Office Designs - Millennium Storage and Interiors Blog | Millennium Storage and Interiors

Category: Office Designs (page 5 of 12)

How to choose the right racking for your warehouse

The right racking system can have a significant impact on how efficiently your warehouse operates.

Your warehouse’s storage system is at the heart of its operation. Choosing a storage system that is ideal for your space, the items you are storing, and your picking process, will help your operation to run more efficiently and your team to be more productive.

Factors to consider when choosing warehouse racking

When deciding which type of racking is most suitable for your warehouse you should ask yourself the following questions:

What type of items do I need to store?
How much space do I have? (vertical as well as ground space)
What is the maximum load weight the racking will be required to support?
Is forklift access required?
What are my warehouse layout and product flow requirements?

Popular types of warehouse racking

There are plenty of different racking and shelving options available to choose from, some of the commonest types include:

Drive in/through racking – Maximises storage space in your warehouse by reducing the size of the forklift aisles. Choose from drive in racking with one point of access to each aisle, or drive through racking which has both an entrance and an exit, meaning the first load in is the first one out.
Cantilever racking – Ideal for storing large and bulky items of varying shapes and sizes, particularly very long loads like beams and tubes. Cantilever racking is very strong and can be adapted to your requirements.
Adjustable pallet racking – Pallet racking can be used to store a wide range of products of varying sizes and weights and are the ideal solution for picking. Pallets are lifted onto the racking by forklifts.

At Millennium Storage and Interiors, we stock a wide range of racking and shelving solutions for warehouses. If you require help choosing an option suitable for your requirements, get in touch with our team by calling 0942 603 344.

What is warehouse slotting?

October 3, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

If your employees are wasting a lot of time searching for products in your warehouse, then your business could benefit from better warehouse slotting.

Warehouse slotting is the process of deciding how to organise the inventory in your warehouse for maximum efficiency.

What is slotting?

Slotting creates a strategy behind how you organise your warehouse, aiming to save employees time spent walking up and down aisles when picking orders and replenishing stock.

To create an efficient slotting strategy, you will need to carefully examine and analyse your inventory and sales data.

It often increases warehouse efficiency to group all your most popular products together and products that are commonly ordered together side-by-side.

Popular products should be located towards the front of your warehouse, and less popular items further back.

Benefits of warehouse slotting

Optimising your warehouse layout using slotting has many benefits including:

Increased employee productivity.
Better utilisation of space.
More accurate and organised inventory data.
Faster replenishment of products.
Faster order picking.
Improved workplace ergonomics.
Improved product visibility.
Improved order picking accuracy.
Less picking errors and happier customers.

To keep your slotting current, you will need to accept that it is an ongoing work in progress. You are likely to need to keep moving things around in response to factors like seasonality and market trends to keep things operating as efficiently as possible.

Using the right warehouse storage can also help to streamline processes in the warehouse. Here at Millennium Storage and Interiors, we provide warehouses with live carton storage systems ideal for improving organisation in your warehouse and reducing order preparation time.

For help and advice with improving your warehouse storage solutions, get in touch with our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors by calling us on 01942 603 344.

6 tips for designing a tranquil and stress-free office environment

September 15, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

A tranquil and stress-free office design helps to foster happy, healthy and productive employees.

Stressed employees may find it difficult to concentrate and become demotivated or at risk of burning out.

When your employees feel relaxed and happy, they will find it easier to focus on their work, increasing productivity and improving the atmosphere in your workplace.

Here are 6 office design tips for reducing employee stress levels to improve both wellbeing and productivity.

Partitioning– Office partitioning offers employees privacy and provides them with their own space to focus on their work. It is also an effective solution for reducing noise and minimising distraction in the workplace, creating a calm and stress-free environment that encourages productivity.

Clear the clutter– Mess and clutter can have a negative psychological effect on our minds, making us feel disorganised, overwhelmed and stressed. Furnishing your office with ample storage and organisation solutions will allow you to clear away unnecessary clutter to create a clean, clear and calm work environment.

