Office Beach Gataway

Office Beach Getaway

It's official, summertime is almost over.  Many people might be enjoying a last minute beach vacation.  Others might be daydreaming about their vacations past. If you find yourself daydreaming about the beach, there may be some options for you.  Below are some ideas people have implemented to make it feel more like a vacation in their very own office, just by adding some creative features to their modern executive desk.

Your Own Private Beach

*Photo courtesy of Lifehacker.com

How would you feel having a giant patch of sand beneath your designer office desk, being able to dip your toes in the sand?  According to the website, Lifehacker, Justin Kemp was inspired to create this personalized office environment from the band, The Beach Boys.  Justin explains the concept of his desk set-up:

 "The sand is relaxing, but for me, it's more a symbol of my permanent vacation.  It's the design of a lifestyle where 'work' becomes so satisfying that vacation and retirement become undesirable."

Play in the Sand

*Photo courtesy of Officeplayground.com

If you don't want the hassle of changing your entire desk set-up, or want to avoid the inevitable mess of sand all over your floor, how about a mini version of the beach right on top of your modern executive desk?  According to the website, Beach Break comes with everything you need for a pretend miniature day at the beach. Relax and imagine you are sitting on the white beach chair under the blue umbrella as you rake the ultra fine sand, collect seashells, and fill the miniature sand pail. 

Make a Splash

*Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

Typically you should avoid mixing water and electronics, so how about a beach inspired tabletop mat for your desk instead?  This vacation inspired mat might just be the perfect addition to your designer office desk.

 A Picture Perfect Window

*Picture courtesy of Amazon.com

Here in San Diego, we are known for our surfing culture.  And nothing says summer like a surf beach scene. This wall decal can be easily cleaned, as well as removed and repositioned.  Available from Amazon.com.

Determining your Conference Table Seating Capacity

Yi Conference Table, Edeskco.com

When selecting a conference room table, one of the first things you need to determine is the size and seating capacity that is required.  In order to do this, there are many factors that need to be determined.

Most conference room chairs will be 24"-30" in width.  Typically a width of 30" per person is recommended as a minimum.  This is most commonly used when the size of the room limits the size of the conference room table that can be used.  If you have extra room to spare, 36" is very comfortable, and is an appropriate size for boardroom use.

For situations that require more space (if each employee is using their own laptop computer, for example) a larger space of 42" may be preferable.

Shape and Seating Capacity

The shape of your conference table also determines the amount of seating space per person that can be used. 

Rectangular, Square, or Boat Shaped:  These tend to be the most commonly used conference table shapes, as they also provide the most space.  To determine the seating capacity of these table shapes, use the following simple formula:

*Courtesy of Paul Downs Custom Conference Tables

Racetrack Shape:  This shape consists of a rectangular center with half circle ends.  Because of this, you will not be able to fit quite as many people.  For this shape, the following formula can be used:

*Courtesy of Paul Downs Custom Conference Tables

Round Shape:  This shape is also popular, but can be somewhat inefficient when one is concerned about space.  It is also important to make sure to not crowd the user's leg space.  When determining the seating capacity, this shape tends to have the easiest formula:

            *Courtesy of Paul Downs Custom Conference Tables

Keystone Shape:  This shape is used primarily for video conferencing, and therefore the wide end part of the table is not typically used for seating.  Because of this, it has one less person for the seating capacity.  The formula can be used below:

            *Courtesy of Paul Downs Custom Conference Tables

U-Shaped, V-Shaped, and Other Unique Shapes:  Because these shapes can be very unique and often depend on how the manufacturer constructs them, it is best to use the manufacturer's guidelines to determine the seating capacity.

*If you still questions regarding the potential seating capacity for a conference table, our friendly staff at Executive Desk Company will be happy to help.  You are able to contact us anytime between the hours of 8am - 5pm PST, Monday - Friday.

