International. Office furniture company Herman Miller was recently recognized by The Society of Industrial Designers of America (IDSA) as one of the winners of the competition for the 2014 International Design Excellence Award (IDEA), a recognition of excellence in product design. Herman Miller's Locale system earned its recognition within the "Office and Productivity" category, and received one of 27 Gold awards given in the competition's 23 categories.
Locale's innovation lies in the fact that it allows the creation of dynamic and high-performance workspaces within open environments. The different elements, such as mobile tables, screens and easels, can be used according to the needs of employees allowing to move freely and intuitively from individual work to collaborative work, which is in line with the trend in companies today.
Taking into account Herman Miller's experience in the field of office furniture, Building Management consulted with its managers on current trends in this market. First, company spokespeople highlighted height-adjustable desks as one of the most sought-after new products for their focus on ergonomics and employee health.
"It's not that sitting is bad or that standing is better. The most advisable thing is to be changing posture throughout the day, "they point out from Herman Miller.
When questioning about which elements should be taken into account when choosing furniture, the interviewees pointed out that the most important thing is to know the life expectancy of the different elements. "You don't want to change furniture every year, you have to choose durable, flexible furniture to easily adapt or reconfigure as your business grows," they said.
"Having good quality furniture in the long run can represent a saving for the company. Not only because it lasts and the expense does not have to be repeated, but also because if the chairs are good you promote the health of those who use it, you have less absenteeism and greater productivity, "conclude the interviewees.