Calming colours– Paint your office in a cool and calming colour to soothe the mind and create a tranquil atmosphere. Muted tones of earthy and neutral colours work well, and blue, green, pink and grey are all known to be calming and restful colours.

Artwork– Select artwork for your office carefully. Simple line drawings, serene landscapes and seascapes, or relaxing abstract art can all help to reduce stress and create a zen atmosphere.

Natural light– Lighting that is too bright or harsh can increase stress levels in the workplace. Maximise natural light wherever possible as getting enough natural light is very important to mental wellbeing and regulating your sleep/wake cycle.

Bring plants inside– As well as looking attractive, indoor plants can help to improve air quality and reduce stress and anxiety.

For help and advice with designing your office, get in touch with our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors by giving us a call on 01942 603 344.

4 tips for optimising your warehouse order picking process

September 4, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Optimise your warehouse order picking process to improve the speed and accuracy with which orders are picked and reduce costs.

As well as benefiting your business’ bottom line, optimising your order picking process will also improve your customer service. Sending out orders quickly and error-free will improve customer satisfaction, helping your business to grow.

Implement these four simple tips to begin optimising your warehouse’s order picking process:

Use slotting to optimise warehouse layout

Slotting refers to the process of carefully organising inventory within a warehouse. Group similar or popular items together to reduce the amount of time that is wasted walking backwards and forwards between products when picking orders.

Keep an accurate and organised inventory

Ensure that all inventory is clearly labelled and easy to locate. Implement a system to ensure that you can always access accurate inventory data and know when items are out of stock. Discovering that items are out of stock at the point of picking creates a lot of unnecessary admin and wasted time to resolve the issue.

Use a live carton storage system

Invest in convenient and organised racking and shelving that is designed to save time when order picking. A live carton storage system provides high density storage, excellent product visibility and availability, saves space, and improves stock turnover control.

Automate

Automate as much of the order picking and preparation process as possible to improve accuracy and reduce the risk of human error occurring. Just some of the technologies that can improve order picking efficiency and accuracy include barcode scanners, conveyor belts and inventory systems and software.

For help and advice with improving your warehouse storage solutions, get in touch with our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors by calling us on 01942 603 344.

Is the colour of your office affecting employee productivity?

August 20, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Colours can affect our emotions and influence our actions, so you should select the colour scheme for your office carefully.

Have you considered that the colour of your workplace could be influencing the mood, wellbeing, and subsequently, your employees’ performance?

Your office’s colour palette sets the tone for the mood within your office. A bright and colourful environment can stimulate and energise the mind, inspiring creativity. Whilst cool and muted colours can create a calm and peaceful environment.

Research into the psychology of colours has shown that different colours can elicit particular emotions and behaviours within us.

Consult our guide to the psychology of colours below to discover how your office is making employees feel and which colour you should paint the walls next.

Blue– When used in moderation within a professional environment, blue is said to be a stable and calming colour that encourages productivity.

Red– If you want to motivate and energise employees then red is an excellent colour to add to your interior’s palette. Red is said to create a dynamic atmosphere and can help employees to work more efficiently.

Green– Green is a calming colour that we associate with nature.

Yellow– Yellow is an uplifting and positive colour that can encourage creativity.

Purple– If you want to create a calm and thoughtful zone, then purple and violet can be excellent colours for encouraging spirituality and creativity.

Rather than going overboard with any of these colours, its best to introduce them to the office in muted tones or splashes of colour.

Why not use colours that reflect the different actions and behaviours you want employees to show in different zones within your workplace.

Need help designing an office interior that will motivate employees? Speak to our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors by giving us a call on 01942 603 344.

Why natural light should be a key office design consideration

July 20, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Design your workplace for happy, healthy and productive employees by simply maximising natural light in your office.

Forget office slides, treadmills and artificial grass, the one simple thing your employees can’t do without at work is natural light.

Natural light and employee health and wellbeing

Natural light is important for our health and wellbeing. When deprived of it for long periods, many people will suffer from disrupted sleep, low moods and fatigue.

