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Canadian owned & operated. Products proudly made in Canada >>
Everyone needs a break. And, no, we’re not talking about taking a pause to have a piece of a commercial candy bar, we mean a REAL break. A break in nature, where the air is warm and clear, and you can actually feel the breeze.
The important thing about providing ample outdoor employee spaces is they boost morale and provide a reprieve from a hard day’s work. The Harvard Business Review even found that employees were more productive the following day after spending time outdoors before the evening.
But what truly entails an outdoor employee space, and how does it boost morale and productivity? We’re so happy that you asked, because it just so happens that Classic Displays knows a thing or two about the subject. Today, we’ll be exploring that and more.
Let’s get right into it.
Outdoor work spaces have been proven to have both mental and physical benefits for employees, making them a high-demand perk. Outdoor greenspaces are welcoming, warming, and promote a sense of happiness and ease – while also serving a double purpose of being highly aesthetic. When your work space is comfortable and attractive, it actually helps to promote productivity.
But what other benefits do outdoor employee spaces have?
By having a space where you can take a breath and enjoy nature, you are more likely to return to the job in a better mood. A better mood is directly linked with being more productive. Imagine it: you’re feeling tired and drab, you’ve been stuck at home for a few days and have hardly interacted with anybody outside of your work emails. However, your workplace has a designated outdoor employee space.
You’re able to take a small breather, maybe enjoy your coffee or tea outside on a comfortable bench. There are stunning planters surrounding you with seasonal flowers, and you hear the soothing sounds of nature. When you’re done, you feel refreshed! Ready to tackle that report that’s been sitting open on your desktop with the text cursor blinking away on a blank document.
You’re feeling so good, in fact, you finish that report before the end of day and are able to get to some outstanding tasks you had been putting off. You get to walk away from work happy and feeling accomplished, especially whilst knowing the next day is going to be a bit easier because of it.
Yes, being exposed to natural is actually proven to promote enhanced mental health. And, given the flowing state of the world, there’s plenty to be stressed or anxious about at times. However, spending time in nature, especially while you’re working, is an excellent way to promote mental alertness and well-being.
Mental health has been directly linked to improved work performance. And mentally healthy employees not only are more likely to good workers, they’re more likely to stick with an employer who prioritizes their well-being.
Besides, it’s hard to be sad when you’re sitting at a cozy picnic bench, enjoying your lunch on a nice spring day! And trust us; having accessible and ample seating is absolutely paramount to crafting the ideal outdoor employee space.
When you’re always stuck in the same space, it can be difficult to find a muse for inspiration. Creativity can be quickly stunted when staring at the same four walls, so an outdoor employee space can provide a creative reprieve for those who need a little inspiration. Picture being able to sit on a stunning Victorian bench while you overlook hanging planters filled to the brim with seasonal flowers. Talk about a colourful image perfect for providing a little bit of creative inspiration!
Being outdoors does wonders for your health, especially if you get the opportunity to go for a walk or jog in the middle of the day. Exercise is good for the body, so is connecting with nature in a meaningful way – and considering many of us spend upwards of 40 hours a week at work, being able to (literally and figuratively) touch grass at work is sure to promote better well-being.
Your job should never hold you back from being the best version of yourself, that’s why having ample outdoor employee spaces is so important.
Some fresh air and sunshine is a great way to chase away that mid-morning fatigue. Rather than reaching for another coffee or energy drink, getting outside can actually help improve mental clarity and alertness. Exercise and enjoying a comfortable outdoor space are great ways to give you that energy boost you need to get through the day.
Being outdoors can help improve mental clarity, making it easier for employees for actually lock-in and focus on their work. If you spend your entire work day wishing you could catch a break and get outdoors, it’s going to be hard to really focus on getting your work done. Outdoor employee spaces solve this problem effortlessly.
We’ve been talking a lot about the morale benefits of outdoor employee spaces… but what do they look like? And what makes a good one? We’re glad you asked.
A good outdoor employee space needs to be accessible. This means that the entrance and exit needs to be permissible for employees with varying physical capabilities, including those who require a mobility device to get around. This means ramps and automatic doors leading to the space are an absolute must.
In terms of what makes a comfortable outdoor employee space would be reliable, accessible, and stylish site furniture. This ranges from garbage and recycling bins, benches, picnic tables, planters, and even additional decorative touches such as flags or banners.
Classic Displays offers a variety of site furniture to fully equip your outdoor employee space and make it not only comfortable, but fully accessible. Classic Displays takes great pride in designing our site furniture to be fully usable for almost everyone, so no one ever has to feel community space holds limitations for them.
