space-pod : creating productive commercial interior workspaces

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noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:38:00 GMT

Our NEWS & PORTFOLIO blog has moved. Please click the image below to go straight there. Thanks.

Have you got what it takes

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 9 Oct 2013 17:13:00 +0100

We're growing and are on the look-out for a creative freelance Interior Designer.

If you think that you've got what it takes to work with space-pod - it would be sweet to hear from you!

Freelance Interior Designer

Skills :

> Autocad, Vectorworks, Google Sketchup, Photoshop, Site Survey

> We are looking for an experienced, motivated designer to work on small and large scale commercial office interiors.

> To have good Autocad technical skills and good design and creative ability.

Location: Bourne End / High Wycombe

No Agencies – Must be local to the area

For more information contact Andrew on 08704 321515 or alternatively email Andrew.porter@space-pod.co.uk

Space Saving by maximising new technology

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 2 Oct 2013 15:25:00 +0100

Home Working & Mobile Working mean less space is now required in the traditional office environment.

To date, home working has not been widely implemented across public and private sectors in the UK - however drastic budget cuts will inevitably force a reappraisal of the wider introduction of home working as the immediate need to do more with much less is forcing organisations to look at ways of improving their performance with less resource.

A recent BIFM study has shown that 61% of organisations are actively encouraging remote and flexible working for all staff. Increasing numbers of employers are looking to relocate their staff away from expensive corporate environments as a further way of releasing yet more space.

With the considerable improvements made in mobile, wireless and fixed line technology; and the massive investments in fibre, bandwidth, server capacity, device capability, cloud computing and unified communication, the digital world is increasingly being seen as the place of work, with the consequent rise of people working in the ‘clouds’ or a ‘virtual office’.

Home and mobile working is all about offering both employers and employees choice and empowerment around where and when they work, as long as the job can be done – a culture that has meant removing the artificial measures of success, such as time and attendance, and focusing on results and performance.

Evidence shows that flexible working gets the best out the work force; some workers have shown a 30% increase in productivity and on average, home workers devote 40% of the time they save commuting to and from work on other things and 60% on their work. They are also more likely to work longer hours too. An increase in home working and flexible working practices has opened up a whole new, previously unavailable, workforce to the public sector and corporate sector – the part time worker - many of whom make a positive contribution to the productivity of the organisation. This helps to bring a more socially inclusive employee to the marketplace and allows the employer make greater savings with less resource.

It is no longer sustainable to employ twentieth century working methods in modern British organisations; flexible working means more responsive, efficient and effective organisations based on a more balanced, motivated and productive workforce.

This is at the core of what space-pod does and we have already helped many SME's and larger organisations to maximise their working spaces (in the traditional office space, the mobile working environment and the home office), whilst also achieving some notable productivity and working environment improvements.

To find out how, just fill-in a few details on out contact form and let's talk!

Find out more here: new social ways of working

How to put 'roundy' humans into 'squarey' boxes

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 13:37:00 +0100

Commercial space is a battleground. It’s a battle between ‘roundy’ humans and ‘squarey’ objects.

Humans are not square in shape, however most pieces of paper, books, desks, cupboards, and computers have a good deal of square edges and tend to end up, well squarish! If our office space only needed objects, ‘squary’ offices would be a great solution. Unfortunately there are normally lots of humans and not only are they ‘roundy’ they tend to move about too.

So we have a battle between contrasting demands of the contents of our office buildings. The lazy solution is to tend towards ‘squary’ and fit humans into it. We say lazy because it’s not really a solution, it generally will cost more, be boring, and not work. But its easy and requires no skill to speak of to produce ‘squarey’ designs. ‘Roundy’ designs do take some effort because they make ‘squarey’ things fit into them, but they are often stylish, they are attractive to humans as they are both ‘roundy’! They can be very cost effective as there are few square corners of offices that cannot be filled, so they can have a high density.

At the heart of ‘roundy’ designs is the basic element of workplace design – the curve.

The best example of a piece of office furniture with a curve is your chair! Generally there are lots of curves in a good chair. To create a good design the curve is used, but not necessarily on objects, but to create the space between objects.