Getting enough natural light during the day is important for regulating our circadian rhythm, which impacts our sleep patterns. One studyeven found that people exposed to plenty of natural light at work slept on average 46 minutes longer than those who worked in windowless offices.

Natural light helps to improve sleep and lower stress levels to create a rested and happy workforce.

Natural light and productivity

As well as benefiting employees, business owners also reap the rewards of an office flooded with natural light.

A recent studyfound that employees exposed to plenty of natural light at work are up to 20% more productive than those deprived of it, so natural light will benefit your bottom line too.

Office design and natural light

Use these tips to maximise the natural light in your office or speak to an experienced office design company like our team here at Millennium Storage and Interiors.

Arrange furniture with natural light in mind– Take the location of windows into consideration when arranging office furniture. Avoid obstructing windows or putting desks behind furniture, instead, ensure all desks are positioned to receive maximum natural light.

Use glass partitioning – If your office currently uses solid office partitions, consider switching to contemporary glass partitions to allow natural light to flow freely through the space.

Window size– If your windows are very small or old, it is worth considering updating your office windows, the more windows the better.

For help and advice designing your office for more natural light,get in touch with our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors by giving us a call on 01942 603 344.

Office design ideas for creating a sense of community

July 8, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Creating a sense of community within the workplace can help to foster a happy, engaged and motivated workforce.

Whilst teambuilding exercises and work social events bring employees together briefly, an office design that creates a sense of community is a far more permanent solution.

Feeling connected and engaged at work can result in happier and more motivated employees.

A buzzing office atmosphere and inspired workforce can also help your business to attract and retain top talent.

Depending on the nature of the work your business carries out, the size of the business, and your employees’ requirements, you may benefit from incorporating all or some of these office design ideas conducive to an engaged workforce.

Open plan– Open plan offices have long been hailed as the solution to help create a more connected workforce. Taking away the walls can help to modernise an office’s appearance and encourage employees to get to know each other and share ideas and knowledge.

Glass partitioning– If the work your employees carry out requires a quieter and more focussed atmosphere, then glass partitioning can provide individuals with their own quiet workspace without shutting them off from the rest of the office.

Break-out areas– Incorporate casual social stations into your office design to allow small groups to comfortably gather for quick discussions and brainstorming sessions.

Collaborative spaces– Create comfortable and practical rooms designed for private group meetings and collaborative work. These collaborative spaces should be kitted out with everything teams may require for a productive and efficient meeting, including whiteboards, computer monitors, and phones for conference calling.

Remember that whilst having open and collaborative spaces is great, there may be times when it is equally as important for employees to have their own quiet space to help them concentrate.

Many businesses find that a hybrid office design featuring both private and collaborative workspaces is effective at promoting both community and productivity.

For help and advice choosing the right office design for your business, get in touch with our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors by giving us a call on 01942 603 344.

Benefits of glass office partitioning

June 6, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Choose glass office partitions to enjoy the visual appeal of a bright and spacious open plan design, whilst simultaneously sectioning off and dividing your space for maximum productivity.

More and more businesses are now choosing to update their office design with functional and attractive glass partitioning. Here are just five of the key benefits of glass office partitions.

Aesthetically pleasing

Switching from traditional partitioning to glass partitioning can completely makeover an office to give it a swish, new, contemporary feel. Glass partitioning looks modern and attractive, creating a great first impression and boosting employee wellbeing and productivity.

Free-flowing light

One major benefit of glass partitioning is that it allows natural light to flow freely through the office. Natural light is extremely important to our health and wellbeing, and healthy employees are happy and motivated employees. Letting in lots of natural light also reduces the need for artificial lights, reducing your business’ electricity bill.

Divided but not alone

Glass partitioning is used to create clearly defined areas and workspaces in your office without isolating people. Employees can benefit from their own individual workspaces whilst also enjoying a clear view of the office, preventing them from feeling segregated.

