Workspace Solutions Announces Opening of Premier Coworking Space in Fort Wayne

coworking space fort wayne

Fort Wayne, IN – Co-llaborate, co-create, co-mingle, and co-work at Ft. Wayne’s newest Coworking Space by Workspace Solutions!

For over 40 years Workspace Solutions has been helping businesses in and around Northeast Indiana create and furnish office spaces. Owners Brent Stoller and Mike Hunter know what furniture businesses need to be productive and how to design a space where people want to work. Keeping in line with their motto, ‘We Create Spaces,’ they’ve designed and furnished thousands of office spaces from private offices and collaborative areas to conference rooms and lobbies. Now, they’re excited to announce the opening of their newest creation, Fort Wayne’s newest coworking space on May 1, 2019.

Optimally located on the north side of the city, just off the I-69 corridor, this new space offers 2,000 square feet of well-designed workspace filled with some of the best office furniture in the industry. The new shared office space will give entrepreneurs, students, engineers, freelancers, and startups a place to do business as well as a dedicated business address.

If you’re an entrepreneurial nomad or freelancer in search of a dedicated workspace without a long-term lease or if working from home or a local coffee shop isn’t working, Fort Wayne’s newest coworking space has just what you need.

The new shared office space offers members open seating, free parking and WIFI, a free coffee bar, a conference room, collaborative areas, and phone booth rooms for private conversations. They also offer dedicated spaces and a limited number of two-person offices.

“Fort Wayne is a hotbed of creative thinkers, innovators, and futurists,” says Hunter. “We not only want to give these local entrepreneurs and startups a low-cost place to work, we want to give them a place to connect, collaborate, and grow their business.”

  • Monthly rates start as low as $100, and there is no long-term commitment.
  • Premium membership at $150/mo offer a dedicated chair, desk, and locking cabinet
  • A two-person office is only $450/mo and provides a dedicated chair, desk, & locking cabinet, separate locking door to space, a sign with your company name, and a 3’x4’ glass-marker board.

Workspace Solutions’ Coworking Space opens May 1, 2019 at 2208 Production Road. Schedule a tour or reserve your space at CoWorkingFortWayne.com or by calling (260) 422-8529.

Alloy Benching – Desks & Workstations

Define Personal Space, Encourage Interaction

Alloy Benching by National Office Furniture bridges the gap between personal offices and open plan spaces. Alloy Benching offers standard, standing-height, or adjustable-height desk options, multiple-configurations possibilities, base color choices, and various electrical solutions allowing you to easily tailor it to fit your needs.

Fixed height powered units feature an integrated trough for easy plug and play capabilities and cord management. Add desktop grommets to further expand power, data, and technology management options. With power and data options within arm’s reach, Alloy facilitates a hub of activity within individual work zones.

 

 

4 Office Trends for 2017

office trends 2017

What’s Up and Coming in the world of Office Design

Well, 2016 is officially over and 2017 is already off to a great start! In order to provide our customers with the latest and greatest productivity-maximizing technology, Workspace Solutions is always at the forefront of the ever-changing world of office design. Because of that, we’ve put together a roundup of the top 4 office trends you can expect to see in 2017!

1. Technology Integrated Furniture

One of the biggest trends that we’re seeing more and more of each year is the inclusion of all varieties of technology in the workplace. As technology keeps rapidly improving and shifting, we can expect our workstations to complement and support our devices. For example, wireless cell phone chargers have been and will continue to be incredibly popular in the workplace. It’s entirely within the realm of possibilities that the near future will see a boom in charging docks integrated right into the desktop or workstation.

2. Wellness-Centered Furniture

The past few years have seen a substantial (and much needed) interest in employee well-being. As studies continue to show links between heart disease and the sedentary lifestyle common with office jobs, offices are taking an active approach to taking care of their employee’s well beings. Not only does this mean safer, more ergonomic furniture, but we can also expect to see an increase in the popularity wellness-centered office furniture, including standing-height desk adjustable-height desks.

