When designing your new office space, you may encounter some terms and phrases you aren't familiar with. Here at OfficeWorks, we strive to make every office redesign simple and easy so you can focus on running your business. To help you get started, we're breaking down our lingo one letter at a time.

A. Ancillary furniture – Perfect for the evolving workforce, ancillary furniture includes a variety of informal office furniture and accessories that support multiple postures including sitting, lounging, or standing. These pieces are perfect for “in-between spaces,” such as lobbies, patios, work cafés, and informal collaborative areas.

B. Biophilia – Biophilia is defined as "the innate human instinct to connect with nature and other living beings", however, it's more than a philosophy. Studies have proven that biophilic design including potted plants around the floor plan and smaller potted plants atop desks and file cabinets show an increase in cognitive function, physical and mental health, and productivity levels within the office.

C. Cluster — A cluster is a cubicle system grouped together to create a two-way workstation. Clusters can be comprised of a solo unit or can be built as a grouping and are customizable to fit the space of the office.

D. Dealer – Did you know OfficeWorks is a Certified Teknion Dealer? Dealers are certified partners who have premiere access to the best furniture and resources in the industry. Plus, dealers are the most qualified to ensure your office furniture is delivered and installed efficiently.

E. Ergonomics – Ergonomics is the science of catering a workplace to the user's needs including the atmosphere, furniture, and work processes. Here's your reminder that if you're still sitting at your kitchen table or another unconventional workspace, it's time to upgrade your home office set-up. Your productivity level will thank you.

F. Flexible workspace – Unlike traditional offices with assigned desk positions, flexible workspaces provide workers with varying work areas that best suit their work tasks or style. These spaces are easily arrangeable and often boost collaboration between team members.

G. Gathering space – A gathering space is a place where people come to congregate. It is important to have an area in your workplace where people can socialize without distracting those who are hard at work.

*Recent project completed by OfficeWorks for Cirrus Aircraft*

H. Hot desking – Hot desking is a flexible workplace strategy that does not assign employees to a specific seat or desk. Instead, employees are given free rein of the office and are allowed to sit where they find most comfortable on a first-come, first-served basis — no reservations needed!

K. Knockouts – The hole in a piece of furniture provided to access an electrical or data outlet.

L. Lumbar support – Lumbar support features provide extra support to the lumbar region, which most people just call “the lower back.” The lower back is already prone to injury because we use it so much, but poor posture can make the strain worse! With lumbar support and sitting in the right position, the spine can maintain its natural curvature.

M. Mindful materials – Choosing to use mindful materials and making informed choices that not only meet baseline performance criteria for durability and aesthetics, but also environmental and human health impacts are large parts of sustainable business practices.

N. Natural light – Let there be light! Our biological clock uses ambient illumination as the main regulator for many processes, we need bright daylight exposure to stay active. A Harvard Business Review study found that an absence of natural light and outdoor views hurts the employee experience.

*Teknion Project Showcase Furniture Layout*

O. Open plan office – Offices using open floorplans take advantage of open space, rather than closing off employees in cubicles or single offices. You’re likely to see long rows of desks with little or nothing dividing them and spaces where employees can congregate.

*Open place layout featuring Teknion Upstage solutions*

P. Pre-owned furniture – Pre-owned furniture is an accessible option for budget-friendly, pieces of furniture that are still in new or gently used conditions. Did you know OfficeWorks offers a vast inventory of pre-owned desks, chairs, cubicles, benching, reception furniture, and more? You'd be amazed at the variety of products we have in stock!

R. Resimercial design – Resimerical design is a layout and furnishing style that brings a homey feel of residential furniture into the workplace setting. Forget the cold, sterile feeling of traditional corporate furnishings.

*A homey, resimerical setup using EKO Hacker 2 products*

S. Swivel – A chair's swivel feature allows a user to turn 360-degrees for increased range of movement.

T. Textile – Textiles are flexible woven materials consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibers, often referred to as thread or yarn.

U. “U” shaped workstation – These spacious desks offer the maximum amount of workspace for a single person and are equipped with an array of storage options that will help you stay organized and productive.

*A pre-owned U-Shape Private Office Desk solution from Gateway Office Furniture's Stretch line, available at OfficeWorks*

V. Virtual office – Virtual offices enable employees and business owners to work remotely by providing a range of business functions that are accessible through the Internet. Thanks, 2020!

W. Workstation – Workstations are areas where an individual performs daily work-related tasks, which typically include a desk, computer, and storage area. It should provide the user with adequate space to carry out their work duties and allow a person to utilize an organized area in order to increase the efficiency of their job tasks.

Z. Zones – Each space or "zone" within the office is dedicated to a different aspect of work. For example, an ideal office setup would incorporate different work zones for individual-focused projects, open communication and meetings, and informal work or conversations.

The ABCs of Office Furniture