A small office with a round table could have round walls, the curves create the space.

Maybe you have to be a bit feminine to get that, but any blokes reading this – just think, what can we use the square corners of offices for anyway?

Get your FREE ebook:
The 7 Rules of creating special commercial space for your head office

... or how to put ‘roundy’ humans into ‘squarey’ boxes

This ebook has been created to help those thinking about relocation or refurbishment of a Head Office, or where an injection of flair and style is required.

Every project is ultimately judged on whether it stands out and delivers on every level.

This FREE, 12-page ebook is a simple to understand guide, which highlights the 7 Rules to follow to ensure that all salient issues are considered and that you don’t end up with an expensive square box full of desks!

Was your office refurbished over the Bank Holiday?

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 11:37:00 +0100

One of our customers came back to a refurbished office today!

Out-of-hours office churn is the term that we use for moving, refitting and refurbishing occupied office environments at a time when they are not being used, usually at night or over the weekend.

how we did it

First, we planned everything to the finest detail using project planning tools, including spreadsheets, drawings and schedules of exactly what we need to do and where we need to do it. Then, to carry out the whole process to the letter, our highly experienced office churn team sprung into action at 5pm on Friday. Our teams are multi-skilled, so there’s never any waiting around for a particular tradesman. We work in carefully co-ordinated shifts around the clock to continually keep the project moving forward.

We took care of everything including IT de-commissioning and re-commissioning, decorating, waste recycling and disposal, plus all those crucial housekeeping items that are easily overlooked. To ensure it all went like clockwork, we have our own vehicles and warehousing support.

By first thing this morning (Tuesday) we were done and dusted, so that staff could arrive at 9am and start work straight away in their new workspace.

Here's the BIG win for busy property professionals

We can often design an implementation plan that doesn’t require 'swing space' and will often deliver the whole project with each person only moving once, to their final positions.

This reduces costs significantly by avoiding temporary moves, plus the staff experience of no temporary decant is always popular.

So if you need to move or re-furbish your office space but can't afford to lose any staff productivity during the work - contact space-pod today.

You can dance if you want too...

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 13:47:00 +0100

A dance studio is inherently full of sound; Instructors' voices, music, stomping feet... all can create a noisy space.

Most dance studios with their mirror-lined walls, large open spaces and hardwood or tiled flooring suffer from poor acoustics. With so many hard surfaces sound waves bounce off and back into the room. This bouncing is known as echo or reverb and so often, these types of spaces have severe flutter echoes. As a result of problematic acoustics inside the dance studio space, the tendency is to turn the volume of the music up much too loud, shout louder and probably annoy the neighbours!

Space-pod provides a breadth of expertise in the construction of dance studio acoustics - ranging from new build construction to renovation and retro-fit work to help solve these acoustic problems.

A dance school can be a difficult acoustic environment to get right, however we have all the experience and expertise that you will need.

... and of course, as you can see from the picture above - we test everything thoroughly, when we've finished!

To find out more CLICK HERE >

Then call in the experts on 08704 321 515.

Steelcase renews partnership with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 15:54:00 +0100

Steelcase, the global leader in the office interiors industry, has renewed its partnership with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).

CSP and Steelcase continue to work together, with Steelcase being an approved partner of the CSP in recognition of their ergonomic design and capabilities within the UK.

Mark Spragg, Managing Director of Steelcase UK, said: “Steelcase and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy both share the same commitment to research and wellbeing in the workplace. For example, Steelcase research shows that employees who work within supportive environments where they are seated comfortably and ergonomically, are more likely to feel valued and less likely to suffer from emotional and physical problems that can result in absenteeism and reduced productivity. We really value the input and support the CSP have provided over the past two years and look forward to continuing this relationship."

James Hale, Marketing and Communications Director for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said:
“We believe it is vital employers do all they can to ensure the work environment is safe and comfortable for employees, especially given that office workers spend an average of more than six hours in front of a screen on a typical working day*. Steelcase products go a long way in achieving this goal. We are proud to partner with Steelcase, a company that is dedicated to the importance of good ergonomics and designing furniture for the way we work today. We look forward to the year to come.”