3. Integration of Natural Elements

Along with the physical wellbeing of employees, companies are also becoming more aware of their employees mental and psychological wellbeing as well. One way companies are attempting to improve workplace morale is by integrating more natural elements in their office design. A popular trend we’ve seen in offices is bringing the outside in. This doesn’t just mean having a few more plants around, but companies are beginning to use natural themes in their design plans. This ranges from using reclaimed wood, to water features, natural lighting, and more. The utilization of natural elements can have amazing effects on your office’s morale, productivity, attitude, and overall happiness, just to name a few.

4. Open Plan Designs

Fortunately, the traditional “cubical farms” of old are on their way out the door. They’re being replaced my open-plan office designs and natural themes. Something crazy is currently happening in offices around the country – and that is the welcoming of Generation Z. 2017 and the next few years will be the first years Generation Z-er’s will be a part of the office culture, which is actually a really good thing. Generation Z has a different attitude when it comes to workplace productivity. With the imminent transition of Generation Y, we can expect to see traditional cubicles being replaced by open concept designs, which encourage collaboration, communication, and teamwork while improving office morale.

One popular trend we’re seeing is a café-style seating system where employees can open their laptops wherever they like and set up camp there for the day. Studies have actually shown substantial evidence in support of a more mobile workstation. Not to mention, the amount of work-from-home employees is on the rise, which means it won’t be long until we see a further shift away from cubicles and desks in general.

The Latest Office Furniture at Workspace Solutions

Workspace Solutions in Fort Wayne, Indiana has some of the latest and greatest office furniture options available. We have exactly what you need to bring your workspace into 2017! We also have experienced office designers on hand that can help you plan your next move or remodel! If you’re looking to improve your workplace productivity or utilize any of these new office design trends, give us a call today (260) 422-8529!

New Year’s Resolution for the Workplace

new year's resolution for work

New Year’s Resolutions: Making the Workplace Better for Everyone

Goal setting at work happens all year long: setting deadlines, sales targets, and giving the team milestones by which to mark their progress. Resolutions — and what better time than the New Year to make them! — are more qualitative than quantitative. Resolutions can help improve the workplace environment and employees’ attitudes which can lead to improvements in the bottom line!

Setting New Year’s resolutions at the workplace can bring the group together as they define their vision of what’s important for them at work. Once resolutions are agreed upon, decide on some steps to help get you all there together. The important thing is to be realistic, and choose resolutions that you can begin to take immediate steps toward.

Here are some popular workplace resolutions for 2017 to give you ideas of what may benefit your organization.

  • destress: encourage breaks from work — even brief “take a walk” or “do some stretches”; or set up some “yoga at your desk” workshops; or initiate monthly on-site pizza parties; anything to break up the routine and get people moving around
  • declutter: establish some official time for office and files cleanup; implement policies to cut down on printed paperwork; set up more recycling bins.
  • be positive: officially and regularly acknowledge good work or good attitudes; encourage each other to see the good in others and show appreciation; when compliments are passed on, encourage they be passed on to an employee’s supervisor as well

Other resolutions suggestions?

  • have healthier food options at work
  • communicate better
  • reward employees for exemplary work
  • help staff learn new skills

Ask your employees or your team to come up with a list of two or three — together!

The New Year is the perfect time to think about ways that each of us can help improve our work lives and workplace. You may be surprised at the big impact little changes can have for everyone!

Workplace Stress: Holiday Edition

ways to reduce workplace stress during the holidays

Stress at the workplace can occur all through the year, of course. But the holidays can really intensify any existing work-related stress — and create new stressful situations if we aren’t careful. The overall busyness, long work hours, over-spending, over-indulging of the holidays — not to mention dealing with traffic, end of year deadlines, and cranky customers — can wear anyone down. Add to that the rush to get work done before taking time off for the Holidays.

