January 2019 - Skyward Business Centre

30Jan2019

How the Right Colors In Your Office Can Boost Moral

Going Green

Going green is very popular these days. A research has shown that people would prefer working for companies that are considered as green and eco-friendly. Think of becoming one of those paperless companies you keep on hearing about, install EV chargers on the parking lots, encourage recycling and healthier eating, declare “Vegan” Mondays or give monthly titles to your employees: “Most eco-friendly”, or “The greenest.”

Going green increases employee consciousness as they become more aware about their actions and consequences. Do not forget to put some actual greenery in your offices. The color green is good for boosting confidence and calmness. People are happier when they are surrounded by plants and flowers. Make natural light and ventilation big parts of your office too, it is good for the plants; as well as for the people.

Colour Psychology

The greyish and dull offices are long gone. Times are changing and becoming more colorful. Each color has its own characteristics and impacts us in different ways. For example when offices are grey, white or beige, they invoke feelings of sadness. More colorful and funky offices are the thing of today. Here are the qualities that some colors have on us; so you can know better what you are putting in your office. Mixing these colors give out the best results:

Red

Increases blood flow and pressure. It invokes passion and emotion. If you want to highlight something in your office, paint it red. It is also a color that is good for business that involve manual, hard work.

Yellow

Stimulates creativity and optimism. People tend to act happier when around yellow. It is usually put in creative offices where a lot of designers, writers or artists have desks.

Blue

Increases productivity, while keeping employees calm. It also increases focus and helps with task completion. It is associated with stability and can usually be found in finance or accounting offices.

Green

As mentioned before; green boosts confidence and relaxation. It is good for people who work long-hours. Being surrounded by green, they will feel less tired.

Appreciating Employees

Hint: it is also good for you. Appreciating employees makes them act differently. They become more contempt and productive. Use the right colors in your office by creating fun, colorful games. Use the information you have and maybe put daily thank you or praise notes in different colors, you can even make it an appreciation wall.

You can also try a creative group activity, like decorating a certain area or renovating a garden. It may sound awkward for some (like an episode of THE OFFICE), but it is proven that engaging in playful activities makes people feel more appreciated. People want to feel that they belong and what better way than group and meaningful activities. Let the garden be the symbol of your connection. You spend most of the time together, so make your employees feel like home, let those right colors be of love and kindness.

About Skyward Business Centre

Skyward Business Centre is conveniently located in Mississauga. We have a wide variety of office space for rent that are beautifully designed and professional equipped. We provide customized shared office space rental solutions designed to inspire you and to deliver maximum flexibility and performance for your business. You can find your ideal office space in Mississauga at Skyward Business Centre.

8Jan2019

How to Furnish Your Office On a Budget?

1. Make A Plan

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when furnishing your office space is to randomly get pieces of furniture and equipment without having a plan of how it will all fit together.

Begin your plan by creating two lists: 1) A list of all furniture and equipment needed for your office, include big items such as number of desk, chairs, computers and printers you need and smaller items like whiteboards, and accent pieces. 2) Create a list of items you already have, make sure you cross these off your initial list or reduce the quantity required if multiples are needed.

Now that you have your lists draw out a floor plan of your office space and sketch in where you would like your different pieces to go. As you collect items shade them in or put an X through the item. Keep your list and floor plan with you as you are looking for new pieces, if the item you are looking at is not on the list, chances are it is not pertinent to get at this time.

2. Second Hand Items

You are able to find great office furniture and like new equipment at a fraction of the cost when looking at used pieces.

You can start by looking at online classifieds, but it may be difficult to find several matching pieces of the same item on Craigslist’s You can save some time and headaches by visiting a reputable (check their online reviews) used office furniture wholesaler.

These companies will purchase their inventory from large organizations that are remodeling their offices and then turn around and sell the items at a fraction of their retail cost.

Finally, we have had great success finding used items for pennies on the dollar at going out of business auctions. A quick Google search will help you find local auctions you can attend, if you find yourself short on time look for online auctions.

3. DIY

Take on a few DIY projects to help save a few bucks and create unique and functional pieces. Have a large table or bookshelf that is a bit banged up or out of date. Sand it down, apply a fresh coat of paint and presto you have a new updated board table and bookshelf.

If you have the knowhow and desire to turn an outdated, unwanted piece into a vibrant, functional furniture piece for your office this is may be a great solution for you. A tip when it comes to office DIY projects, focus on accent pieces such as side tables or on pieces that you do not have multiples of as every piece will turn out with its own unique presence and you don’t want the office to feel like it was thrown together with random pieces.

4. Paint

Don’t under estimate the power a fresh coat of paint has on making your office space feel warm and inviting. For those refurnishing their office, a fresh coat of paint can change the entire colour scheme altering the feel of your office.

Paint can be used in a more playful function than just freshening up the space, consider painting an accent wall as a focal point for your office space. Another fun use of paint is by skipping on the whiteboards and using chalkboard paint as a decorative outlet for your creativity.

Paint is a relatively inexpensive way to change the atmosphere of your office, if you take a look at the discount shelf at your local hardware store you will be sure to find a few gallons of paint at rock bottom prices.

5. Scent

We spend most of our energy on ensuring the office looks great, but what about ensuring it smells great as well? Introducing certain fragrances to your office can make it a more welcoming and more productive environment.

Several studies over the last decade have examined results different scents have on our productivity and performance. These studies have proven that both peppermint and cinnamon increase alertness and reduce frustration.

By improving the smell of your office space, you can increase the efficiency of your team for a small monetary investment.

6. Plants and Trees

You can find inexpensive plants and small trees from your local nursery or home improvement store to brighten up your office space and create a clean air environment. You can utilize planters to fill empty spaces, to add a pop of colour, or as accent pieces in common areas. Bringing live plants into your office isn’t just an inexpensive way to add décor, plants have been proven to increase creativity as well.

Getting your new office space or refinishing your current space is an exciting time, you may be tempted to go out and buy the latest equipment and the most modern in style furniture when putting your office space together. Just remember that technology depreciates quickly and styles change just as fast. By following the tips provided above you will be able to create an amazing, functional office space that represents your hard work and success within budget.