4 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays at Work

‘Tis the season of holiday cheer, and what better way to celebrate than to bring some of that cheer to the office. Here are 4 easy ways to celebrate the holidays no matter where you work:

1. It is always nice to be able to wake up and have a little taste of the holiday at the start of your day. My personal favorite is a Winter Wake Up tea or some nice holiday creamer in your coffee. It’s a great way to spruce up your regular routine and get in the holiday spirit before you even get to the office.

2. Complementing number one, consider bringing your own festive water bottle or mug to keep at your desk for the season – you’ll be spreading cheer in all of your meetings throughout the office!

3. Thirdly, plan a holiday-themed lunch break with your team to celebrate each other and the season. Have some fun with it and encourage your colleagues to wear holiday-themed clothing that day! (TIP: Don’t forget to check the company dress code!)

4. Lastly, a nice holiday greeting card can go a long way, especially if you can double up and turn your season’s greeting card into a thank you note to your team or customers. And get creative! HON’s 2017 holiday card features a fun tree design using Flock®.

Happy holidays from HON! How do you celebrate the season in your office?

The Top 5 Things We’re Thankful For at HON

As we gather the fallen leaves, pick the ripening apples, and overstuff the quintessential bird, we occasionally tend to forget that it’s the season to be thankful. Alas, not this year! We’ve gathered a list of all the things that we’re thankful for here at The HON Company. So, grab a smoldering hot chocolate, kick up your flocked feet, and settle in!

1. Our Amazing Customers

First and foremost, we’re thankful for our amazing customers! Your dedication to selling the HON brand and promoting our products is without parallel; we appreciate your support! From east coast to west coast, and everywhere in between, we value the fact that our customers choose the HON brand. Thank you for your continuing partnership!

2. Our Dedicated Members

What makes The HON Company tick? Our members! Everyone from Supply Chain to Marketing, Customer Support to Sales, Training to Product and beyond has a hand in the daily upkeep of this amazing company. Whether we’re working on garnering the next shipment of lock assemblies or designing a new prototype, we all work together to make this a well-oiled machine.

3. Our Commitment to Being a Great Place to Work

Chili Contests, Jeans Days, volunteer and professional opportunities … who wouldn’t want to work for HON? As a member going on her seventh year of working for this fantastic company, I can’t imagine working elsewhere. We continually improve our members through leadership programs, HON University courses, and frequent training sessions. Now that’s something to sink your teeth into!

4. Our Evolving Products

On average, we launch about 10 new product lines a year! We stay ahead of this ever-changing industry by constantly evolving our product assortment, revolutionizing our materials and textiles, and introducing innovative new product lines. Check out our newly launched seating textile In Season (aptly named for a fall blog!), view our recently expanded Flock collection, or try out our Build Tool on hon.com today!

5. Our Community

Nestled in the heart of the Midwest, Muscatine, Iowa was the Pearl Button Capital of the World in 1905, accounting for nearly 37% of the world’s buttons. Since then, Muscatine has become home to The HON Company where we take a vested interest in upholding our strong community. Whether we’re fundraising for local or national charities with the HNI Charitable Foundation or helping the community in partnering with City of Hope, we strive to make a difference!

Though we’re not serving hot apple cider and green bean casserole just yet, there’s plenty to be thankful for here at The HON Company! Anything you’d like to add to the list? Tell us below!

The Impact of Furniture on the Younger Generation in the Workplace

The workplace has gone through many shifts over the years, with style, layout, design, and furniture having a lot to do with that. My name is Jared Roumfort and I am a 21-year-old college student at the University of Northern Iowa, currently interning in Marketing at The HON Company.  While being here this summer, I have already learned a lot about the workplace and the different tendencies people have. Do you like to work independently in a private space? In an open floor plan with an interactive and engaging setting? Or maybe a mixture of both?

Being in my early twenties makes me part of the Generation Z class, just missing the Millennial Generation. However, many people in college are also Millennials, making us a diverse group.  From my experience, people my age favor an engaging setting within an office, allowing them to perform tasks collaboratively rather than working independently. The workplace is gravitating towards this exact style – a responsive, hands-on approach towards everyday work that makes it easier for many people my age to perform. It is important to connect and build relationships within the workplace, allowing the bonds between coworkers to be strengthened and making it feel more comfortable and inviting for everyone.  Along with that, I have seen many employees my age prefer furniture that connects with an open floor plan. To support these work styles, lightweight, mobile, and flexible furniture that is adaptable for any office is becoming the norm. Tables that have a multi-purpose function are what I believe younger employees are looking for in their office spaces. The ability to customize features, such as color, design, and material, is also extremely valued.