Benches are essential when designing an outdoor employee space, as they provide suitable and comfortable seating that is sure to hold up, even in harsher weather. Benches are often crafted from sturdy materials designed to withstand wear and tear in every season, meaning it’s a good investment for the long-term.
Picnic tables are perfect if you need a place to eat, socialize, or even work, as they provide both seating and a surface for whatever you need. Picnic tables are versatile enough that most outdoor employee spaces would be nearly lost without them, as they provide ample usage for people of all ages and physical abilities.
Planters provide that outdoor feel that’s a little more stylized and groomed, often filled with seasonal flowers and plants that truly add a bit of “oomph” to a space. Planters are designed to bring a pop of colour and dazzling aesthetic to the outdoors, creating a truly stylish and welcoming space. They also provide sustenance for pollinators, who require abundant flowers to do their environmental work.
Every outdoor space needs a place to dispose of waste. Outdoor areas are often used for recreation, relaxation, and, yes, even work – meaning people are likely to bring a variety of trash and recycling items with them. Water bottles, wrappers from food, food waste, and even scrap materials from work or crafts. To avoid potential littering, it’s essential to have the appropriate waste and recycling bins available to the public to make sure no one is carrying around waste, or worse, throwing it on the ground. Not only this, but it also allows your outdoor space to be a green-friendly space, designed to promote the environmental health of the community.
Not every employee takes a car into the office, some prefer to ride their bikes in! Providing a safe and secure place for your employees to park and lock-up their bikes not only offers convenience, but may even encourage more employees to take greener transportation to work. This also goes hand-in-hand with promoting physical health, too, as biking is well-known for being excellent exercise. This also makes your workplace a more welcoming and accessible place by providing spaces suitable for people with different transportation needs.
Classic Displays, founded in 1977 by Wayne Tucker, began as a small business creating Christmas displays for local clients. Over 46 years, it has grown into a trusted Canadian, family-owned company led by Wayne’s son Chris and son-in-law David. Serving 350+ municipalities, 150+ BIAs, and countless commercial properties, Classic Displays offers three divisions: Holiday Displays, Flags & Banners (est. 1985), and Site Furniture (est. 1990). Committed to quality and service, we proudly provide North American-made beautification products customers can rely on. Contact us today.
When creating spaces meant to be a memorial site, it can be hard to feel comfortable adding things to the surrounding area. They feel like sacred grounds that shouldn’t be disturbed – but, the truth is, adding site furniture not only enhances memorial spaces, it makes them more accessible.
At Classic Displays, we understand that creating memorial spaces is a delicate process where you want everything to be perfect. Luckily, with our guidance, you can tastefully weave site furniture into memorial spaces without taking away their significance.
Without any further hesitation, let’s delve into how you can incorporate site furniture into memorial spaces in a way that respects the people whose memory you’re trying to honour.
Memorial spaces exist in many forms. In many cities and towns, trails are often speckled with messages or memorial benches honouring members of the community who made significant contributions. In other cases, statues or plaques may linger around city halls, or trees and gardens may have been planted in honour of people who were lost too soon.
Either way, these areas can’t fully be enjoyed without the presence of comfortable and accessible site furniture. Why? Because the memory of those who have passed should be enjoyed and embraced by everyone, even people who have limitations. Keeping the area clean and well-respected also requires certain pieces of outdoor furniture.
When it comes to looking into the past of memorial space design, you’ll see plenty of articles about war memorials. However, the truth is, memorial spaces have existed since ancient times. Whether you look at the tombs of pharaohs or the gravesites of wartime heroes, you’ll see decades, if not centuries of history of honouring the dead. If you were to look at the Canadian War Museum, you’d see plenty of examples of how soldiers were remembered in post-war times.
But why do we create memorial spaces? And what truly constitutes a memorial space?
Memorial spaces are designed to be a long-lasting tribute to someone or multiple people who have passed on. It’s an area where those who love them or those who wish to know them can spend time and feel their presence. The National Library of Medicine cites that memorials have a significant impact on reflection and addressing grief. This means memorial spaces don’t just provide emotional support; they can be a significant part of psychological healing.
When the people who make the biggest impacts on our lives pass – whether they are influential community members or cherished loved ones – it can be hard to let them go. Memorial spaces provide a refuge where people can envelop themselves in their memories and find some semblance of comfort and peace.
Memorial spaces are significant because they represent something important: not allowing the memory of a person or several people to quietly fade away. Instead, they memorialize them, keeping their memory going strong and providing a safe space to reminisce, enjoy, and grieve their legacy.
