Plants do more than make an office visually pleasing. These decorative features can also improve indoor air quality, boost productivity, and enhance your health. Add some greenery to your office today and start reaping the benefits listed below!

Improve Health

Plants naturally filter toxins from the areas they grow in, helping to clean the air in your office. In addition, plants have also have a calming effect on workers, boosting your team’s mental health.

Boost Creativity & Productivity

Bright colors and vibrant smells can provide inspiration and help to avoid creative blocks. Studies have also found that employees perform better and have an easier time staying focused in offices with houseplants and wall decor.

Reduce Noise

Similar to rugs and upholstered furniture, plants can help absorb noise in open offices. Position large planter pots in between rooms to define areas and reduce the amount of noise carried from space to space.

Before you purchase plants for your office, make sure to research the best plants for particular spaces. Specific environmental things to note are how much sunlight a room gets and the average temperature of the space. Be sure to put a watering plan is place as well so you can enjoy these benefits for years to come!

The start of a new year is a great time to evaluate your branding strategies and plan your marketing approach for the upcoming months. As your company and business trends evolve, take a look at your current promotional products to ensure your message is on brand and that customers will find the items useful. Take a look at the list of 2020 trends below for ideas to make your business stand out and look future-forward.

Eco-Friendly Products
The main trend for promotional products in 2020 continues to be eco-friendly products. As many businesses strive to implement greener practices, choosing products that are sustainable is a simple step towards that goal while showing your customers your company values. On the Keeney’s Promotional website, you can easily filter for items that are biodegradable, organic or made from recycled content.

Reusable Items
Tying in with the goal of being more eco-friendly, the days of giving out cheap, one-use items at tradeshows are over. Instead, companies are choosing to give out higher quality items that customers can use again and again. Popular items include reusable grocery bags, metal straws and lunch sets.

Healthy Lifestyles
With the added dedication to fitness at the beginning of the year as well as the increasing focus on wellness in the workplace, items that promote health are a great giveaway. Step trackers, phone armbands, adult coloring books and yoga mats are all great ways to promote physical and mental health in the workplace.

Technology 
As our lives in and out of work become more focused on electronics, technology products will be used daily by your customers. Branded power adapters, flash drives and ear buds will be useful for your clients and will stay on their desk as a reminder of your business.

As you plan your marketing and events schedule for the upcoming year, remember to place your orders for promotional products early so you’re ready to go! For assistance selecting the right products for your business, contact the Keeney’s team.

The way employees and companies work continues to evolve, changing workplace environments and office setups each year. In 2020, trends will focus on attracting top talent, utilizing sustainable materials, creating welcoming spaces and maximizing usability within the office space. Check out the list below for design styles to watch out for in the upcoming year.

Features to Attract New Talent

Employee perks such as onsite gyms, yoga spaces, and napping rooms continue to grow in popularity and become more common in the workplace. Creating spaces that “feel like home” with comfortable lounge pieces, greenery and a stocked kitchen will help employees achieve the work/life balance they desire.

Sustainable Designs

Operating a sustainable business is increasingly important to companies and their consumers. From purchasing furniture made out of sustainable materials to setting up recycling programs to obtaining LEED certification, offices will continue to look for ways to increase their green practices in 2020.

Bright Offices

Utilizing natural light with large windows and open spaces will help to create bright, welcoming spaces. Building outdoor spaces for employees will also take advantage of sun light and create happy, productive places for your team to work.

Unconventional Workspaces

Creating spaces that are reconfigurable and serve multiple uses are becoming more and more in demand in today’s offices. As rents continue to rise, companies are maximizing usability of each space by creating reconfigurable rooms with movable tables, retractable walls and multipurpose furniture.    With the removal of traditional desks and offices, it is also important to provide quiet workspaces like phone booths or meeting nooks.

Implementing these trends will help to meet the wants and needs of today’s employees and help to create a welcoming and efficient work environment for your team. Schedule a consultation with the Keeney’s team to start incorporating these 2020 designs into your office. Happy New Year!

*Photo courtesy of AIS

With 2020 right around the corner, it’s time to start making New Year’s resolutions. Implementing a few small changes can help to accomplish your personal goals both in and out of the workplace.  While thinking about what you want to achieve in the upcoming year, consider adding the five work goals below to your list.

Get Organized

The start of the year is an ideal time to tidy up your workspace and implement new systems. Clean out your desk drawers, file your digital documents and try out a new task software to keep on top of assignments. Getting organized will help relieve stress and make you a more efficient worker in the upcoming months.