Reduce noise

Whilst employees can still see each other, glass partitions make it more difficult to partake in idle chitchat, helping to improve concentration and productivity. They also offer effective sound insulation, providing employees with a peaceful and relaxing work environment.

The illusion of more space

Solid partitions can sometimes feel claustrophobic, particularly in an office that is already very small. Using glass partitions allows you to create clear sections and spaces within your office without making it feel enclosed or cramped.

For more information about glass office partitioning, get in touch with our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors by giving us a call on 01942 603344.

Office design features that increase productivity

May 20, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Could your office design be holding your employees back from reaching their full potential?

The design of your office workspace could be having more of an impact on employee performance than you realise. Creating an inspiring work environment that assists productivity and looks after employee health and wellbeing is key to boosting productivity.

Does your office incorporate these five design features that are key to productivity?

Natural light – Not getting enough natural light can take its toll on the health and wellbeing of your employees. Working in an environment with poor levels of natural light can disrupt sleep, increase the risk of mental health problems, and cause health problems related to vitamin D deficiency. Fill your office with natural light and sunshine to keep employees feeling bright-eyed and healthy as well as boosting moods and productivity.

Ergonomics – No one can perform to the best of their ability if they’re not comfortable at work. Taking the time to ensure that the ergonomics of your employee’s desk spaces are correct is essential to the health, wellbeing, and productivity of your workforce.

Partitions – Office partitioninggives individuals their own private workspace, minimising distractions and aiding concentration. Partitions encourage a quieter and more relaxing work environment, reducing stress and encouraging productivity.

Social spaces – Whilst partitioned workspaces are excellent for staying focussed on individual tasks, it can be beneficial to also include social spaces in your office design. Social break out spaces are useful for employees working on collaborative tasks. Employees are more productive when they can take short mental breaks away from their desks between tasks to recharge. Social spaces provide a change of scenery and the opportunity to gain a new perspective.

Add plants – Spending time in nature is said to be good for our wellbeing, making us feel more connected and relaxed. Most of us spend our working hours shut away in offices, so it makes sense that if we can’t be outside, we should bring a little of the great outdoors indoors instead. Bringing houseplants into the office will help to clean and oxygenate the air to improve employee wellbeing and boost productivity. In fact, a study has found that employees are 15% more productivewhen plants are added to the office.

Ready to find out more about our market-leading office partitioning solutions? Give our team of experts a call on 01942 603 344 to discuss your requirements.

Affordable ideas for modernising an outdated office

May 7, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

If your office has become drab and you can’t afford a full refurb, use the ideas in this blog to transform it back into a motivating space.

Your office should be a pleasant and relaxing space that inspires creativity and motivates employees. A rundown or drab office could be having more of a negative impact on morale and staff performance than you realise.

If you’re not ready to invest in a full refurb, implementing just a few of these ideas can help to bring your office back to life.

Add art and plants– Ditch the tired, old, cheesy corporate posters and invest in some bold artwork for your walls. Choose art that is personal to your business or that reflects the atmosphere you’re trying to create. Art doesn’t have to be expensive; you can pick up some great prints at affordable prices on Etsy. If you’ve got a creative team of employees, you could even make your own art as a team building exercise!

Office partitioning– Office partitioningcomes in all different shapes and sizes and is an excellent solution for revamping your office’s layout and design affordably and with minimal disruption. Glass office partitioning is particularly popular as it doesn’t block any light and has an attractive, contemporary appearance.

Add a pop of colour– Adding a few splashes of colour to a characterless office can make the world of difference to its appearance. Add a colourful rug, paint a feature wall, update the blinds on your windows, or invest in some new colourful office furniture to create a more exciting, vibrant and motivating work space.

Be creative with storage– A tidy and organised office can help employees to work more efficiently, feel more relaxed, and be more productive. Invest in some modern storage units and clear the clutter to make your office cleaner, tidier and more attractive.

Light– Natural light keeps us feeling happy, healthy and motivated. Try rearranging the furniture in your office to let more light in. If you are using solid partitioning walls, updating to glass partitions can make a dramatic difference to the light and atmosphere in your office.