Interior Fit Out Guidelines for Effective Companies

Introduction

A vast number of people work in offices of one kind or another. They may be offices in buildings purpose built or attached to a factory or in business premises. For many self employed business people the office is a room in their home converted for that purpose. Solicitors, doctors, estate agents and insurance agents, in fact any business that you can think of, works from some kind of office or another. You might even say 80% of the adult population work in an office. But I wonder how many of those people have any say in what kind of office they have and whether or not it suits their requirements. Mostly when someone new joins a company or firm, they are given a space for their office usually left by the previous incumbent. I suspect that if you asked occupants how they would like their office to be they would find it difficult to tell you.

When you think of the number of hours we spend in an office, at least eight hours per day and sometimes up to sixteen hours if it’s a busy period. Yes people are allowed out for breaks and rest times, but it is an awful lot of your life cooped up in small space. If at least a third of one’s working life is to be spent in an office, then it makes logical sense to ensure the environment is as comfortable, pleasant and as healthy as possible.

So how much thought goes into the planning of workspaces?

Where a building is purpose built such as an office, then the architects I am sure will have created good designs to suit the purpose. However, it has been known for new buildings to be problematic for the people working it them. For instance, synthetic materials used for carpeting can sometimes give off toxic fumes which cause allergies or illness of the staff. Air conditioning that relies on recycled air has the potential to carry bugs that can lay the whole office off at the same time. So there are many factors to consider in creating an office environment to ensure the staff are productive, creative, energised and remain healthy.

Old buildings, originally built for other uses, when converted to office space will have different problems to resolve. Often old buildings have very high ceilings where the heat rises up so that the inhabitants below are cold yet the heating bills are going through the roof, literally!! How to maximise the space available to provide a comfortable working environment will be a real challenge and this is where often the use of a mezzanine floor and suspended ceilings are valuable.

It is a well known fact for any business that happy workers give better performance and generate more revenue than unhappy workers. The workforce are more motivated, creative, helpful and have less time off work for illness if they are happy in their jobs. I am sure there are statistics available for these details, but moreover, as an employer, you have a legal responsibility to provide adequate working space, light, ventilation and other legislative requirements with regards the workspace. An office fit out specialist will be able to advise you in these areas.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of workplaces and the equipment used, to achieve the best design for comfort, safety, efficiency, and productivity. Research has been carried out over the last few years at Nottingham University on office space allocation issues.

Workspace planning is fast becoming a specialist industry because of all of the current regulations and legislation. Formerly known, in the UK as the Factories Act and now known as the Health and Safety Executive regulations are in place to ensure that employees have sufficient working space in which to perform their work. This can be a potential minefield including such things as physical space, usable space, corridor spaces, and minimum light and ventilation regulations. If you are about to commence on an office refurbishment project ensure that your interior fit out specialists of conversant with all of these regulations before you engage them to perform your work.

What are the Criteria for a good office environment? We are sentient beings, which mean we respond with feeling and perception as well as intellectually to our surrounding.

Seeing

The first thing to consider when commencing an office refurbishment project is how does it look? The initial impact on us comes from what we see. The decor and arrangement of furniture, the window aspect and lighting are important in our perception of whether or not it is pleasing to the eye. Does the office have all the necessary equipment, computer, phone and sufficient storage for files and books etc? Plants create a sense of balance in the space as long as they are discreetly positioned and don’t make it look cluttered. Plants are oxygen generators and help to refresh the air.

Smell

On entering a new place the first thing we take in is the scent whether we pay attention to it or not. We notice immediately if the air is stuffy or if there is an unpleasant smell such as sweaty bodies. However a pleasant fragrance or no smell at all will be inviting. Baker shops nearly always pump out the fresh smell of baked bread into the street to entice people in to buy the goods. So although we may not be aware that smell plays an important part in our responses, we are still animals and we do use our olfactory senses a great deal more that we realise.

Feel touch

How does the furniture feel? Plastic seats can be very uncomfortable to sit on for a long time. Plastic does not breathe, it draws moisture from the skin so that when you stand up your posterior will be damp and uncomfortable. Padded fabric is warmer than leather for comfort and not as expensive. The desk chair needs to be the correct height for desk and give suitable support, a computer needs to be set correctly to avoid neck and wrist strain of the operator.