Learn a New Skill

Regardless of your field, there are always new things you can learn to benefit your career. Taking a continuing education class at a local college or an online webinar will help to increase your skill base and advance your career. If it can enhance your work at your current job, your company might even be willing to pay for it!

Increase your Network

Networking is a great way to meet other professionals in your industry and stay on top of what’s happening in your field. Whether you join a professional organization, attend a conference or become more active on LinkedIn, creating professional connections will help to grow your industry knowledge  and resources.

Update your Resume

Even if you have no plan to switch jobs this year, review your resume to see if everything is accurate and up-to-date. This is helpful to have ready for client proposals, when applying for a board or committee position, or if a business opportunity presents itself. Make sure your headshot is also current and uploaded to your online profiles.

Be Healthier at Work

Many New Year’s resolutions are health based and since you spend a lot of your day at work, implementing changes at the office will help you to achieve your goals. Simple things like packing a nutritious lunch, taking a lunchtime walk or testing out a standing desk are easy changes to create a healthier workday.

Implementing these small changes can help you to achieve your professional goals, arm yourself with resources and become a more valuable employee.  We wish you a healthy and happy New Year!

The holiday season is a busy time! While you may be focused on finding the perfect recipe for your holiday gathering or shopping for gifts, remember to set up a few automated messages at work to notify customers of your business’s modified hours and closures. Be sure to include information on your personal vacation time as well if you are taking extra days off to travel and spend time with family.

Send an Email Notification

Compose an email for all your customers notifying them of any changes to your hours or schedule over the holidays. You can combine the information with your ‘Happy Holidays’ message to eliminate additional messages in their inboxes.

Schedule an Automatic Response

Set an out of office email with a notice of the days you will be gone as well as the days your business will be closed. If your business has extended or shortened hours around the holidays, include that information as well. You can also add a message to your signature to notify customers in the days leading up to the closures.

Change your Phone Message

Update the main phone line at your business to inform customers of your holiday hours and closures. Adding a reminder message in the days leading up to closures will help customers to plan ahead.

Edit your Google Listing

The hours on you Google business listing can be updated to reflect different hours of operation. This will be very helpful if you are a retailer or restaurant so patrons can plan their shopping to holiday meals.

Post a Notice Online

Be sure to include a notice on your website the days your business will be closed. If customers will be shopping on your website for gifts, include clear deadlines for orders to arrive before the holidays. Post holiday hours on your social media accounts as well to inform customers of closures.

With these quick updates, your customers will know what to expect from your business and you can focus on holiday festivities! As a reminder, Keeney’s will be closed December 24-25, December 31 and January 1.

With 2020 quickly approaching, the Pantone Color of the Year has been announced as “Classic Blue.” The mellow, rich blue relays a sense of peace and calmness, providing a dependable and stable foundation for the new year. Follow the trend and incorporate Classic Blue into your office space to create a tranquil atmosphere.

Furniture Pieces

While the color of the year is typically trendy, this timeless color will be around for years to come so it is safe to incorporate it into your office color scheme in more “permanent” applications. Office chairs, lounge furniture and storage pieces are typically available in a variety of fabrics and finishes and are a fun way to add a pop of color.

Artwork

While artwork can be a financial investment, it is easy to change if you get tired of it or decide it looks outdated. By keeping the rest of your office in neutral tones, the color in your artwork will stand out and take center stage.

Accent Pieces

To incorporate color without the commitment, add accent pieces like rugs, throw pillow and planters to keep your color scheme up-to-date and trendy. Office supplies also come in a variety of colors and are an inexpensive way to add color.

Start the new year in a calm state of mind by integrating “Classic Blue” tones into your office. Reach out to our design specialists to start incorporating color into your workspace today!

As open-plan offices become more popular, many of us are used to working in a crowded space and dealing with excessive office noise. Open spaces can be beneficial for collaborating with others, but for focused work, they can often hinder productivity. Here are a few ways to minimize noise and make your office a productive place to work:

Install Acoustical Panels

Hanging acoustical clouds from the ceiling or mounting acoustical panels on your walls will help to absorb noise and control sound reverberation. With a large variety of shapes, colors and sizes available, these fixtures can also double as art and add pops of color to your space.

Purchase a Sound Masking System

While the concept of adding more noise may seem counter-productive, adding consistent, low-level ambient noise to the workplace makes it harder to hear side conversations that can be distracting.

