Economy adds 223,000 jobs in December, showing resilience and cooling / Young Office acquires office furniture store McWaters / Inscape Announces Director Resignations / Manhattan Office Leasing Drops 43%, Despite 1.2M SF Fox Deal / Related Midwest Changes Course On Fulton Market Project, Plans New Office Tower Instead / A Shifting Workplace Paradigm for the New Year / The Front Line Of The Hybrid Work Tug Of War In 2023 Is In The Middle / Will Work From Home Continue in 2023 if There's a Recession? / Acer Unveils the eKinekt Bike Desk to Empower Active and Sustainable Lifestyles


The Working Space
Monday, January 9, 2023

Industry News

Young Office, an office furniture store based in Greenville, SC, announced Jan. 4. it has acquired McWaters, an office furniture business based in Columbia.
 
“We are excited to announce the acquisition of McWaters,” Young Office President and CEO Thomas Young IV said. “Like Young Office, the McWaters brand has been highly respected for decades. Going forward, we will continue to focus on creating only the highest quality office environments for our clients across South Carolina, Western North Carolina and Georgia.”
 
Following the acquisition, Young Office operates showrooms in Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina; and Savannah and Augusta, Georgia.

AAA Business Supplies & Interiors Welcomes the Office City into the Family

The Office City, a market leader in the Northern California market, is joining the AAA Business Supplies & Interiors team. This combination firmly establishes AAA as the largest independent dealer in the Northern California market, and as one of the largest dealers in the western US.

Bill Jones, long a leader in the AOPD community, and Jerry Carroll, who is currently serving on the Pinnacle board, are both joining AAA in key leadership roles. “We are absolutely delighted to welcome them and their talented team to AAA, and look forward to leveraging our combined experience and resources to benefit our clients. We view this as a combination of equals that are bringing their collective strengths to the table to make us all stronger.” said Danziger.

AAA and The Office City will operate separately for now. The combined company has 7 locations throughout California, with a strong presence throughout Northern CA and the Central Valley, and an expanded presence in the education and government markets.

Combined, AAA and The Office City have acquired/merged 24 companies together over the last 40 years. “AAA is looking to bring additional dealers on board as scale matters more than ever today. Plus we want to continue to strengthen our talent pool, along with the product solutions and services we can offer clients.” said Danziger.

Inscape Announces Director Resignations

Inscape Corporation announced that, following the successful take-over bid by HUK 121 Limited, Neil McDonnell, Tracy Tidy, Tania Bortolotto, and David LaSalle resigned from the board of directors of the Company effective 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on December 23, 2022.

Affordable Office Interiors Names New President

Affordable Office Interiors, a 100% ESOP, full-service office furniture dealership, promoted Jessica Platt to President.

Jessica started with AOI, in Madison, Wisconsin as a Showroom Manager and Designer in November of 2010. She quickly demonstrated organizational, sales and leadership qualities that developed into numerous promotions throughout her career. Jessica cultivated and nurtured the largest clients for AOI, while managing teams in Madison, Milwaukee and ultimately Illinois, culminating in her well-deserved promotion to President in January of 2023.

As President, Jessica will manage all sales and operational activities, training sales personnel, and setting strategic goals for the organization.

“Jessica has stood out above the crowd since the day she started her career with AOI. Her ability to build teams, service her clients and effectively communicate with teammates throughout all BOS Holdings brands is unmatched and we are looking forward to the continued growth of AOI with Jessica’s leadership.” said George Pfeiffer, CEO of BOS Holdings.

Affordable Office Interiors is a subsidiary of BOS Holdings, which is 100% Employee Owned. BOS is one of the largest Haworth dealerships in the world and has been in business for 75 years.

Finding showroom space in Chicago's Fulton market just got easier - if not cheaper. Related Midwest is making a 180-degree flip on its plans in Chicago's Fulton Market District. The real estate developer is changing course on creating an apartment and hotel complex and will instead seek permission for a 41-story, 1M SF office tower at 725 West Randolph St., Crain's Chicago Business reports.
Despite an unexpected package unwrapped this week down the street from Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree—a 1.2M lease renewal by Fox Corp. and its News Corp. spin-off of their HQ at 1211 Sixth Avenue, the largest NYC office lease in three years—net absorption turned negative in Manhattan in Q4 as leasing activity plunged by nearly 43%.

Manhattan’s fourth quarter net absorption total of negative 346K SF left the largest US office market with an annual net absorption of negative 1.6M SF, according to a Q4 market report from Newmark.

Nearly one-third of the all of the office space in San Francisco is now available for lease as a wave of downsized office footprints by companies who have embraced remote work is being exacerbated by a growing tide of tech company layoffs.

According to a report from Savills, the office availability rate in San Francisco notched a new all-time high of 32.1% in the fourth quarter, up from 28.9% in Q3. Availability of sublease space increased to 8.2M SF, up from 7.7M SF in Q3.

The flight to quality by office tenants isn’t having a huge effect on overall occupancy levels—which still are struggling to get over 50% in the top US markets, according to Kastle’s latest weekly barometer—but it has created a bonanza of premium-priced leases in NYC.