About Steelcase

For 100 years, Steelcase Inc. has helped create great experiences for the world's leading organizations – wherever work happens. Steelcase and our family of brands – including Steelcase® and Coalesse® – offer a comprehensive portfolio of furnishings, products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic and environmental sustainability. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including approximately 650 dealers. Steelcase is a global, industry-leading and publicly traded company with fiscal 2012 revenue of $2.75 billion.

* Opinium Research carried out an online survey of 2,010 office workers for the CSP from April 27 to May 9, 2012.

To Find out more about Steelcase Office Solutions CLICK HERE >

About the CSP

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is the professional, educational and trade union body for the UK’s 51,000 chartered physiotherapists, physiotherapy students and support workers.
Visit www.csp.org.uk/moveforhealth for free CSP leaflets offering advice for staff and employers on how to keep healthy in the workplace.

Moving office?

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 15:01:00 +0100

A badly-planned and chaotic office move or business relocation can alienate your customers, frustrate your staff and be very expensive in more ways than just the cost of the office move.

For companies looking to move office, we’ve got the whole process down to a fine art, so you can take the office move in your stride and marvel at how wonderfully painless the whole process can be.

Whatever the scale of your office move project, we will provide a comprehensive ‘one-stop shop’, dealing with all the specialist suppliers and regulatory requirements from start to finish.

In fact, we can help at every stage of the office move process – even in helping you select the optimum new office site. We can then design it for maximum productivity, build it and move you in lock, stock and barrel with the minimum of impact on the day-to-day running of your business. And with our specialist out-of-hours office churn service, we can even do the moving overnight or over the weekend entirely for you. So you can sleep tight and know you’ll be ready for business first thing the next working day.

Think of us as your ideas people, your contractor, your project manager, your facility manager
and your removals company.

contact space-pod today to make your OFFICE MOVE go smoothly!

Clever room division

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 13:12:00 +0100

What is the best way to partition your office?

The simple answer is that it is different for every space and every office that we design and refurbish.

Our office partitioning creates space by dividing work areas logically to provide space efficient workspaces.

We design and install office partitioning systems and can manage every element of the system including lighting, dry-lining, suspended ceilings and flooring. Our stylish and versatile range of manufactured office partitioning systems provide attractive and economical solutions with acoustic and fire performance where required.

We will design and install a variety of fixed wall partitions, curved walls, glazing, storage wall, pod systems and movable office partitioning to create a stylish and space-efficient solution.

Whatever the scale of your project, we can provide a comprehensive ‘one-stop' service, dealing with all aspects of the project from start to finish inc. any specialist suppliers and regulatory requirements.

effective industrial unit refurbishment

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:21:00 +0100

How productive is your work space?

This is a question that we often ask as it demonstrates how you view your working environment and its effect on your organisations productivity.

People rarely perform well in an uncomfortable work space - whatever type of environment it is. The right use of space can make as much impact on your business as the right choice of people.

By listening to you and discussing how your workspace performs we can make simple suggestions that make a positive contribution to your productivity. These may be as simple as layouts or storage requirements. Needless to say, when we design an interior from scratch, we automatically design in productivity-enhancing solutions and we'll work closely with you to assess how effective your existing premises are.

Perhaps you are considering relocation, maybe you’verun out of space. We can do an initial ‘Occupancy Survey’ that looks at your current site against key criteria to establish if you do need to move or may in fact be able to remain where you are by re-stacking your current space or introducing new ways of working or taking advantage of space-pod off-site archival storage.

needs analysis

To ascertain your current productivity issues we investigate how your organisation functions, observing how people interact with their environment. After an initial survey we discuss our findings and ascertain how they compare to other organisations and procedures with a view to maintaining what works well and improving the areas that require input. This information is normally input into a document or drawing package that can then be used as a starting point for any other work that is required

adding space with mezzanine floors

Having purchased or leased your premises, why not maximise your internal volume by installing a mezzanine floor?
> Mezzanine flooring can double your space without doubling your cost
> Building a mezzanine floor allows you to double your workspace
> Minimal disruption to your business
> Each Mezzanine Floor is individually designed
> Experienced Mezzanine design and build team

Let us analyse your needs, evaluate your premises and show you how to get people and space working in perfect harmony.