The Basics of Workplace Email Etiquette

Courtesy of http://jesperdeleuran.dk/

In today's workplace, we have to deal with a high volume of email on a daily basis.  In fact, the average worker receives almost 130 emails a day.  In order to be able to handle these incoming messages to your increasingly full inbox; here are some basic guidelines to help you sort through and respond to those many emails:

Proofread every message

Nothing can be more embarrassing as having a very obvious spelling mistake in your email.  Always make sure to proofread and double check your emails before sending.  According to an article in Business Insider, one worker noticed one of their bosses spelling errors:   "One supervisor intended to write 'Sorry for the inconvenience.' But he relied on his spell-check and ended up writing 'Sorry for the incontinence.'" 

Be direct; include a clear subject line

Many people need to scan through their emails quickly, and having a clear and direct title in your subject line will help one understand the purpose of your email.  Subject lines like, "Meeting Time Changed" or "Question regarding your meeting", are very effective.  People often decide to open emails based on the subject line.

Add the email address LAST

This is a good tip that I had not considered previously.  In order to prevent mistakes and to prevent sending the email before it's ready, include the email of the recipient ONLY when you are ready to finalize and send the email. 

Avoid colored or eccentric fonts

Using an eccentric or a colored font may be fun, however it may look unprofessional to those you are emailing.  It is best to stick to a traditional font such as Arial or Calibri in black so it is easy to read and decipher. 

Do not use slang or abbreviations

Using a short cut, such as a "u" instead of spelling out "you" or "2" instead of "too" can be a nice and easy way to abbreviate your words, but it's best to keep this between your family and friends than your co-workers.  Using short cuts such as this can seem unprofessional and even rude to those receiving your email. 

Limit your exclamation points

Try to limit yourself to ONE exclamation point to express excitement!  If you use too many exclamation points, you may appear immature or a bit too passionate!  As you can see by my example above, it may come across as odd or overzealous.

Double check your recipient

Always make sure to check the recipient of your email.  Often times your email program may auto fill an address, and it may not always be the correct one.  If an email does not go to the correct person, it can be an embarrassing situation for yourself, and to the person who receives the email.  Especially if the email is a private matter.

Make sure to follow these basic tips to ensure your emails are always composed in a professional manner, and embarrassing situations are avoided.

The Evolution of the Desk

               

Cartoon courtesy of Caveman Love

We have come a long way from the origin of the primitive desk.  It has been said that the earliest signs of an example that is close to a desk system, dates back to around 3100BC in Orkney, Scotland.  This site shows the first signs of an organizational system of shelves and preparation areas.

Photo courtesy of BT Group

We can find other early examples of desks from the medieval period.  Many of these desks were used specifically by scribes (also known as modern day accountants), writers, and letter keepers.

This figure of St Jerome, from a 12th century Bible, gives a meticulous picture of the tools of the scribe. Courtesy of Medievil Writing

These desks eventually evolved into what is known as the bureau during the 1700s.  These desks began to incorporate drawers into the design.  Eventually this progressed to what is known as the secretary desk, which had items incorporated into it such as a hutch.  As time moved on, desks started to incorporate more items that made them more ornate with storage for inkpots and blotting sand.

Pennsylvania Slant Lid Desk, ca. 1770, courtesy of PBS

During the 18th and into the 19th century, the pedestal desk was introduced.  This became popular with everyday workers and Presidents alike.  One of the most famous desks that was produced during the 1880s is "The Resolute".  This desk was introduced into the White House as a gift from Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes.  Can you imagine working at this executive desk every day?

"Resolute Desk", picture courtesy of daniellesuniquestory

New production techniques introduced in the 20th centuries allowed for professional office furniture to be mass produced for the first time.  This mass production was triggered by the growth of more and more white collar workers. 

The growth of technology continued to create innovations for desks.  The introduction of the typewriter, telephone, and the computer all required designers to incorporate new ideas into their desk designs.

Typewriter Desk from Northwestern Furniture Co, courtesy of Collectors Weekly

Today we have many different designs and options for our executive desks.  From contemporary to traditional, to power accessories and standing desks, we have many different options to choose from for our modern day desks.  What is next for the desks of the future?  It is anyone's guess.  New technologies are sure to be created, and the redesigns of desks are likely to follow.

Kaysa Desk, Executive Desk Company