With one of the hottest summers on record, your office is sure to have had its share of temperature issues. Employee preferences for office temperature differ but steps can be taken to enhance employee comfort.

With hot and cold calls constantly topping the list of employee complaints, IFMA conducted a survey of over 450 Facility Managers in 2009 to investigate the issue of office temperature. Different preferences resulted in employees using everything, from blankets and gloves to personal fans, for temperature control.  During the summer one Facility Manager even reported seeing an employee bring a wading pool into the office under their desk, to cool their feet.

Read the article on chargespot.com >

As someone who designs workplace environments, it’s fascinating to participate in the “amenity one-upmanship” happening at corporations throughout the world and at tech firms in particular. From ping pong tables and kegerators to massage and nap spaces, amenities are now ubiquitous to the workday experience. They reduce the formality of the office environment and encourage a higher level of socialization and camaraderie, each key contributors to workplace satisfaction. They make culture more tangible and visible, which in a red-hot market plays a strong role in recruitment, retention and differentiation.

Read the article on entrepreneur.com > 

The conversations around Active Design continue! Designers, manufacturers and customers are discussing what it is, what are the benefits and how it is implemented? In the simplest of terms, Active Design is an approach to the development of buildings and workplaces that make daily physical activity more accessible for employees. For a more thorough explanation, check out this post on Active Design.

Read the blog post on blog.ki.com >

Over the last year, we’ve been excitedly planning our new office space. If you’ve ever been through an office renovation, you have a unique appreciation for what this endeavor looks like!

You’d be surprised to learn how important being intentional with space is. Admittedly, this isn’t something I would normally think of unless there was reason to in the moment. Going through this exercise has been a much needed and growth-oriented opportunity for me as a leader in my company. What I’ve come to see is that good design, like a good voice-over, shouldn’t stand out. It blends in because good office design, like a good voice-over communicating a message, is merely a vehicle- it’s a palatable expression that supports the ultimate goal. To say it differently, the spoken word is how people hear a message. Design is how people experience their work.

Read the blog post on huffingtonpost.com >

Google has recently opened its new London office, set to be the company’s largest in Europe – we take a tour around the interiors to find out what it is that makes Google’s working environment so unique.

Read the article on designweek.co.uk >

Are employees pining for their old cubicles? And if we take a cue from home, the kitchen is the center of family gatherings, making it now number one on the list of company amenities. Robin Weckesser, founder and president of a3 Workplace Strategies, discussed this and other water cooler buzz in this GlobeSt.com office trends exclusive.

Read the article on globest.com >