A HON product line that often comes to mind for fitting the preferences of my generation is Flock®.  In a world that increasingly values freedom and mobility, fewer people work in one spot. We all work everywhere now, constantly seeking out relaxing spaces to maximize opportunities for productivity. Flock connects home and office, bringing people together within a casual workplace setting that allows everyone to find comfort and quality. This furniture collection features soft seating products and collaborative tables for endless possibilities to mix and match in any workspace. In my opinion, younger workers need variety and choice to perform their best, seeking comfortable spaces that inspire and engage. An inviting atmosphere, like the one Flock creates, can help attract anyone to a business – especially those who focus on interaction every day.

Furniture has more of an impact on life than we may realize. We’ve all heard about the sit-to-stand revolution and a focus on wellness in the workplace. This continues to change the way we work and how we can perform and contribute while incorporating movement into the workday. Flock supports relaxed postures and encourages everyone to work in a change-of-pace environment. Another essential part of everyday life for all workers, but specifically my generation, is technology.  Technology has enabled us to work from anywhere and expand our boundaries.  Growing up in the era of technology has also enabled employees my age to understand and communicate thoroughly by multi-tasking.  When in the office, we are no longer tethered to our desk and are free to work in various settings depending on the task.  My generation is also comfortable working differently because of technology.  Being able to multi-task on the phone, computer, and in person has given people a unique set of skills that benefit the modern workplace.  There is a comfort working with many people nearby while still focusing on your work, and this makes Flock a very desirable and productive solution.

Overall, Flock has the ability to invite and connect people together while having a positive experience. Office spaces have evolved in more ways than one, but with the style my generation prefers, it is an exciting and welcoming change that continues to develop.

For more information about how this product line can attract and retain younger workers, check out HON’s recent Flock expansion at hon.com/flock.

The Story of HON Learning

When you think of HON, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it’s our task seating. Maybe you know HON from the old days where our strongest suit was steel filing. Or, perhaps you are familiar with how we got started making recipe card boxes post World War II. If education furniture wasn’t something that popped into your head, you might be surprised to hear that HON has a very robust collection of learning solutions – a perfect example of our inspired practicality story. Take a look below at some of the ways HON has the right products for every space, every student and every type of learning.

More Than Just Desks
Today’s classrooms are not the classrooms of yesteryear. With the passing of each academic year, more and more emphasis is placed on collaboration and integrating new learning techniques for today’s youth, from kindergarten classrooms all the way to up to higher education facilities. HON doesn’t just have student desks to have student desks; we conducted extensive research to better understand how teachers teach and students learn to create innovative, quality products that are affordable. Build™ is a perfect example of that: height-adjustable activity tables in 12 unique shapes that can be broken out for individual learning, or can be joined together for interaction. Pair that with our industry-leading laminate desks for administrators, comfortable task chairs for teachers that won’t break the bank, and Smartlink® or Motivate® chairs that are specifically designed with students in mind, and you’re looking at a one-stop shopping learning solution. (Check out the new Motivate Counter-Height Stool , designed to meet multiple-height seating needs in learning and commercial applications.)

Beyond the Classroom
Collaboration extends well beyond the classroom as well. Lounge spaces require access to power to meet the needs of today’s technology-dependent world. Enter Grove®: not only does it provide a comfortable and active posture to encourage productivity, but it also incorporates a table to give you the option of tablet arms, a powered grommet or pop-up port. It’s the perfect fix for anyone who needs to charge their phone while they talk about a project, or juice up their laptop as they race to the finish on a homework deadline. Solutions like Grove and Flock® are also great for previously unused spaces, like hallways, to add additional study and collaborative areas for students. (COMING SOON: An exciting expansion to the Flock collaborative collection.)

Designed with Learning in Mind
For instances where you need a traditional primary or secondary education classroom solution, SmartLink provides the answer you need. Looking for both sitting- and standing-height student desks? SmartLink has you covered, offering fixed, adjustable, and sit-to-stand options, along with chairs in varying sizes and five chair heights ranging from 6”-18” to fit all students K-12. And, it doesn’t sacrifice innovation. The desks can be easily reconfigured in a variety of ways to accommodate different learning solutions. Last but not least, SmartLink also features unique storage that allows teachers to keep their classrooms organized—not an easy feat, as some would undoubtedly attest to. The unique design allows you to slide storage bins from the track integrated under the desktop to a lockable storage cabinet, so there’s a place for everything and everything is always in its place.  (Be sure to check out the latest SmartLink additions, including 14″H and 16″H Cantilever chairs as well as a 6″H chair which supports reading circle-style active learning.)

These are just a few ways that HON can be leveraged in the education arena —share your HON learning stories with us in the comments below!

Visit our Learning Spotlight Page on hon.com and download our K-12 and Higher Education Learning brochures to learn more today!

8 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Workspace | Part 1

If you’re anything like me, I love finding new ways to design my spaces – at home and in the office! With these 8 simple tips, you can re-decorate your workspace just in time for the holidays.

1. Add a Pop of Color

With HON’s latest fabric refresh, there are hundreds of options from which to choose that can bring life into your office this winter (my personal favorite is the Polka – Very Berry)! HON has created inspirational color palettes to make it easy to envision the right color scheme for your space. Have fun with it! Be BOLD and add patterns, or select colors that fit the season. There is no better way to make a statement to your customers, catch the attention of your guests or increase employee morale around the office than by adding a pop of color!

