Category: Office Refurb (page 2 of 3)

Workplaces will not return to normal

A report has suggested that:

The 9-5 is dead but the office is NOT: Workplaces will not ‘return to normal’ after the coronavirus pandemic but most companies will not let employees work from home permanently.

The publication warns workplaces ‘will not return to normal’ after the pandemic is brought under control – with employees having adapted to the ‘new normal’ of working from home during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The study has advised that there has been increased stress levels among employees due to working from home since the lockdown was enforced in May 2020. It suggests workers splitting time between the office and working from home may be the way forward for many companies, even after the pandemic is over.

London-based outsourcing giant Capita have not renewed leases on 25 of their offices, while Lloyds Banking Group was reviewing its office space requirements after deciding most of its 65,000 employees have performed well working from home.

But the report says others, including social media giant Facebook, had turned against working from home models, while American mutlinational IBM had also pulled back from its staff working from home.

However the report concludes that the likely way forward for businesses will be a mixed model, with employees working from home some of the time, and in the office others.

5 Critical Pallet Rack Safety Hazards

June 25, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

Physical damage to the pallet rack

Often this damage occurs from lift truck collisions. Sufficient clearance space and clear aisles are both great ways to prevent this kind of damage. Always encourage employees to promptly report all minor impacts or observable damage.

Misaligned Racking Safety Hazard

This can cause collapse or failure of your pallet racking system. During inspection, use the manufacturer’s instructions to check that racks are properly aligned, plum, and level.

Loose Floor Fittings

OSHA is clear that rack columns are bottom-anchored to the floor with column base plates secured with anchor bolts.

Suitability of forklift truck

Your material handling equipment and pallet jacks should be sized to meet your needs.

Weight of stored goods versus capacity of racking system

To prevent dangerously overloaded racks, ANSI/RMI MH16.1 suggests posting the maximum permissible unit load, average unit load, and maximum total load per bay.

In the end, whether your racks are damaged, overloaded, improperly anchored or misaligned, they’re a serious safety hazard that can result in serious injury. OSHA recommends warehouse managers develop a thorough maintenance and inspection program. Be liberal with safety audits that include everything from pallet rack signage all the way up your material handling equipment.

Millennium Storage Office Refurbishments

June 12, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

Millennium offers you a full service to provide you with the best possible environment with minimum disruption. We believe in practical solutions and creative office space planning. As a company experienced in office fit out, we offer office partitioning, flooring, decoration, furniture (standard and bespoke). As a result you have one point of contact and dedicated project management to ensure a seamless transformation.

The Benefits of Refurbishing Your Office or Workplace

The average worker spends vast portions of their lives in their office or workplace, so it is important for the surroundings to look and feel welcoming. If your workplace needs a bit of a spruce up, you may want to consider the benefits of an office refurbishment.

Improved efficiency

Refurbishing your workplace can allow you to alter the layout of your establishment, and you may find that by moving certain aspects of your office, you can increase the efficiency of your workplace. You can even take this opportunity to invest in new, high-quality equipment for your office that can increase the speed of functions.

Increased productivity

A new, attractive, updated workplace can boost the morale of your workers, which in turn can increase their productivity.

Attracts new clients or customers

Your office is, in effect, the face of your company, and the quality of your workplace can speak volumes about how your company is run, and even how successful your business is. A high-quality establishment indicates that your company is turning a good profit, which can make other customers or clientele have faith in the success of your company and be more inclined to do business with you.

More room for more staff

When you refurbish, you can alter the size of certain aspects of your establishment – storage, hallways, etc. to create more space, which can fit your expanding workforce more comfortably. You may even find that simply rejigging the furniture into a more organised state can create the extra space you need.

Increased health and safety

If you’ve been using your office for a while, general wear and tear might have caused some damage to the fixtures, which can be a huge health and safety risk to your workers. An entire new office will be completely safe and secure, greatly reducing the risk of workplace accidents.

Millennium Storage and Interiors offer both office and commercial refurbishments, so no matter your workplace, we can provide you with the new look you want. We only use high-quality materials and fully qualified and skilled workers, to ensure that the work we produce is of the utmost quality. No job is too big or too small for our dedicated team, and we’ll be on hand at all times to manage the project, completely eradicating the stress from the procedure.

The UK: Coolest Offices

May 15, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

Looks are never everything, but when it comes to the office you spend most of your time in, a work environment that is fun, easy on the eye and inspiring can make a huge difference to how you perform on a daily basis.

Take a look at a few of the trendiest offices we’ve got in the UK right now…

ASOS

The Office: ASOS’ headquarters in Camden are located in a former tobacco factory, with an art deco vibe that means natural light, modern furnishings, and funky, patterned wallpaper.

The Engine Group

The Office: Circular, spinning seating pods—like something you might see on a futuristic spaceship—and translucent acrylic display screens make this London office techy and cool.

Frank PR

The Office: This London office has a rotating fairground ride, a la an amusement park! Who wouldn’t want a spin—bad pun intended—at this office, which seems to value playing as much as it does hard work.