READ MORE >

Add space with a mezzanine floor

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Thu, 6 Jun 2013 15:28:00 +0100

Having purchased or leased your premises, why not maximise your internal volume by installing a mezzanine floor?

Traditional high bay industrial units are ideal candidates for mezzanine floors and allow you to virtually double or even triple your floor space. We have extensive experience of installing mezzanine floors whether for storage or to create internal work space. As part of our space productivity planning, we are able to maximise your internal volume and provide specific solutions to your requirements.

MAIN BENEFITS OF SPACE-POD MEZZANINE
> Mezzanine flooring can double your space without doubling your cost

> Building a mezzanine floor allows you to nearly double your work space

> Minimal disruption to your business

> Each mezzanine floor is individually designed to your specific requirements and available space

> Space-pod has our own experienced mezzanine design and build team

Installing mezzanine floors in commercial buildings has several immediate advantages, maximising the available space being the most obvious. Utilising the height of a building rather than considering relocation, could also prove very cost effective.

In addition, the mezzanine flooring is classed as capital equipment so there will be the appropriate tax advantages. Finally, mezzanine floors can still be relocated at a later date and they are often not subject to local authority rating.

Mezzanine floors have a wide range of column grids to suit the operations on the ground floor and are available with a choice of load ratings, access staircases, handrails, loading gates and decking, the latter including particle board, steel plate or open steel mesh.

Building regulations approval is required for all such mezzanine installations, which we can obtain on the clients behalf and a full "turn-key" package can be provided including all electrical and mechanical services above and below the floor as well as partitioning, carpeting, lifts and small building works.

Call space-pod today on 08704 321515 to find out more about our mezzanine floor services and discuss your needs without any obligation or click here to use our online form.

Move or re-fit your office at night or at the weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:08:00 +0100

Every business wants to avoid staff downtime when they need to move or refurbish their business.

Out-of-hours office churn is the term that we use for moving, refitting and redecorating occupied office environments at a time when they are not being used, usually at night or over the weekend.

how we do it

First, we plan everything to the finest detail using project planning tools, including spreadsheets, drawings and schedules of exactly what we need to do and where we need to do it. Then, to carry out the whole process to the letter, our highly experienced office churn team would swing into action at 5pm on the Friday. Our teams are multi-skilled, so there’s never any waiting around for a particular tradesman. We work in carefully co-ordinated shifts around the clock to continually keep the project moving forward.

We take care of everything including IT de-commissioning and re-commissioning, decorating, waste recycling and disposal, plus all those crucial housekeeping items that are easily overlooked. To ensure it all goes like clockwork, we have our own vehicles and warehousing support.

By first thing on Monday we’re done and dusted, so that you and your colleagues can arrive at 9am and start work straight away in your new workspace.

Here's the BIG win for busy property professionals

If you find a good contractor with the right design ethos, they can often design an implementation plan that doesn’t require swing space and will often deliver the whole project with each person only moving once, to their final positions. Just imagine the cost reduction in avoiding temporary moves, and the user experience of no temporary decant for your personnel. Be careful here though because not all sub-contractors have the expertise to deliver this, its well worth asking the question when selecting your contractor and asking to speak to previous client’s to see how they deliver.

So if you need to move or re-fit your office space but can't afford to lose any staff productivity during the work - contact space-pod today.

music studio acoustic environments

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:23:00 +0100

Music studios require special attention when designed to perform well acoustically.

Musical studios are not simply about the actual recording facility - they're also about the space that the musicians occupy.

Performance activities range from playing, listening and composing in smaller group rooms to orchestral performances in larger rooms, and a music room can be anything from a small practice room to a large room for rehearsing and performing music.Space-pod provides a breadth of expertise in the construction of music studio acoustics - ranging from new build construction to renovation and retro fit work.