2. Add Whiteboards to Foster Creativity & Collaboration

Generally, we associate whiteboards with education settings, but they are also used in office spaces to foster creativity and collaboration. For example, we use whiteboards a lot in my department to give our sales team a place to brainstorm ideas, write daily goals, or even inspire each other with inspirational quotes of the week! In my experience, whiteboards can help keep people focused, allow them to collaborate with one another, and also boost productivity and creativity. To make it really easy to add to your space, HON offers both wall-mounted whiteboards and mobile whiteboards. You can even get creative and use glass stacker panels as a writing surface!

3. Create Alternative Places to Sit

Creating additional seating could be as simple as placing a cushion on your credenza or pedestal. This allows you to have short impromptu meetings right at your work space.  It’s an inexpensive way to not only create another option for seating, but also allows you to decorate your space with more fun fabrics!

4. Go Modular!

With HON’s full offering, there are so many options to choose from. Why not mix things up? HON’s soft seating line, Flock, allows you to connect multiple lounge seats together and reconfigure them in multiple designs. Plus, you can add Flock minis that can double as additional seating or workspaces when paired with the new laminate toppers! Another great product line for going modular is Voi desking with Accelerate workstations. Not only can you add a modern look with the open o-legs, but you can also create 120° workstation pods. How cool is the layout below!?

Looking for more tips to spruce up your workspace this winter? Stay tuned for more ideas coming in Thursday’s blog post or visit hon.com for more information!

2 New Reasons to ‘Flock’ to a Collaborative Space

Flock® has been providing fun, modular, and collaborative seating and table solutions since its introduction in 2012.  The Flock Mini Ottomans are especially popular, bringing casual charm and added functionality to any workplace. As the name suggestions, the Flock Mini’s small scale fits anywhere and its fun design makes it easy to reconfigure, too.

Thanks to Flock’s latest expansion, customers now have 2 more reasons to “Flock” to a collaborative space (these were a hit at NeoCon 2016!):

Flock Mini Ottomans Are On the Move with Casters!

Flock’s 30+ models allow you to create a particular meeting space and then quickly rearrange for the next meeting.  Watch this short Flock animation to see what I mean.

Now, you can add casters to your mini ottomans for more mobility, making it easier than ever to customize and reconfigure your modular collaborative workspace.

Flock Mini Ottomans Are So Much More Than a Foot Rest.

Keeping in mind the shrinking footprint in today’s office spaces, HON creates versatile solutions that help you maximize space.  The latest addition to Flock brings a new level of practical functionality to your work area, allowing you them to serve as both a table and a seat.

To learn more about these new additions or the full Flock soft seating line, please visit the spotlight page at hon.com/flock.

HON at NeoCon: 3 Reasons to Be There

There are so many reasons to be excited about NeoCon 2016, but here are 3 reasons to make sure you visit HON – either in our showroom or on social media – June 13-15:

Be HON
Our theme this year is “Be Authentic, Be Honest, Be HON.”, and we are bringing it to life throughout the recently renovated HON showroom. The space has been transformed to give our visitors a chance to feel part of our story and to “Be HON”.

Become a part of our showroom design when you snap a Polaroid photo with your friends and add it to our giant photo collage (stay tuned for our fun new props!). Plus, you won’t want to miss our surprise activity to promote HON’s broad selection of fabrics and finishes by giving you the chance to add your own pop of color to our space. We’ll be capturing all of these exciting activities on social media too, so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and look for the hashtag #BeHON!

Be Inspired
Be inspired by HON’s latest solutions and expansions, including all three Solve™ seating models, complementary Accommodate™ seating and Arrange™ tables, our recent Contain® and Flock® expansions and enhancements to our height adjustable solutions like Coordinate™ and Voi®. You’ll also get a sneak peek of HON’s brand new product lines, Grove™ soft seating and Concinnity™ desks! For more information and the complete list of products, visit our NeoCon spotlight page.

We’ll also be showcasing some exciting new digital tools – HON’s Chair Chooser™ and Chair Configurator. Stop into the showroom for a demo and see how easy it is to find your perfect chair!

Be Rewarded
Who doesn’t like free stuff? We’ll be giving our showroom visitors the latest HON swag just for stopping by. (Let’s just say, these items are both practical and stylish – kind of like our furniture!). Be sure to stop in early so you don’t miss out!  Can’t make it to Chicago? That’s ok, we’ll have other chances for you to win through our Facebook sharing contest. During NeoCon, share any photo from our HON Facebook page to yours that has the hashtag #BeHON in the caption and you’ll be entered to win one of three Polaroid Z2300 cameras.

We can’t wait to see you next week in HON’s Chicago Showroom, Chicago Merchandise Mart Suite 1130. Let us know why you’re excited about NeoCon 2016!