled community are vital to a functional and inclusive society, designed by Ann Magill in 2019. Each of the five colors represent the variety of needs and experiences among disabled people, including mental illness; intellectual and developmental disabilities; invisible and undiagnosed disabilities; physical disabilities; and sensory disabilities.

Disabilities and Design

Thoughtful design is essential in the design world not only because it draws a wider spectrum of talent and candidates, but also aligns with the strong-held belief that inclusive work environments fuel representation and allow the space for people to feel seen, heard, and understood. Upholding that belief is something vital to the ever-evolving workplace and the world we live in, as thoughtful design should empower individuals and incite inclusivity.

Maintaining Thoughtfulness

It is probable that many employees may hold an unconscious bias about their disabled peers. So how can we, as members participating in the design world, uphold this all-embracing notion? 

By familiarizing yourself with not only the importance of Disability Pride Awareness Month, but understanding how you can help your disabled peers, you can do your part in sustaining an inclusive environment. 

“Helping” varies between individuals, so it’s important that if you do see an opportunity to help, that you ask politely; never assume they need help. Instead, offer it and then ask about the ways in which your help would be most efficient and effective for them.

It’s also important to understand the rights of those with disabilities as protected under the ADA so that you can easily spot an unjust situation and take necessary action if applicable.

Mindful Design

In design specifically, however, there are many elements that could make the workplace more accessible for those with disabilities, whether seen or unseen. 

It’s also important to note that more than one disability can exist within a person at once. So, providing an environment that is inclusive to a wider range can truly make a drastic difference in your workplace culture. 

Utilization of modern technology is a fantastic tool when creating an inclusive workplace. Technology yields the path of least resistance for those with disabilities. Some examples include electrical wheelchairs, color-coded keyboards, accessible and accurate braille displays, assistive listening devices, and speech recognition (Thrive). 

For those with wheelchairs, providing spacious pathways are also a must in the workplace, alongside the inclusion of ramps, handrails, and automatic-opening doors. It is possible that other individuals with alternate disabilities might find these factors an efficient element in navigating the workplace. 

Other design choices that may lend a hand to those with more so unseen disabilities include quiet rooms, white noise machines, privacy booths, alternate working spaces, or an outdoor space to decompress.

When we take into account the varying needs of human beings alongside considering lifestyles that don’t necessarily resonate with our own, we can contribute to a society that functions on a scale of mindfulness and inclusion. Going forward, this notion is essential to creating an all-encompassing, representative environment for all.