We work with our Clients to produce a full brief outlining their acoustic requirements before starting the design of any specialist musical facility.

We help our clients to deal the main problems associated with music studio acoustics; noise transfer between spaces, unsuitable reverberation times, flutter echoes, standing waves, and high noise levels.

To find out more CLICK HERE >
then call in the experts on 08704 321 515.

putting 'roundy' humans into 'squarey' boxes

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 3 Apr 2013 15:31:00 +0100

Commercial space is a battleground. It’s a battle between ‘roundy’ humans and ‘squarey’ objects.

At the heart of ‘roundy’ designs is the basic element of workplace design – the curve.

A small office with a round table could have round walls, the curves create the space.

Maybe you have to be a bit feminine to get that, but any blokes reading this – just think, what can we use the square corners of offices for anyway?

FREE ebook:
The 7 Rules of creating special commercial space for your head office

Why Steelcase furniture helps you feel good at work

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:12:00 GMT

Steelcase is the global leader in the office furniture industry - that's why space-pod works closely with them for many of our office refurbishment and redesigns.

But did you know:

> Internationally Steelcase has approximately 11,000 employees worldwide, manufacturing facilities in 28 locations and more than 650 dealer locations around the world.

> Steelcase is the global leader in the office furniture industry.

> Steelcase design and manufacture architecture, furniture and technology products. As workplace experts, they help space-pod to create a better working experience, by providing products, services and insights and researchg into the ways our customers work.

We work so well together because we are both dedicated to helping:
> people work more effectively
> organisations use space more efficiently

We do this by observing how people work, to understand the changing needs of individuals, teams and organisations.

Steelcase have been doing this for a long time:

Steelcase began in 1912 in Michigan, and received its first patent in 1914 for a steel waste basket. That led to metal desks, and they've led the way with product and service innovations ever since. Sustainability is embedded in everything they do.

So, whatever you need to accomplish with your workspace, space-pod and Steelcase can provide you with the environment and the tools to do it better, faster and more effectively.

To find out more about the Steelcase Range CLICK HERE

Here are some FREE Steelcase e-books:

collaborative working >

workplace ergonomics >

Budget 2013: Public sector budgets and staff bear brunt of chancellor's spending cuts

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:40:00 GMT

Chancellor George Osborne has announced even more PUBLIC SECTOR spending cuts in today's BUDGET 2013, which will mean that most departments will need to continue finding areas where they can cut costs or save money.

Public sector budgets and staff will bear the brunt of the government's crackdown on spending, with an extra 1% cut to Whitehall spending in the next two years and a continuing 1% pay cap for public sector employees.

In his Budget announcements on 21 March, chancellor George Osborne said central government departments' budgets would be cut by an additional 1%, after an £11bn underspend this year.

Departmental spending will be reduced by £1.1bn in 2013-14 and £1.2bn in 2014-15 - equivalent to a 1% reduction for most departments. The budgets for schools and health remain unchanged. HM Revenue & Customs is also protected from the extra cuts and there were no changes to existing allocations for local government and police budgets for 2013-14. Osborne confirmed that overseas aid will be 0.7% of national income next year.

financing your refurbishment, refit or relocation

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:21:00 GMT

For businesses moving or refurbishing existing space, budgets are often tight and limitations can result in projects being downsized or downgraded. Leasing is therefore an ideal way to overcome budget issues as payments are fixed for the period and it helps you budget effectively and manage your cash-flow efficiently.

Space-pod works with the UK’s leading finance company in the furniture and fit-out market and together we specialise in arranging leasing for customers buying office furniture and refurbishing their working environments.

THE BENEFITS OF LEASING YOUR OFFICE FIT-OUT OR REFURBISHMENT:

> Easier budgeting
> Management of cash-flow
> Flexibility to add to the lease as necessary
> Conserves capital and preserves existing borrowing power
> Rentals are 100% tax allowable, which means leasing can work out cheaper than paying cash!
> Payments come from a revenue budget as opposed to a capital budget
> Include all costs of an office re-fit in one easy monthly payment

Our finance packages can include ALL aspects of an office refurbishment, allowing one easy monthly payment for the entire project. We have significant experience in providing leasing solutions in this manner, and as such have a detailed understanding of the marketplace.

