If your idea of celebrating fall is a daily PSL, this post may not be for you. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read on.
Fall offers us so much more than pumpkin spice lattes (there, I said it). Here are four ways to hygge your office environment just in time to watch the leaves fall.
TEXTURE This is an easy place to start. Take advantage of the design blur between work and home. Warm up common spaces with textural rugs and natural elements (think wood cutting boards, stone pitchers, and dried arrangements). Change the bulbs in your lighting fixtures to emit a more warm glow. Set the office music station to soothing mood music. New seating with Haworth’s digital weaves are the whipped cream on top.
WELLNESS Schedule an outdoor ‘yay day’ before the rain and snow start. Give your team a last day in the great outdoors in advance of inhospitable weather. Axe throwing, hikes, a clean up day; it doesn’t really matter, as long as everyone gets a dose of fresh air. Then host everyone at a local brewery or distillery with appetizers and drinks.
TOGETHER Set up a warm drink station with apple cider, coffee, seasonal teas and a splash of ‘something extra’ for those after 5 workers. Order an indoor s’mores station, hold a pumpkin carving contest, or a workspace decorating contest. The more engagement the workspace offers, the more likely your team is to participate. That leads to increased engagement and that certain je ne sais quoi only in-person collaboration can provide.
EMBRACE Lastly, take a moment with the changing of the seasons to reflect on the physical space. What has the year brought that could be better supported in the work environment? Are you hosting more meetings in person? It might be time to add a conference room. More people working flextime? Touch down stations and lockers may be an answer. That beer tap you’ve been thinking about? Now’s the time to install it. (Let’s be honest, it’s always a good time to install a beer tap.)
As always, we’re on deck to help. Our ideas, your ideas; good thoughts come from all over.
Let’s meet and see what’s possible this fall.
Mary Frances President + Ringmaster
burkeMICHAEL+