Millennium’s solutions are cost-effective and planned to the highest standards. The company’s strength is to understand fully client business and match it to their requirements.

If you have any questions or enquiries for us at Millennium Storage and Interiors, please get in touch using the contact details here.

New guide issued helps businesses with cold storage warehouse safety

February 29, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

The Cold Chain Federation have launched a useful health and safety guide for businesses operating cold storage warehouses.

Operating and working in a cold storage warehouse doesn’t come without its risks and challenges.

Businesses with cold storage warehouses must take care to comply with all relevant health and safety regulations to protect their employees from harm and keep their cold storage warehouse at a consistent and efficient temperature.

Just some of the risks of working in a cold storage warehouse include:

Ice build-up
Freezing surfaces
Condensation
Prolonged exposure to low temperatures

The Cold Chain Federation is an organisation representing the UK’s temperature-controlled supply chain. The federation represents and provides a voice for the industry in matters relating to cold chain compliance and helps to connect and provide help and support to businesses within the industry.

On January 31 they published a comprehensive guide called Keeping People Safe in a Cold Store, which can be downloaded from their website.

The guide provides information about the health and safety risks, compliance requirements, and best practice measures that businesses operating cold storage warehouses should be aware of.

Shane Brennan, the Cold Chain Federation’s Chief Executive says that the guide is “the first health and safety guide of its kind specifically aimed at cold stores”. He adds that the guide aims to “save businesses time and help them with health and safety compliance in an efficient and structured way.”

Cold storage racking and shelving inspections

Ensure that your cold storage warehouse racking is safe and in good condition with regular safety inspections.

Our team here at Millennium Storage and Interiors carry out independent racking and shelving safety inspections.

During a safety inspection, our qualified personnel will inspect your racking for damage and perform a risk assessment. To book a safety inspection, give our team a call on 01942 603 344.

How to design a disability-friendly office

February 17, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

An all-inclusive, disability-friendly office design creates a safer, more comfortable and welcoming work environment for all, including disabled employees and visitors to your business.

By law, all businesses should provide an all-inclusive workspace that facilitates a safe and comfortable work environment for all employees, including disabled individuals.

As well as looking after employees by helping them to feel more valued and comfortable, a disability-friendly office design attracts a more diverse workforce and a wider pool of candidates, helping your business to attract more top talent.

Whilst some disabled employees may require specialist equipment, most disabled employees’ requirements can be met by simply taking accessibility into consideration when designing your office.

Here are some key features of inclusive, disability-friendly office design.

Accessible sockets
Adjustable desks
Cable management
Low lever door handles
Low flat panel light switches
Wide doorways and hallways
Task lighting
Quiet workspaces
Computer monitor arms
Large-print equipment controls
Use of ramps instead of stairs where suitable
Climate control

Whilst these design features are all disability-friendly, many of them will make your office a safer and more comfortable workspace for everyone.

Space should be a key consideration when designing a disability-friendly workspace, ensuring that there is always enough room for a wheelchair to manoeuvre.

All trip hazards and obstructions should be removed and tidied away, especially trailing wires and cables. Cable management systems are effective for keeping cables neat and safe.

Inclusive office design by Millennium Storage

Here at Millennium Storage and Interiors we provide office refurbishments and new builds to businesses of all different shapes and sizes. We design practical and inspiring office spaces that find the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality.

Our designs are practical for all employees, with accessibility and inclusivity always a key consideration in our design process.

For help or advice with designing a disability-friendly office, or to book a free consultation with our team, give us a call on 01942 603 344.

Designing an environmentally friendly office interior

January 25, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

Look after our planet by incorporating these eco-friendly design features into your office interior.

As the effects of climate change become more obvious, businesses of all shapes and sizes are becoming more conscientious about the impact that they have on the environment.

If you’re looking for ways to make your office more sustainable and energy-efficient, why not give it an eco-friendly refurbishment. Here are four basic elements of an environmentally-friendly office design.

Energy-efficient lighting

Keeping the lights on in your office can use a lot of energy, which is not only detrimental to our planet, but to your business’ budget too. Reduce your office’s energy bill by designing an interior that lets in as much natural light as possible to minimise the need for artificial light. Using energy efficient LED lighting can also reduce the amount of energy you use to light your office by 50% or more!

Sustainable furniture

Make environmentally friendly decisions when it comes to office furniture by only buying high quality, long-lasting furniture made from sustainable materials and preferably sourced locally too. Where possible, try to upcycle, repurpose or reuse existing furniture rather than buying new.

Sustainable flooring

Your office’s flooring should not only be made from a sustainable material, it should be energy efficient too to lower your office’s heating bills and keep employees feeling warm and comfortable. Reclaimed wood flooring and eco-friendly carpet made from recyclable materials are both popular options. More unusual eco-friendly flooring materials include cork, bamboo and concrete.

Recycling bins

Encourage employees to get involved and start thinking about the effects that their actions at work have on the environment. Install central recycling and waste management zones that require employees to separate out recyclables and promote less wasteful ways of working.