Typically our specialist leasing packages include the following:
> Desking
> Storage
> Air conditioning
> Audio visual
> Partitioning
> Cabling
> Carpets
> Electrics (including lighting).

Most businesses understand the benefits of refurbishing or refitting their working environments – the positive influence on staff morale, productivity and loyalty are well documented. However, the cost of a professional design and build project can often result in it being postponed or significantly downgraded.

"Leasing offers a cost effective way of spreading the cost over any period up to five years, which means the project can go ahead immediately but without the up-front capital expenditure".

> space-pod works with the UK’s market leader in finance for furniture and interiors
> We provide specialised finance packages to include all aspects of an office refurbishment
> We will supply clear documentation with contracts regulated by the Office of Fair Trading
> We only use Ethical business practices
> We provide flexible finance terms from 1 - 5 years

Taking advantage of leasing will offer you the following benefits:

IT CAN BE CHEAPER THAN PAYING CASH!
If you pay for the furniture and refurbishment of your building from your cash-flow, only a limited percentage is allowable for tax purposes. Because of the ‘intangible’ elements, the Revenue only allows you to claim capital allowances against approximately 65% of the project. However, if you lease the works, the repayments are 100% allowable unlike any other form of finance such as a bank loan. This 100% allowance on payments makes leasing the most tax efficient method of refurbishing a building and can WORK OUT CHEAPER THAN PAYING CASH!

OVERCOME BUDGET LIMITATIONS
Make the most of your budget by spreading the cost over 2, 3, 4 or 5 years and acquire the solution that meets your needs, rather than that which your budget dictates. You can pay monthly, quarterly or annually, from your Revenue Budget, to suit you.

EASE CASHFLOW AND BUDGET TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING
Lease payments are fixed for the period allowing you to budget for one easy monthly or quarterly payment for your total office solution.

PRESERVE BORROWING POWER
Other lines of credit from your bank remain intact for alternate credit needs. In addition to which, leasing is far more cost effective than bank borrowing as loan payments do not attract 100% allowances.

COMPLETE FLEXIBILITY
You can add to your existing lease at any point during the term. You can either extend the term and keep the payments the same, or simply increase the payments and keep the end date the same.

At the end of the lease period you have two choices:
> Continue to rent the installation at small monthly charge, or
> Negotiate ownership of the installation via a third party for a nominal charge.

A typical example for a project of £50,000 value would be as follows:

Term Payable   Monthly Rental
3 Years   Monthly £1,644.50 plus VAT
5 Years   Monthly £1,100.00 plus VAT

The rates used are for guideline purposes only

Subject to status. The terms set out above are given solely upon the understanding that they do not constitute any part of an offer or a contract, but are merely an invitation to treat. Monthly rentals provided based on an assumption of three rental payments up front. Subject to a one-off administration charge.

New 'social' ways of working

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:28:00 GMT

Embracing breakout zones, hot-desking and office pods

People are usually an organisation’s biggest cost - but equally they should always be their greatest asset too.

Many employers are currently struggling to balance the need for cost reductions, outsourcing and flexible working with trying to retain or attract talent to maintain services and improve productivity.

Coupled with this is the need to dispose of surplus infrastructure and to condense office space, which is leaving many organisations increasingly looking to reduce their property support people and their work; resulting in compressing occupant densities and dispersing teams with remote or flexible working, which brings new challenges in terms of infrastructure and workspace design.

Many public and private corporations are looking to extend flexible working across their organisations to help retain key staff, create a more productive workforce and support carbon targets but particularly to make their property assets work harder by re-defining work settings and space requirements – ultimately improving the ‘bottom line’.