According to JLL’s Year-End Recap, 190 Manhattan office leases were priced at more than $100 per SF in 2022, up from the previous record of 164 in 2021.

According to CBRE, when it comes to office the king of the metrics for the second year running is utilization: cost per seat, design density and vacancy tied for second place.

This comes from CBRE’s analysis, 2022-2023 CBRE Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights, an annual survey of major occupiers worldwide.

When Allstate sold its sprawling Northbrook campus in October, long an iconic corporate landmark bordering the Tri-State Tollway, the insurance giant didn’t set off for a trendy West Loop address, the Sun Belt or more exotic destination.

Instead, Allstate packed up its cubicles, stowed its massive signs and moved into an anonymous office building it still owned across the street, downsizing its global headquarters — at least temporarily — to a modest, unmarked space on the first and second floors.

Salesforce Inc. CRM 3.54% is laying off 10% of its workforce and reducing its office space in certain markets, the latest tech company cutting back after a pandemic-fueled growth spurt.

The company disclosed the restructuring plan Wednesday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It said it will incur about $1.4 billion to $2.1 billion in charges from the plan, with up to $1 billion in the company’s current quarter.

Features

In this time of constant change and challenge, people want to spend their time in environments that maximize the way they live, work, play, and collaborate. Our latest research sheds light on an emerging trend in how people and companies are using their space.

Workspace News

The ability to work remotely, mixed with turbulence and layoffs in the tech industry and ongoing talks of a recession, has left tech workers questioning if they really want or need to be located in Silicon Valley.
A new study from IWG shows that over one-third of Brits are relinquishing their fitness memberships as the cost of living continues to rise.
We know a more flexible approach to work delivers benefits for people and businesses. Long-term Gallup data has shown that the most engaged employees are ones who spend 1-2 days in the office, and the others at home. The study also shows that professionals are growing to expect employers to help support a physically healthy lifestyle, with 50% of respondents saying they want employers to provide some sort of fitness membership perk.
Decisions about a company's remote or hybrid work policies are often handed down from on high by the CEO. But the implementation, practicalities and, ultimately, the enforcement of hybrid arrangements are falling to managers who operate in the middle of the organization — and they are feeling the strain of the new work orders more than anyone.

For these hybrid arrangements, and the companies that implement them, to flourish, workplace experts told Bisnow that focused training and support for middle managers — something that may have slipped down the list of priorities for firms — is now critical.

If the US job market continues to weaken next year, companies will be emboldened and may pull back on letting employees work remotely.

Executives generally fall into two camps on working from home, which surged during the pandemic when workers gained leverage during a tight labor market. Some believe it has advantages, like happier employees, while others say company culture is built in the office.

Data from the commercial real estate security company Kastle shows that office occupancy has been on a steady growth curve since the initial lockdowns of early 2020. Occupancy is now about half of what it was pre-pandemic. While it may never again return to pre-pandemic levels, physical office space remains a part of the way many companies do business.
A “deep divide” in the office market will continue to deepen this year as tenants continue to flock to high-quality, amenity-rich assets at the expense of lower-quality buildings in less desirable locations.

“The best buildings are seeing strong demand,” says CBRE’s head of office research Jessica Morin. “By the best buildings, we’re talking about buildings that have amenities that drive employee wellness and health and the types of buildings where there’s walkable retail and amenities. And we’re going to continue to see technological advancements being used in the office that really help provide this seamless experience between people working in the office and meeting with clients that are in other locations.”

Design

Coworking changed workplace design and the environment worldwide. Most companies are developing office layouts around coworking space themes to boost collaboration and creativity. Coworking spaces have more options for collaboration and connectivity than cubicle-based offices.

Trends

Kendra Linton of NELSON Worldwide explores how sensory experiences can support hybrid workplace culture and make room for human-centered design. - We're ringing in the new year with more 2023 trends & predictions! See them all here. - How can sensory experiences support a hybrid workplace?
Many clients are experimenting with what hybrid work looks like, what their policies are, how much space they need, and how to create a workplace that supports what their people need. Gensler Work leaders Natalie Engels and Elizabeth Brink discuss what's next for the future of workplace.
Building owners and developers are facing the challenge of what to do with stranded assets: Class B and C office buildings that sit vacant as tenants flock to more modern, amenity-rich properties. While some older buildings can be renovated to increase their appeal, others can be reimagined and leveraged for conversion to first-class residential buildings.

Latest Products

Acer announced the eKinekt BD 3 bike desk, a desk combined with a stationary bike to empower sustainable and healthier lifestyles. The eKinekt BD 3 lets users exercise as they work by using kinetic energy from the rider's pedaling to power the machine and charge devices. Available by NeoCon for an expected $999.
The FX Stick is a lower tech version of the wearable exoskeleton, lacking the sorts of battery powered systems that drive those products.
Bird, by industrial designer Bernhard Osann, is essentially a desk lamp with no base. Instead the aluminum lamp has a protruding "finger" that rests on the worksurface; the lamp is perfectly balanced, thanks to brass weights, keeping the lamp's head perfectly level.