All hope for happy holidays at the workplace is not lost, however. Here are some simple suggestions to help lighten stress and improve moods around the office this time of year:

  • offer yoga sessions — many yoga instructors offer office-specific programs that don’t require mats or yoga clothes
  • bring in a massage therapist to give lunchtime neck and back massages
  • designate one day a week as a late start (or early closing) day; or allow other increased flexibility to staff’s schedule
  • institute a less-formal dress code, or even have a contest for tackiest Christmas sweater
  • reconsider deadlines, if possible, in light of the holidays
  • provide fruit trays or veggies and hummus in break rooms to give options besides the cookies and candies that will be swamping the office
  • encourage everyone to drink water (which keeps all of us healthier and cuts down on holiday weight gain) and donate to charity the money they would have spent on soda or coffees
  • show appreciation of how hard everyone is working – whether you are a boss, a colleague, or an employee — genuine compliments can be the best Christmas gift of all

A little fun, a little relaxation, a little kindness — all will help everyone at the office be happy, healthy, and enjoy the holidays (and work) a little bit more

How to Stop Being Busy and Start Being Productive

busy vs productive

Stop me if you’ve heard this conversation before:

You: “Hey (friend), it’s been a while! How have you been?”
Friend: “Hi (friend), I’ve been great – super busy!”

Can someone please tell me when the American culture decided that busyness is synonymous with success? Many people will happily and proudly admit to being overworked and stressed out! Somewhere along the line, we learned that if you’re not up to your eyeballs in work, then you’re doing something wrong. However, the simple fact is; that’s simply not true. There’s a HUGE difference between being busy and being productive.

What does it mean to be busy?

Of course, accomplishing tasks is an amazing thing. But if we’re not careful, our productivity reaches a peak, and then rapidly begins to decline. As a culture, we tend to fill our lives with never-ending to-do lists, multi-tasking, and high-stress levels. But we love stress! We know that stress leads to success, so we gladly overfill our calendars and stress ourselves out because we know that success lies at the end of the road. We thrive on the idea of over-caffeinating ourselves, buckling down, and pushing ourselves to the limit. Quite literally, busyness is a drug!

 

What is Productivity, Anyway?

On the other hand, productivity is a bit more than looking busy. Productivity measures the actual success of your labor, which makes it much more valuable in the long-run. Productive people put a bit more thought and care into the tasks they are taking on. Maximizing productivity in your workplace can do wonders for your business’ success!

Stop Being Busy, Start Being Productive

Now that we’ve explored the differences between being busy and being productive, we can start to focus on what it means to actually become productive in our work. Here are a few tips that will help you maximize your productivity and minimize your stress!

1. Stop Multi-Tasking

Study after study has shown that multi-tasking is the biggest productivity killer of all. When you spread yourself too thin, you begin to sacrifice quality on all of your projects. There’s no such thing as a good multi-tasker. Focus on what is deserving of your immediate attention, and then devote your time to finishing that task before moving onto something else.

2. Start Saying No

Busy people love to take on new projects. The more projects, the better. Because of this mindset, busy people have a hard time saying no. The next time you are approached about taking on a new task, rather than blurting out “yes” right away, be sure to take some time to think about what this project entails. Don’t be afraid to say “Let me sleep on that.”

3. Remove Distractions

Besides multi-tasking, the second biggest productivity killer is distractions. Immediate distractions such as noises around your office space are only the beginning. Most people are also constantly fighting internal distractions like what you’re going to do after work, or worrying about other things on your to-do list. Figure out which distractions you struggle with and be intentional about removing them from your life! Only focus on one task at a time – those other tasks can wait.

4. Stay out of your emails

Checking your email every time you get the alert notification not only interrupts what you’re doing, but also forces you to change direction to another project that just appeared in your email. Instead, turn off the sound notification and only check emails after the completion of a project or no more than once every hour.

5. Don’t Do. Think.

This idea might be counter-intuitive to what you know about productivity, but the fact is: productive people take life a little slower. Rather than hurry through a task, stop and put together a plan of action that will help you complete the task not only quickly, but successfully. Have you ever been halfway through a task, only to realize that you made a mistake early on, and now you have to go back and do it all over again? People who take the time to do a job right never have to go back and start over.

