There seems to be a new trend in office décor and design – hip, fresh, even quirky and funky – that’s sweeping the corporate world. And while this trend may be resulting in offices that are anywhere from lush and lavish to downright comfortable and homey, few of them take ergonomics in mind. All those fun couches and cool conference tables forget that using a tablet or laptop while seated may require a very non-ergonomic head and neck posture. All those whimsical overhead lighting fixtures make for some glaring harsh light pouring down on your desk.
While not ALL new office designers seem to have thrown ergonomics to the curb, we find the lack of ergonomic mindset disturbing. So, in order to help you do it “right” while still doing it “stylishly”, we’ve collected some of the hippest, hottest office designs that have kept ergonomic elements intact. Who knew proper body alignment could look so good?
1.) Interior Environments, Novi, MI
Leave it to an interior design firm to get ergonomics right! Notice the plethora of natural light, supplemented by the small pendulum overheads. While the overheads provide light to the workspace, they aren’t the glaring fluorescent lighting found in so many workplaces. Also, each worker has been provided with an ergonomically friendly chair for their workspace, and a raised monitor for their workstation. No more sore backs or stiff necks here!
2.) Civic Center, Newport Beach, CA
When the City of Newport Beach needed to revamp their office space, library and city garages, they did so with style, sophistication, their surroundings, AND ergonomics in mind. The natural light of Southern California’s perpetual sunshine pours throughout the building. The pendulum lighting again provides enough light when and where needed without eye-straining glare. And look, the conference table even features our ergonomic side chairs from Herman Miller. How’s that for having your employees and your guests’ best interests in mind?
3.) 9mmedia, NYC, NY
An app development company’s employees spend a LOT of time on their computers at their desks, plugging away at their code. And that was certainly taken into account by the owners and designers of the office space for 9mmedia in New York City. All of the lighting can be controlled by your (well, an employee’s) smartphone, so that dimming and brightening can be individualized. Each desk features an ergonomically designed desk chair and workspace. Raised, large monitors are featured in every workstation, and just in case you need to unwind at the end of a hard day, there’s a company bar at the back of the building. I’ll have a double (of ergonomics), please.
4.) LinkedIn, Sunnyvale, CA
You’d expect a business-related firm like LinkedIn to know how to do an office space right, in terms of ergonomics and employee safety. And by all accounts, they have. We even found one of our Jobri Kneeling Chairs in a photo taken in their California headquarters. While their lighting could use some work, at least we know they have their employees’ best interests in mind when working at their white boards.
5.) Pandora, Chicago, IL
When it comes to knowing what you want in music, Pandora Internet Radio has you covered. When it comes to knowing what employees want in comfort and safety, Pandora Internet Radio has them covered as well. Their Chicago headquarters was designed with both music, and the ones who bring that music to the net, at the forefront. Every, let me repeat that, EVERY workstation is outfitted with Herman Miller ergonomic furniture. Natural light surrounds the workstations, so there’s always adequate, but never harsh, lighting. And with the style and sophistication of a classic blues tune, the office and its employees keep humming along.
Whether you’re designing your corporate headquarters, or turning that spare corner of the kitchen into headquarters for your own little home-based business empire, the office spaces above should prove that you can be stylish, fashionable, even trendsetting, and still keep the comfort and safety of your workers a priority.
Leave it to an interior design firm to get ergonomics right! Notice the plethora of natural light, supplemented by the small pendulum overheads. While the overheads provide light to the workspace, they aren’t the glaring fluorescent lighting found in so many workplaces. Also, each worker has been provided with an ergonomically friendly chair for their workspace, and a raised monitor for their workstation. No more sore backs or stiff necks here!
2.) Civic Center, Newport Beach, CA
When the City of Newport Beach needed to revamp their office space, library and city garages, they did so with style, sophistication, their surroundings, AND ergonomics in mind. The natural light of Southern California’s perpetual sunshine pours throughout the building. The pendulum lighting again provides enough light when and where needed without eye-straining glare. And look, the conference table even features our ergonomic side chairs from Herman Miller. How’s that for having your employees and your guests’ best interests in mind?
3.) 9mmedia, NYC, NY
An app development company’s employees spend a LOT of time on their computers at their desks, plugging away at their code. And that was certainly taken into account by the owners and designers of the office space for 9mmedia in New York City. All of the lighting can be controlled by your (well, an employee’s) smartphone, so that dimming and brightening can be individualized. Each desk features an ergonomically designed desk chair and workspace. Raised, large monitors are featured in every workstation, and just in case you need to unwind at the end of a hard day, there’s a company bar at the back of the building. I’ll have a double (of ergonomics), please.
4.) LinkedIn, Sunnyvale, CA
You’d expect a business-related firm like LinkedIn to know how to do an office space right, in terms of ergonomics and employee safety. And by all accounts, they have. We even found one of our Jobri Kneeling Chairs in a photo taken in their California headquarters. While their lighting could use some work, at least we know they have their employees’ best interests in mind when working at their white boards.
5.) Pandora, Chicago, IL
When it comes to knowing what you want in music, Pandora Internet Radio has you covered. When it comes to knowing what employees want in comfort and safety, Pandora Internet Radio has them covered as well. Their Chicago headquarters was designed with both music, and the ones who bring that music to the net, at the forefront. Every, let me repeat that, EVERY workstation is outfitted with Herman Miller ergonomic furniture. Natural light surrounds the workstations, so there’s always adequate, but never harsh, lighting. And with the style and sophistication of a classic blues tune, the office and its employees keep humming along.
Whether you’re designing your corporate headquarters, or turning that spare corner of the kitchen into headquarters for your own little home-based business empire, the office spaces above should prove that you can be stylish, fashionable, even trendsetting, and still keep the comfort and safety of your workers a priority.