Successfully implementing flexible working is not something that happens overnight - it requires time, energy and input from many sources across the client organisation and its suppliers. Early engagement with the client to understand the key space requirements, IT investment and technology, management capability, and changing work practices will significantly benefit the outcome of the workspace design.

In essence, new ways of working empowers and supports people to work where, when and how they choose to maximise their productivity, innovation and ultimately to deliver best value to the organisation. Every organisation is different and has different levels of capability however if managed well, introducing new working practices can significantly cut fixed and variable costs, reduce environmental impact, improve productivity, resilience and customer focus as well as creating a more satisfied workforce with a better work life balance.

This is at the core of what space-pod does and we have already helped many SME's and larger organisations to maximise their working spaces into more open, modern and 'social' environment, whilst also achieving some notable productivity and working environment improvements.

To find out how, just fill-in a few details in the panel on the left of the screen and let's talk!

FIND OUT MORE >

Other Useful Links: mobile working & home working | office pods | breakout areas | hot desking

What to do when you are losing people or need to reduce space

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:09:00 GMT

In this increasingly challenging economy, it is not only the public sector that is seeing the economical downturn impacting on their employment and services. Many large corporate companies are preparing for, and are already undergoing, extensive office downsizing programmes which will see a reduction in both office space and staff numbers.

Property can be one of the biggest liabilities on the balance sheet – albeit not every organisation will own their own property; most will lease the property over a long term and commit expense on the P&L - and while it is clearly a business asset which does give support and value to the organisation, in the current economic climate, some property can equally be seen as an increasingly underutilised, inefficient liability that is a drain on the changing organisational needs and effectiveness of the business. Almost without exception, organisations are following similar routes in driving their office plans even harder to meet growing demands for greater savings and to make up for the diminishing receipts.

As staff levels decrease, empty office space increases. Downsizing initiatives not only centre on the need to dispose of existing surplus and poor performing properties, but they must also embrace the need to accommodate fewer people in more effective ways.

Whilst the current property market may not be conducive to major disposal of infrastructure, there are opportunities which can be found if organisations re-evaluate and re-focus on creating new and innovative space saving initiatives.

At space-pod we can help to assess not only how to deal with surplus office space – one option would be to re-define and re-fit to make it suitable to sublet – we can also help assess the remaining space to allow the workforce to perform more effectively. New working practices integrate advanced technology with ‘thinking outside the box’ design, incorporating hot-desking, pods and break out zones to encourage collaborative working, positive interaction and increased levels of motivation.

This is at the core of what space-pod does and we have already helped many SME's and larger organisations to downsize and maximise reduced working spaces, whilst also achieving some notable productivity and working environment improvements.

To find out how, just fill-in our contact form or call us on 0870 321 515 and let's talk!

Find out more here: new social ways of working mobile working & home working

New interiors for Ogilvy 4D

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 5 Dec 2012 14:36:00 GMT

We have just finished a Design & Build refurbishment project for Ogilvy 4D in Oxford.

Part of Ogilvy CommonHealth Worlwide, Ogilvy 4D is a modern, healthcare communications specialist and our brief was to deliver a stylish office interior to help them to deliver new ways of working (first come - first served for desk positions – no territory) with a distinctive colour scheme and graphics.

Each member of staff also has a locker in the new StorageWall area and then works where required on team benches.

Here are a few pictures from the scheme. We'll publish a case study soon.

More PUBLIC SECTOR cuts to come - but we can help

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Tue, 4 Dec 2012 14:36:00 GMT

It is reported that the Chancellor George Osborne is preparing to announce a fresh PUBLIC SECTOR spending squeeze in Wednesday's Autumn Statement, to fund new schools, science and transport schemes - space-pod

Most government departments will be asked to save an extra 1% next year and a further 2% the following year.

Sources say this will release £5bn to be spent on capital projects in an effort to kick start economic growth.

Source: BBC NEWS >

Pre-2008, when things looked rosy, public sector growth led to many public bodies expanding rather than shrinking. As a result, over the last decade, there has been significant investment in new technology, infrastructure and workplaces. Unfortunately the benefits of this investment have not been taken advantage of, mainly due to political inertia, poor management and a lack of business motivation in a wasteful booming economy. Now, with very few exceptions, property markets and values have fallen through the floor. As a result, many previously reluctant public organisations are now being forced to seek significant property and related savings as well as service improvements.