Office Furniture & Productivity Specialists

At Workspace Solutions in Fort Wayne, Indiana our slogan is “We do more than sell office furniture.” We also take pride in our mission to help businesses increase productivity and efficiency. Along with selling office furniture, we also have a team of experienced office designers that can help you put together a workspace that maximizes efficiency and productivity each and every day!

Contact us today to discuss your office and learn how we can help your team increase their productivity.

Star Trek Office Supplies

Love Star Trek? Then you’ll love these Star Trek office supplies that will help you celebrate its 50th anniversary in style while dressing up your space… Check out some of our favorites that will take your office where no office has gone before!

star trek pens

What’s more logical in an office than pens? This Star Trek Floating Pen Set from ThinkGeek are perfect for jotting notes during less than thrilling office meetings and include the Star Trek 50th logo and comes in a 50th-anniversary tin.

 

star fleet academy certificate

What lame school’s did your co-worker’s graduate from? Harvard? Yale? Big deal! They’ll all be jealous when they see this Starfleet Academy Graduate certificate proudly hung in your office. This certificate, exclusive to ThinkGeek is even signed by Captain Hikaru Sulu, Commandant, Starfleet Academy!

 

captains log notebook

This Captain’s Log mini notebook with charts and inspirational quotes is perfect for jotting down important notes and observations.

 

star trek badge holder

Add some style to your uniform with this Star Trek insignia ID badge holder.

 

star trek led light

This USB powered Star Trek Enterprise LED light is the perfect addition to any desk. Press the button to illuminate the ship in either red, green, blue, yellow, purple, teal, or white. Beam me up, Scotty!

 

star trek paper clips

Keep all of your Starfleet Directives neat and tidy with these Star Trek Paper Clips featuring the NCC-1701 and the Delta Shield.

5 Tips for a Fun and Effective Workplace

creating a fun office environment

Employees who enjoy going to work undoubtedly have better morale, are more likely to stay longer at their jobs, and to really give it their all. A positive work environment — including making room for some fun — also goes a long way in attracting new talent. Of course, fun aside, work has to continue to get done in a productive manner. Here are some tips on how to create a fun and efficient office environment.

  1. Plan and allow time for fun
    Encourage small break times for employees to disconnect and refresh their minds allow a few minutes at team meetings for employees to get to know each other organize a recurring happy hour. Have an office-wide, family-friendly event: an outing to a ballgame or day at the zoo reward goals being met with department- or company-wide parties, like a Friday afternoon ice-cream social or a Monday morning donut spread.
  2. Have a space to “reboot” 
    Make the lounge space or coffee bar area more appealing with comfortable chairs and furniture that can easily be moved around and reconfigured. If you have outdoor access, set up chairs, tables, and umbrellas to encourage spending break time outside (fresh air does wonders for an overworked brain!)
  3. Allow workspaces to be personalized
    Encourage employees to decorate their space to make it their own. Help them be more comfortable in their workspace by offering ergonomically adjustable chairs, footrests, desks, add-on keyboard trays, task-specific light fixtures, a variety of filing systems, etc.
  4. Encourage interaction and collaboration
    Design (or redesign) the office layout to encourage movement and collaboration. Reconfigure team spaces to allow for better sharing of space and technology and encourage meetings in common office space.
  5. Support work/life balance
    Allow for flexible schedules or occasional telecommuting. Provide access to healthy snacks and encourage physical activity (maybe a FitBit “steps” contest?)

Happy and appreciated employees are more dedicated to their jobs and more encouraging to each other. Additionally, a cooperative and fun office environment has been proven to generate fresh ideas and encourage more creative thinking. If these ideas appeal to your goals for your workplace, visit our office furniture store in Fort Wayne or Warsaw. We also have office furniture specialists in Indianapolis. We are experts in office design, layout, and furnishings and offer the latest in products to support a more efficient (and fun!) work space.