Add Floor Coverings

Adding rugs or carpet squares to concrete or tile flooring is an easy way to minimize noise in your space. Like acoustical panels, the fabric will help to absorb sound and make office chatter less distracting.

Designate Quiet Workspaces

Products like phone booths and meeting pods will allow employees to get away from all the noise to make phone calls, have private conversations and get focused work done.

With a few simple steps, you can make your office a great place to get work done. For more ideas on minimizing noise, contact Keeney’s team of Furniture Specialists!

*Pictured: EzoBord Work Zone Divider

On the biggest shopping weekend of the year, Small Business Saturday falls in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Relatively new, Small Business Saturday was started by American Express in 2011 to encourage the support of small businesses and local economies. While creating your holiday gift list this year, consider shopping at the small businesses in your community. In addition to helping a small business grow, you will see many benefits as well!

Find Unique Gifts

Small businesses offer a diverse array of products that you can’t buy anything else. From locally made art to handmade home goods to delicious treats, purchasing products from a local business will ensure your gift is unique.

Support Your Community

When you support a local business, you’re supporting your town. Businesses pay sales taxes to the city and state the business is located in, which is then used to support economic development and public services. In addition to tax dollars, local businesses provide jobs within your town, utilize the services of other nearby businesses and are more likely to support local charities and organization than chain stores.

Have a Better Shopping Experience

Shopping at a small business is a much more enjoyable experience than visiting a big box store. Store staff (or even the owner) are more likely to personally greet you, make gifting suggestions for that hard-to-buy-for person, and assist you in finding the products you are looking for.

Whether you’re holiday shopping on Small Business Saturday or buying products any other day of the year, try a small business the next time you need to make a purchase!

We are excited to announce the launch of Keeney’s newly designed shopping website: store.keeneys.com! Our goal with the updated website is to create a better browsing experience for our valued customers and business partners. We hope the sleek design and new tools will make the site easier to navigate and more user-friendly. Here are a few new features you may enjoy:

Easy Browsing

To make your shopping experience faster and easier, we have added a few helpful features. Users can now hover over drop-downs on the site to view additional products within that category. Shoppers can also click on any of the navigation buttons to view a complete list of products in that category, complete with product pictures.

One Stop Shopping

All the information you need is now located in one central location. From custom stamp requests to online return forms to scheduling a furniture consultation, you can get what you need quickly and easily.

Communications

From the new website, you can easily access Keeney’s social media accounts by clicking on the Facebook and LinkedIn icons. Our social media accounts are updated regularly with business updates, articles and installation photos. You can also sign up for emails to ensure you are up-to-date on company announcements and weekly sales.

Customer Support

As always, our customer service team is ready to help! You can reach out to them via chat on the website, phone or email. For video tutorials of the new site, step by step instructions for resetting your password, or more details on the update, visit our Information Center.

We are excited about the new website’s look and functionality and hope you have an enjoyable shopping experience. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or would like to provide feedback.

While the season of giving offers plenty of fun and merriment, it can also create stress and overwhelm many people. So how can you help keep your team merry and bright? Studies have shown that giving to others- in form of time, gifts or money- lifted the givers’ happiness an makes them feel more connected to their community. Helping your people help others during the holiday months can boost employee engagement and provide a great opportunity to showcase your values as a company.

Need inspiration? Here are a few ways your company can help your team give back this holiday season:

Collect Donations
Organizing a food drive or toy collection is a great way to give employees the opportunity to help others in the community. You can also connect with local organizations to be involved in holiday specific giving campaigns. Keeney’s partners with Lake City Holiday Project each year to “adopt children” and fulfill their holiday wish lists.

Volunteer as a Team
Not only does volunteering give back to the community, it is also a great activity for team building. Contact a local food bank, shelter or non-profit organization to setup a time for your team to come in. If you don’t have a chance to volunteer before the holidays, King County United Way’s MLK Day of Service in January is a great opportunity to get involved in the community and is the Keeney’s team’s favorite volunteer day.

Donate to Local Charities
There are many different organizations to give to in the community and various causes that each employee is passionate about. A great way to spread the cheer and let team members decide which organizations receive their support is to give employees charity gift cards. Another way to support your staff’s favorite organizations is to set up a matching program for monetary donations.

Whether you plan to host a giving event, organize volunteer opportunities or donate to local organizations, your team (and community) will appreciate your generosity during the holiday season!