The temperature in the surroundings is best if it’s not too warm and not too cold. Also when organising on office refurbishment job remember that people work best at a temperature of around 20 degrees centigrade, so temperature planning is also important.

Too warm and we become sluggish and sleepy, too cold and we become distracted and use up valuable energy keeping warm. Fresh air is also beneficial to stimulate the brain cells.

Sound Hear

What can we hear? Is it noisy or quiet? When I was first starting out in business, I went to visit a local manufacturing company to learn about the way they managed their business. At lunch time I was taken into the executive dining area where there was a waitress service and we had a very civilised lunch. Later I was taken to the works canteen. When we walked in I was hit with a blast of noise such as I had never experienced before. The hall was large with a very high ceiling and nothing to damp down the echo. The result was that everyone ended up shouting to be heard and there was loud music playing as well. I was shocked, not just at the noise level but by the contrast between the executive dining room and the workers canteen. I had come from an business which treated all members of the company the same so there were no executive areas and everyone, high and low mingled together for meals and break times. Guess which company had the better worker relationships and higher output?

Where a company utilises an open plan office then noise levels can be very distracting and one solution is to incorporate ‘White Noise’ which is a low level background noise to interfere with the general office talk going on over the phone or mini meetings. Sometimes quiet relaxing music is introduced as background noise but this is not normal in a business place.

Taste

Well we are not going to go around licking the furniture, but another important consideration is to ensure that a there is an area to enjoy a nice coffee or tea away from the desk throughout the day. So is there a pleasant area for making drinks and preparing snacks, or even lunch facilities alongside the office. I once worked in an office where they had a small kitchen area off the main office for making drinks and snacks and there was always a bowl of fresh fruit for employees, as the company recognising the refreshing effects of fresh fruit.

Workspace planning

So as you can see there are many things that can make the work environment a pleasant place to be. However getting the original layout and size of spaces for the employees is a complex process.

How much area does each individual need to work in? According to the Officewise publication from the Health and Safety Executive in the UK employers must provide a minimum of 11 cubic metres for each person permanently occupying a workplace. However there are all sorts of exceptions and caveats to this rule, such as making sure the space is usable space, and clearly if that space were under the stairs with no windows, or ventilation then it would not be suitable. So it is very important to ensure that your new office fit out adheres to all of the current legislation with regards to workspace laws.

By using suspended ceilings the industrial fit out specialists make good use of otherwise dead spaces which makes the installation of services easier and more cheaper. Electrical supply, air conditioning units, water pipes and telephone cables can all run behind the suspended ceiling making access easy if anything goes wrong and repairs need to be implemented.

Positioning of the electrical and telephone outlet is also important. The computers used in offices today all require their own electrical supply even if they are networked with the system.

External light from windows is a requirement for offices. The days of the cupboard office cubbyhole are gone. Light airy spaces make people feel good and doses of sunshine each day lift our spirits. However too much sunshine will overheat an office so the use of vertical blinds is recommended to deflect the rays of the sun without reducing too much the level of illumination.

Costs

To save on office space costs some industrial fit our specialists have come up with the idea that instead of having a board rooms for meetings they have their meeting standing up around a special tall coffee table. This reduces the amount of time spent in meetings and the space is reusable for the lunches. Other schemes encourage employees to work from home for part of a week and utilise a system of desk sharing or moveable desks.

Reconfigurable spaces

Another way of economising on the cost of office space is by careful rearrangement of the existing floor area. There may be dead areas which could be released and turned into useable space. The installation of new interior partition walls can rearrange the existing space to create a friendlier working environment. Sometimes working in an open plan office is beneficial for communication between staff, other times it is a distraction and prevents efficiency. So having the option of both open space and separate offices provides the full range of options which can be easily introduced with new partition walls.

For example one of my clients, took over a set of offices and had various walls moved, so instead of it having two small offices, one without a window, they created one large office for the MD and a really good sized store room which they needed for long term storage of customer files. They then took out another partition and made a good size open plan office space and rearranged another wall to create a board come conference room. Also access to the little kitchen was changed to be more convenient. The choice of subtle colours on the walls and new vertical blinds caused the whole suite of rooms to be transformed into a pleasant and airy working area. Where there is plenty of ceiling height the introduction of a Mezzanine floor generates valuable areas perhaps for storage, private meeting rooms or extra offices.