Other News

Can a guy get his own desk? What about if he's President?
 
President Joe Biden reportedly wanted to remove a famous piece of furniture from the Oval Office because former President Donald Trump used it. 
 
The New York Post reports — according to an excerpt from the forthcoming book “The Fight for His Life” by Chris Whipple — the 46th president “let loose” on the “former guy” while giving a friend a private tour of the White House.
 
“Biden unleashed his ire on an upstairs room where Trump had installed a big-screen TV and a golf simulator that allowed him to practice his swing to the virtual backdrop of famous courses,” the Post reports.
 
Additionally, the current president reportedly wanted to remove the historic Resolute Desk — because Trump used it — and replace it with the desk used by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Trends in Commercial Projects from Around the Globe

Minimalism can easily result in bland and sterile design. But San Francisco and Tel Aviv-based Axelrod Architects has demonstrated how the clean-lined, monochromatic aesthetic can be infused with meaning to create a compelling 15,000-square-foot office in the Bay Area town of Burlingame.
Montroy DeMarco Architecture (MDA) has completed an 18,200-square foot expansion to an existing 20,000-square foot office space in Manhattan’s Financial District for a national not-for-profit organization focused on providing legal services to the accused and imprisoned.
The Malin’s design is driven by comfort and productivity – form and function are in balance,” says Ciaran McGuigan, the founder of the company behind the new Malin shared workspace in Williamsburg. “We are using the very best materials available but nothing is too precious – we want our members to feel at home.”

Upcoming Industry Events

NeoCon 2023
June  12-14, 2023 | Chicago, IL
 
NeoCon has served as the world’s leading platform and most important event of the year for the commercial design industry since 1969. A launch pad for innovation—NeoCon offers ideas and introductions that shape the built environment today and into the future.  

National Ergonomics Conference & ErgoExpo 2022
November 8-10, 2022 | Paris Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas

National Ergo 2022 returns November 8-10 bringing the Ergonomics community together for the industry's longest running conference and trade show. Learn from the Nation's top Ergonomic and Safety executives with over 40 educational sessions, keynotes and workshops.  

Milan Design Week 2023
April 18-23, 2023 | Milan, Italy

Milan design week is the biggest annual design event in the world and takes place from 17 to 23 April 2023. The week includes the furniture fair Salone del Mobile, which takes place at the Fiera Milano exhibition centre and is the largest event to take place during the week. The selection of fringe events collectively named Fuorisalone also takes place across the city.

hd expo+conference
May 2-4, 2023 | Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

HD Expo + Conference is the largest hospitality event of its kind in the country, showcasing the latest products, services, and innovative developments from the industry’s leading manufacturers.  

Clerkenwell Design Week 2023
May 23-25, 2023 | London

Clerkenwell is home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else on the planet, making it truly one of the most important design hubs in the world. To celebrate this rich and diverse community, Clerkenwell Design Week has created a showcase of leading UK and international brands and companies presented in a series of showroom events, exhibitions and special installations that take place across the area.

Orgatec 2024
October 22-26, 2024 | Cologne, Germany

Orgatec is the International trade fair for office and property equipment. Held in Cologne, Germany.
Find the best Contract Furniture Industry jobs and hire the best talent.
Dear Stephen, A friend of mine worked for Creative Office Resources (COR) in New York City. A #MillerKnoll dealer. If you cannot keep track, this company was COP, which joined forces with Offices Resources to become Creative Office Resources (#COR). Are you still with me?
TGEG Seating a Southern California based seating company is searching for independent sales representation. The territories available currently are Nevada, Northern California, and Arizona.
Global Furniture Group, a leader in the workplace, education, healthcare + hospitality furniture industry has an immediate career opportunity for a Territory Manager for Richmond, VA. This candidate will increase awareness and interest among dealers, designers and end-users of Global’s brand, product and capabilities. 
Barbican Architectural Products enters it's 35th year of business looking to find the right partners for it's Architectural Wall Division. Organizations should provide an established network of Architects, Interior Designers, General contractors and end users. Due to the overwhelming response and the utilization of our Architectural Walls, we need solid business partnerships to support the growing demand.
NDI Office Furniture LLC, one of the nation’s largest stocking office furniture importers and distributors, is seeking an individual or group for Sales Representation in the South Florida territory. NDI is based in Nashville TN with warehouses in FL, AL and TX. We utilize our own fleet of trucks and drivers to provide industry-leading service to our customers.  The successful candidate may be either an employee or an Independent Representative.
WIELAND is a leading provider of patient room and seating products to healthcare facilities across the country. We are seeking a sales professional to represent our healthcare products Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Alaska. Our continued growth provides significant income potential for the right individual. This is an employee position with full benefits. 
Baresque, a leading supplier of architectural acoustical solutions for the hospitality, contract furniture, commercial and healthcare markets, is seeking an experienced Project Manager - Furniture to join our team in Garland, Texas. This position will be work directly with our customers and is responsible for interpreting architectural intent. This individual will also work closely with our design team, customer service department and third party fabricators. Excellent communication skills and a high attentional to detail are essential.
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