For more help designing an environmentally friendly office interior, speak to our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors about our office refurbishment services by giving our team a call on 01942 603 344.

Office design trends for 2020

January 15, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

The dawn of the new decade is a good time to give your outdated office interior a makeover.

Here at Millennium Storage and Interiors we expect 2020 to see the rise of eco-friendly, multi-functional office interiors.

Offices are no longer sterile white environments, instead, businesses are seeking sustainable and environmentally-conscious designs that prioritise employee wellbeing as well as productivity.

Here are our top four office design trend predictions for 2020.

Environmentally friendly

Businesses are becoming more conscious about the environmental impact of the materials and products used in their office interiors. In 2020, we expect to see a surge in businesses requesting office interiors that incorporate recyclable and natural materials and practical and cost-effective energy-efficient products and designs.

Privacy

Open plan offices have had their day, and in 2020 we’re expecting to see more businesses embracing office interiors that offer employees quiet and private spaces to work in. Over recent years, numerous studies have found that open plan offices can have a negative effect on both employee productivity and wellbeing as they tend to create a lot of noise and can be very distracting and stressful. Office partitioning, pods, and booths are all expected to make a comeback this year.

Collaborative spaces

Whilst employees often perform better and feel more relaxed when given their own private space to work in, collaborative workspaces that encourage communication and idea sharing are also very important in the workplace. Formal meeting rooms, cosy huddle rooms, and trendy break-out spaces all allow employees the space they need to share ideas, inspire each other, and interact socially when they need it.

Bold colours

In 2020 we’re expecting to see more businesses opting for bold and clashing colours to create daring and contemporary interiors.

For help or advice regarding your office design, speak to our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors about our office refurbishment services by giving our team a call on 01942 603 344.

Best types of warehouse racking for the food and drink industry

December 20, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Pallet racking provides an extremely versatile solution for storing large quantities of food or drink in your warehouse.

Pallet racking is available in many different shapes and sizes, and with a little help from the experts it is possible to tailor a system to your business’ exact requirements.

The type of racking most suited to your business will depend on several factors including the type of food and drink you’re storing and your turnover.

Some of the different types of pallet racking suited to the food and drink industry include:

Adjustable pallet racking

Adjustable pallet racking can be used in refrigerated environments and even freezer chambers if required, making it an ideal solution for storing all different types of food and drink.

The excellent flexibility and customisation of adjustable pallet racking makes it one of the most popular warehouse racking storage solutions available.

As well as being easy to assemble and highly adaptable, adjustable pallet racking is not usually subject to any layout restrictions, helping to maximise the space available in your warehouse.

Drive in/through racking

This type of racking helps to create space in your warehouse for more high density storage of products.

The racking maximises space by using just one forklift access aisle where either the last load in is the first one out or the first load in is also the first load out.

Pallet shuttle racking

Pallet shuttle racking is an excellent solution for improving the efficiency and productivity levels of food and drink warehouses with very high turnovers.

Instead of using forklifts, pallet shuttle racking systems use a remotely controlled shuttle to quickly stock and retrieve pallets.

This type of racking can help to cut warehouse costs, increase productivity, and maximise space available for more high density storage.

For more help choosing a racking system for your warehouse that will enhance efficiency and increase productivity, give our team here at Millennium Storage and Interiors a call on 01942 603 344.

5 signs it’s time for an office refurbishment

November 15, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

A tired or outdated office could be having more of an impact on your business’ success than you realise.

Your office’s appearance can have a big effect on employee mood and wellbeing, directly impacting productivity, retention rates and even your business’ profit margin.

Look out for these 5 signs that your business could benefit from and office refurbishment.

The interior is tired, dark or drab

Does your office’s interior communicate the right message to employees and visitors? Faded curtains, stained carpets, and outdated decor can give the impression of a business that isn’t doing very well or doesn’t have high standards. Revitalising your office to create a space you are proud of and enjoy spending time in can also help to inspire and motivate employees and win the trust of clients.

Your business has re-branded

If your business has rebranded or your company culture has evolved, then refurbishing your office can help to reflect these changes and ensure continuity in your branding.

It’s feeling cramped or cluttered

A cluttered, cramped or untidy workspace can be distracting and demotivating for employees. If you’ve run out of room, or your office is beginning to feel claustrophobic, a refurbishment can help you to gain more space.

Employee morale is very low

Employees working in uninspiring or neglected spaces can feel undervalued and demotivated by their work environment. If morale is low, then productivity often suffers too, ultimately having a negative effect on your business’ reputation and bottom line.

Health and safety are being compromised

As well as creating an unpleasant work environment, an old and tired office can also pose a significant health and safety risk. Trailing wires, faulty electrical items, overloaded plug sockets, broken chairs and tables, and blocked fire exits are just some of the common health and safety issues that can easily be rectified with an office refurb.

Need some advice and help with refurbishing your office? Get in touch with our team here at Millennium Storage and Interiors to discuss your requirements and find out more about our office refurb services.