Other thoughts in workspace planning, is the situation of facilities such as kitchen, toilets, relaxation areas and outside space if available. Sometimes the introduction of a simple partition can create a relaxation/dining area without losing too much of the work area.

All Health and Safety regulations are paramount they have to be adhered to in the workplace and must be incorporated into any plan along with full fire regulations.

Conclusion

Many organisations may feel that upgrading the facilities is a ‘nice to have’ idea and the reality is that it usually comes at the bottom of the list on money allocation. However this is erroneous thinking; office refurbishment is never a waste of time or money. Creating a pleasant office environment by upgrading worn out or old fashioned surroundings and furnishings will make a big difference to the working life of the employees. Improved working conditions may be only part of the picture in achieving real job satisfaction, but it is a good start in the right direction. It also says a lot about what the senior people in the organisation think about their employees. If they ensure that their staff are given the necessary equipment and facilities to do their job effectively then the employees will give better service and can be more efficient and there will be a better working environment all around.

2008, 2009 State Income Tax Filing Forms for All States

Every year we must file our federal and our state taxes. You will only have to file one federal return but depending on what states you have worked or lived you may have to file more than one state tax return.

Employees - If you have just worked in one state you will only need to file a state return for that state, but if you have moved or worked in another state than you must also file a return in that state as well.

Property Owners – You may also need to file another separate state tax return if you have some type of income property in another state. It is very important to do some research on the rules of the state that you have either lived or worked in as different rules apply to income property and the amount of income earned from that property.

Students - If you are currently a college student living in a separate state from your parents be sure to find out if they are still claiming you on their taxes. If they are still claiming you as one of their dependents you will be classified as a resident of your parentʼs home state.

Every state has different tax forms that you must complete before the tax deadline. There are many different software programs such as TurboTax that offer all of the necessary forms you may need to file a return for the states you have worked or resided in. Each state has different taxes and different names for each of these so it is very important to find the right forms that you need to fill out.

If you have lived, worked, or earned income in any state, please visit TurboTax Online to find all of the necessary tax forms. TurboTax online offers free tax calculators and can help you figure your estimated tax return.

TurboTax has tax forms for all 50 States;
Alabama AL, Alaska AK, Arizona AZ, Arkansas AR, California CA, Colorado CO, Connecticut CT, Delaware DE, District of Columbia DC, Florida FL, Georgia GA, Hawaii H, Idaho ID, Illinois IL, Indiana IN, Iowa IA, Kansas KS, Kentucky KY, Louisiana LA, Maine ME, Maryland MD, Massachusetts MA, Michigan MI, Minnesota MN, Mississippi MS, Missouri MO, Montana MT. Nebraska NE, Nevada NV, New Hampshire NH, New Jersey NJ, New Mexico NM, New York NY, North Carolina NC, North Dakota ND, Ohio OH, Oklahoma OK, Oregon OR, Pennsylvania PA, Rhode Island RI, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee TN, Texas TX, Utah UT, Vermont VT, Virginia VA, Washington WA, West Virginia WV, Wisconsin WI, and Wyoming WY

Practical Tips

Top Three Family Maryland Attractions Destinations

Have your friends chosen wherethey want to go on your summer vacation?  You are not alone, most families have not yet decided where they want to go.  It can be a quite time consuming process to discover that perfect vacation plan, so check out the choices for your Maryland attractions.  You will find lots of options and it certainly will not be an easy decision!

However, if you are careful and take the time to do some planning, it will make your summer vacation exciting and one of those “family stories” that you will treasure forever.  The most common mistake people experience is first selecting a “destination.”  The best vacations begin when you first choose “what you want to do”!  Do you want to go hiking, surfing on a beach, playing and relaxing at a park, or touring cultural or historical attractions?  By deciding “what you want to do” to start with, you are off to the best start of selecting that perfect family vacation destination!