Many Councils are considering co-locating with other public bodies as a way of saving public property costs. Countless organisations are decreasing staff numbers and are looking to make use of their existing property portfolios to support distributed and remote working – using neighbourhood offices, libraries, housing centres and depots as touchdown offices - all of which will reduce and change the overall central office requirement.

Due, in most part, to culture and management apathy, remote and home working has, to date, had limited success in the public sector, but the ability to use home as a workplace regularly or occasionally for a large element of the workforce is one of the key aspects cost saving initiatives.

The office is certainly not dead, but its function is changing as technology enables re-definition of work and the workplace. The overall result of cost cutting, sharing, outsourcing and new ways of working is that many organisations will be, and are, implementing plans to reduce their office requirements by up to 40%.

This is at the core of what space-pod does and we have already helped Local Authorities, Councils and other Public Sector bodies to maximise reduced working spaces and achieve some notable productivity and working environment improvements.

To find out how, just visit our website and fill-in a few details in the panel on the left of the screen and let's talk!

Find out more here: new social ways of working mobile working & home working

FX Awards - a great night

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 15:22:00 GMT

We were thrilled to attend the FX International Interior Design Awards last night at Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, Mayfair, London AND even more thrilled that the Orangebox 'Do' chair that we love so much received a product award.

Well deserved, in our opinion.

If you haven't seen this impressive new chair yet, take a look at the ebrochure below:

Open publication

Then give space-pod a call and we'll get you some.

Coffee break for space-pod

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:23:00 GMT

We are thrilled to report that we have been selected to refurbish Autobar's signature building 14th floor, Chiswick Towers on West London approaches – better known as BSI tower block.

space-pod was selected to provide a creative interior reflecting corporate values, maximizing the space and integrating Autobar brand into the scheme.

Our successful scheme will use contemporary products from the Steelcase and Orangebox portfolios, including their FX Design Award winning DO chair and Airea pods.

space-pod MD, Kevin Parker commented "We are absolutely delighted to be chosen by Autobar. We were in competition with 3 other bidders and it's great that our proposal and ideas have been the preferred choice. We are looking forward to delivering a contemporary, leading edge scheme that underpins the Autobar brand strategy and that provides them with an exciting space to work in".

We will keep you updated with progress on the scheme as it develops.

A MUST READ for Business Owners, Financial Directors & Facility Professionals

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:54:00 GMT

Read the latest news and 'space' utilization articles from space-pod in issue nine of our 'space' newsletter:

In this edition we take a look at:

Laine Theatre Arts
How space-pod helped create acoustic studio theatre and workshop performance spaces at the renowned performing arts college.

pod life
We take a closer look at some of the brilliant ways that we can quickly extend and divide open office and public meeting spaces to create closed or partially closed rooms, using our versatile pod systems.

Down-sizing
In this increasingly challenging economy, we explore what to do when you are losing people or need to reduce space.

Euro2012 win in Poland
As the England football team crashed out of the Euro2012 quarter final, Space-pod was putting the finishing touches to a complete redesign and build of a call-centre facility in Poland for Premier Farnell plc.

Open publication

FREE ebook: The 7 Rules of Creating Special Commercial Space for your Head Office

noreply@blogger.com (Space-pod) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:08:00 +0100

We've produced a new ebook titled: The 7 Rules of Creating Special Commercial Space for your Head Office ... or how to put ‘roundy’ humans into ‘squarey’ boxes.

The ebook has been written to help those thinking about relocation or refurbishment of a Head Office, or where an injection of flair and style is required.

Every project is ultimately judged on whether it stands out and delivers on every level.

This FREE, 12-page ebook is a simple to understand guide, which highlights the 7 Rules to follow to ensure that all salient issues are considered and that you don’t end up with an expensive square box full of desks!

Take a look for yourself! CLICK HERE >