How to Make the Most of Summer When You’re Stuck at Work

ways to make the most of summer

Can you believe it’s already August? The Summer has gone by so fast that we still haven’t done all of those Summer activities we planned to do back in May. Fortunately, we still have some great weeks ahead of us, and even though we’re stuck indoors at the office, we can still make the most of the last few weeks of Summer.

Bike to Work

One way to take advantage of this beautiful season is to bike to work. This is a great way to maximize your outdoor time, and get some great exercise in! This is especially easy if you work in Downtown Fort Wayne. Most of downtown is very bike-friendly. Bike lanes line most of the streets and a bike rack is never too far.

Take Breaks

Even if your job requires you to be tied to your desk most of the day, it’s not too hard to make an excuse to go outside. Be sure to take short breaks every couple of hours to get up and walk around. This will help you be more productive and avoid Dormant Butt Syndrome. Use this time to walk around the parking lot. Even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time, GET OUTSIDE!

Eat your Lunch Outside

Another great time to be outside is your lunch break! If you typically pack your lunch, take it outside! If your workplace doesn’t have outdoor seating, then drive to the nearest park and enjoy some quality outdoor time there! Bring a co-worker and enjoy a quick game of frisbee.

Or, eat outside at one of our local restaurants. Here is a guide to some of the best places to dine al fresco in Fort Wayne.

Being outside for even an hour a day can dramatically improve your overall attitude and well-being. Plus, it’s the best way to make sure you make the most out of your summer!

Open a Window

There’s nothing worse than being stuck inside your office on a beautiful day – especially if your desk is right next to a window. Staring out at the gorgeous, blue skies can be torture. Next time you’re stuck inside the office, open the window and let the warm weather in for a few minutes! Feeling the warmth on your skin and hearing the birds chirping is a surefire pick-me-up.

Work Outside

Have you ever heard the saying, “if you can’t beat them, join them?” Well, the best way to make the most out of your summer is by getting outside. If you can, bring your laptop and work outside! Go to a local park, coffee shop or restaurant and take advantage of their outdoor dining. (Most places even offer free WiFi!)

Just because you’re stuck inside doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to enjoy your Summer and make the most out of summer while it lasts!

Make Your Butt Smile

Vion Office Chairs by Global

comfortable office chairs

You spend approximately 40 hours a week sitting at the office on your butt. That’s 2,400 minutes or 144,000 seconds sitting in your office chair. If you’re going to be sitting on your butt all day, make sure it’s happy!

With Global’s new line of Vion office chairs, your butt will be sitting like a king with exceptional comfort adjustments and mid and high back models with mesh or upholstered backs with ergonomic features that will make backs happy too! Vion offers an expansive seating series with over 24 models to address multiple applications including:

  • task chairs
  • management chairs
  • conference chairs
  • guest seating
  • heavy duty 24-7 seats
  • guest seating, heavy duty 24-7 seats
  • drafting stools

Vion is no ordinary office chair. Its unique back provides
exceptional comfort throughout the workday. Add the optional lumbar support and optional memory foam seat and you just might never leave your workplace.

Custom Office Chairs

What’s best is that Vion lets you customize your office chairs. Choose from over 25 different models:

vion office chair models

Then make it yours with by choosing from 5 different mechanisms, arm options, back and seat options, frame finishes, and base options. You can also choose from unlimited color options to match your brand and your style.

vion chair color options

Environmentally-Friendly Chairs

And, Vion is Level 3 and Greenguard Gold certified. They’re manufactured in an ISO 14001 facility and backed by Global’s Lifetime Warranty. Good environmental
management is included with every Vion. Can you say win-win?

Vion Office Chairs in Fort Wayne

A custom office chair that is environmentally-friendly, offers ergonomic adjustments, and is easy on your bottom line will put a smile on your face while its comfort will make your butt happy! Visit Workspace Solutions today to learn more about the Vion chair by Global – an excellent choice for any butt!