Now that you know “what you want to do” – you can sift through the various tourism destination areas and discover those ideal attractions that you want to go see or do.  By taking a short time planning, you can also find those destinations that include a number of attractions that are interesting to both you and your whole family.  Online Maryland travel guides are useful that can help you find comprehensive information about activities that are more detailed than a short attraction name and address.   Since you know “what” you want to do and “where” you want to go, a professional high quality online Maryland destination guide will provide you a quality article detailing each attraction to help you make an educated decision about what you want to do and where you want to go.

Here are 3 Maryland vacation alternatives that you may want to consider:

Idea #1: Visiting the College Park Aviation Museum. The College Park Aviation Museum, located in College Park, Maryland is an affiliate of the Smithsonian. The museum offers something for everyone who is interested in aviation history.

The museum sits on the grounds of the longest continuously operating airport in College Park. The airport was founded in 1909 when Wilbur Wright of the Wright Brothers traveled there to give flight instruction to the very first military aviators. The airport is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Idea #2:  The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore has Plenty to See. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, formerly called the Baltimore Zoo, is located in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland. The zoo opened in 1876, and is considered the third oldest zoological park in the United States.

Idea #3: The Ocean City Boardwalk is Fun for Everyone. The Ocean City Boardwalk, located in Ocean City, Maryland is one of the most popular places to visit for those who come to relax in the beautiful city. The Travel Channel even called the Boardwalk one of the “Best American Boardwalks,” and is was recently called one of the top 10 boardwalks by USA Today.

As you have discovered, you have a wide choice of options available to you when it comes to selecting that perfect family vacation getaway.  Take your chance to plan carefully what you want to do and where you want to go.  Select a professional travel guide to help you on that perfect Maryland tourism.  And you will know that you will experience a family vacation with a lifetime of memories.

Health Benefits of Noni Juice

Noni Juice has been credited with assistance with numerous health conditions. It can increase mental clarity and attention span, as well as allow greater physical performance levels. It also benefits the following important systems of the body:

Immune system. Supports the immune system’s natural ability to fight off disease and infection.

Circulatory system, tissues, and cells. Noni Juice is a superior antioxidant that helps cleanse the body of harmful free radicals. Noni Juice also increases energy levels.

Digestive system. Noni Juice helps support proper digestion and helps you absorb more nutrients at the cellular level.

Skin and hair. Noni Juice contains components that are specifically important to the well being of your skin and hair. It also helps carry beneficial substances directly to the skin.
 
Not all Noni Juices are the same. You mostly get what you pay for. Cheaper and poorer quality Noni juices can cut corners by using rotting Noni fruits, diluting it with water or juices, using poor processing methods, and dealing with bacterial problems by irradiation and fumigation and using unsanitary storage containers.

Is There Any Evidence of Healing?

Innumerable people’s testimonies, as well as health professionals, have reported miraculous, life-changing health improvements as a result of using Noni. Neal Solomon, M.D., Ph.D., Maryland’s first Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene and a New York Times best selling author, has compiled research studies that indicate significant health improvements as a result of Noni use.

Such conditions include:

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
CANCER
DIABETES
STRESS
KIDNEY PROBLEMS
SLEEPING PROBLEMS
ECZEMA
PMS & MENSTRUAL CRAMPS
ARTHRITIS
ASTHMA
GASTRIC ULCERS
INJURIES
DEPRESSION
SENILITY
POOR DIGESTION
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS
BLOOD-VESSEL PROBLEMS
EYE INFECTIONS
DRUG ADDICTION
PAIN
ANTIBACTERIAL / ANTIPARASITIC
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
ANTIOXIDANT
 
WHAT ARE THE MAIN USES OF NONI?
We spoke about how noni boosts the immune system. This leaves us with four other main areas that noni is used with:
1) Analgesic
2) Antibacterial, antifungal & antiparasitic agent
3) Antioxidant
4) Anti-inflammation

The health benefits of noni juice are numerous and researched.  Try some Noni Juice today.  I did and I felt better within one week.  My arthritis pain has almost gone completely.  It also cuts my appetite, so I am able to lose weight without a whole lot of effort.  

Disclaimer
The consumer health information presented here is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a supplement regimen.