In our line of work, we hear all of the arguments for and against the open office plan. That's why we don't push for open offices. Instead, we tell our customers to provide choice and flexibility. This means listening to your employees and providing settings and spaces that are right for them. Every office is different, and should be designed based on how we as individuals work. That said, providing choice and flexibility can - and most likely will - result in a mixture of private and open settings.  But, how do you truly make your employees feel happy about their environment? And, what is their biggest complaint?

The cost of real estate is rising substantially. Unsurprisingly, offices have become smaller and smaller. Workspaces need to be more efficient than ever before to make the best use of every square foot available. When it comes to outfitting your real estate with all the things it needs to become a great space, from furniture to flooring to technology, there are generally three tiers of workplace scenarios you have to choose from. These are your good, better, and best solutions.

Herman Miller's high-performance work chairs empower the body, so people stay comfortable as they work. Natural balanced movement, total spinal support, and a dynamic fit combine to give each chair the DNA it needs to perform. Learn more about these eight chairs you need to know!

This 20-year-old entrepreneurial company had outgrown their space. When planning their move into a new facility, they knew they wanted it to be a state-of-the-art place that reflected who they are and what they do for their clients. They needed space for creative work to happen, with an open design that allowed for both privacy and collaboration. Additionally, they wanted to plan for anticipated growth in the years to come.

Ergonomics means “fitting the job to the worker.” It’s the science and practice of designing jobs and workplaces to closely match the capabilities and limitations of the human body. Ergonomics helps to decrease muscle fatigue and discomfort, increase quality of work and life, and, perhaps most importantly, reduce the number and severity of injuries.

The mission at YWCA Columbus is to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. It's an organization that focuses on breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for women and families – not just in critical moments, but every single day. The historic Griswold building in downtown Columbus, Ohio houses the YWCA Columbus Center for Women, which provides permanent supportive housing for women struggling with disabilities and chronic homeless-ness. It’s also where an administrative staff of 60 provides services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for residents. As a 90-year-old building in constant use, the time had come to make some much-needed updates to the space. Through a year-long renovation project we helped to bring this LEED-certified building into the 21^st century, while maintaining the integrity of this special structure from the early 1900s.

You sit more than you sleep.

We recently had the chance to talk with Tim Straker, VP of Marketing and Global Customer Experience at Herman Miller, about what the client experience is, why it's so important, and how everyone in an organization can impact it.

As I travel around the country talking with educators about learning space redesign, I hear of some schools successfully transitioning into 21^st century learning spaces while others are struggling. In the successful schools the educators are seeing positive results in the new spaces; in the other schools the educators are becoming frustrated. In some cases they are even facing opposition. So I began to ask myself, “What are the common points I’m seeing in the schools that are successful? What do educators need to know to accomplish this shift?” Here are some answers.

At NeoCon 2017, Herman Miller and designer Yves Béhar unveiled the future of office design with Live OS. It’s an app-based system that brings robotics into offices by connecting workspaces to people’s changing needs throughout the day, empowering them to work smarter and healthier. This customizable system consists of cloud-connected furnishings, an app, and a dashboard to gain an understanding of evolving humans that use it. The end goal is to make constant adjustments to ensure a happy, high-performing workforce. At its core, it’s designed to measure the effectiveness of a space and optimize it for workers.