Memorial spaces are meant for everyone. That includes people with physical limitations, community members, and everyone in between. That means that these areas not only need to be accessible, they also need to be convenient without disrespecting the memory of those lost.
But, how do you tastefully weave site furniture into memorial spaces? We’re glad you asked.
First of all, not all site furniture is just meant to be “plopped down” and forgotten. In fact, many memorial areas feature site furniture such as memorial benches with plaques or commemorative text explaining the date of birth, death, along with quotes or significant scriptures about the person they’re meant to represent.
Not only this, but memorial benches and similar structures are designed to honour mentors, heroes, and loved ones while also providing comfort and healing to those who utilize them. They’re a tangible, “non-removable” item that remains even after the person or persons have moved on. It creates a space where their memory has a physical entity of sorts that can be enjoyed and cherished by those who wish to remember them.
Memorial spaces also need to have a high degree of accessibility; not just because it’s polite, but because it's likely that the people who want to use the area may have different needs, physical limitations, and more.
For one, accessible memorial benches ensure that elderly loved ones or those with disabilities are not barred from giving their respects to the space; while having well-placed garbage and recycling bins ensures memorial areas aren’t being littered on or defaced.
You can also add a specialized touch by commissioning a memorial bench that honours the memory of the person or persons the space is meant to immortalize. This provides loved ones with an opportunity to embrace and feel the presence of the remembered in an area that is not only beautiful, but barrier-free and clean.
Organizing site furniture in a commemorative space can be hard, especially if there are several key memorial items already present. Whether it’s a tree, memorial bench, statue, or plaque – you want to make sure the site furniture complements the space without taking away from the initial intention.
The best way to place site furniture in a respectful and practical way is to ensure that not a single piece is too close or obstructing memorial structures. Not only this, but site furniture designed to provide seating or reprieve needs to be strategically placed to make sure there are plenty of places to not only rest, but quietly enjoy the area with full relaxation.
Memorial spaces are also designed for honour – meaning the last thing you’d want to see is trash or recycling littering the ground.
Site furniture is essential to making a memorial space comfortable, accessible, and honourable to those who the space represents.
We’ve spoken a lot about logistics, but how do we ensure the public don’t deface a memorial space? The simple answer is to communicate to the community the importance of the area and the need to treat it with kindness, but there are additional measures that can be taken.
1. Along with Site Furniture, You Need Cameras: Security cameras ensure that if anyone defaces the memorial, there is clear evidence of their wrongdoing. Not only this, but the formidable glow of a little red light lets violators know their actions aren’t being ignored.
2. Eliminate Dark Spaces: Overhead lights or motion-activated lights let perpetrators know that their crimes won’t be committed in darkness. In fact, it’ll be in full and complete display.
3. Engage With Your Community: Talking with the people around you ensures they understand the significance of a given topic, including respecting a memorial space.
While you may not be able to reach everyone, you can rest assured that making meaningful connections with others allows you to form a support group. People who understand your pain and can help you get through it.
4. Connect with Family & Loved Ones: If you’re representing someone who passed, you need to make sure that those who cherished them are involved in the design and implementation process of their memorial site. This is something that requires multiple opinions and perspectives, ensuring that everyone who loved the departed is satisfied and feels at ease.
5. Add Clear, Concise Signage: An important element to ensuring memorial spaces are kept pristine is to include signage. This includes ‘stoop and scoop,’ referring to cleaning of animal feces; ‘no littering’, to ensure no one treats the grounds as a dumpster; or ‘quiet zone’, indicating the space needs to be enjoyed at a low volume.
OK, we’ve given you a lot of info! But, how do we make memorial spaces… well, memorable? There are plenty of ways to do this, in particular, by adding flowers, foliage, and unique landmarks.
Gardens: If your memorable person or people adored flowers or the outdoors, planting gardens with their most-enjoyed flowers or plants is a beautiful way to honour them. Plants bloom, die, and regrow depending on their care and season, fully representing the complexity and beauty of life.
Barriers & Foliage: Fences, shrubs, foliage, and the like create a barrier to keep the sacred area enclosed. This creates a more private area for people to honour the departed without any interruption.
Personalized Shrine: When people move on from the world, it’s understandable to create something to pay tribute to their memory. Many people build makeshift graves, leave behind toys, candles, flowers, and the like to provide tribute to those they loved.
At Classic Displays, we're here to support you, especially during difficult times. Whether it's selecting a memorial bench, providing safe and secure waste solutions, or adding a personal touch with tasteful décor and flags, we're committed to helping you honour memories with care and respect.
Contact us today and see how Classic Displays can help.
