the inside scoop

Your source for relevant news and design tips.

Office Revolution named a 2022 Winner for Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® in Chicago

We are thrilled to announce that we have been named a 2022 Winner for The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For^®️ in Chicago!

The Best and Brightest Companies To Work For competition “identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in their human resource practices and employee enrichment. Organizations are assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more.”

“The Best and Brightest is a powerful community of elite leaders who share ideas and practices, and have proven they are employers of choice. Best and Brightest winning companies have also been a voice for important actions in creating a sustainable culture that works, ensuring the wellbeing of their employees come first,” said Jennifer Kluge, President and CEO, Best and Brightest Programs.

The Best and Brightest, a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) organization, strives to recognize the most influential, trend-setting companies across the country and regionally in focused programs. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole. Congratulations to all winners of this award and thank you to everyone that is a part of our community that helped make this possible!

Architecture & Design: Partners by Design

Photography: Tom Harris of Tom Harris Architectural Photography

Office Revolution Donates to Michele Clark High School

Karen Sabo, Office Revolution New Business Development, raises $3K for Refugee of Hope

Last week Office Revolution founding principal Bernie Donaldson presented an on-ice check for $10,000 to Michele Clark High School to help fund a mental health fair at the school later this month. Office Revolution was introduced to the high school through the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation. The donation amount equates to $50 for every Blackhawks assist during the 2021-22 season.

Michele Clark Academic Preparatory Magnet High School, a Chicago public school, is located on Chicago’s West Side in the heart of the South Austin Community and serves students in grades 6 – 12. Not only have the students and faculty been dealing with the ongoing pandemic, the school community has lost students due to the rise in gun violence in Chicago.

After having a lengthy conversation with teachers, the principal, and support staff, the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation learned that the neglect of mental health and failing to acknowledge the importance of it within the community contributes to the inability to heal during this difficult time.

These same leaders proposed an idea to host a mental health fair for the students, the school leaders, and the parents and families to engage in conversation and better understand options for coping strategies available to them. This fair would bring together mental health professionals and nonprofit organizations who will highlight their services available. The fair will also host short workshops and a storytelling feature about addressing, overcoming, and coping with trauma and working toward resilience and peace.

The event is to be held at the end of Mental Health Awareness Month (May) at Michele Clark High School.

About the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation

As the Chicago Blackhawks’ official charitable arm, the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation works to create a healthier, smarter, more secure world for children and families across Chicagoland. By providing access to programming and resources that make a positive impact, the organization strives to invest in Chicagoland’s youth, support local families in need and honor the sacrifices of others in addition to growing the great game of hockey. For more information, please visit Blackhawks.com/Foundation.

Office Revolution Expands Presence

Office Revolution Expands Presence through the Midwest, Acquires Furniture Dealership Division of GDOT Design, Cleveland

Office Revolution, a leading contract furniture provider for commercial environments, announced today the expansion of its presence in Ohio as a result of acquiring the furniture dealership division of Cleveland commercial interior provider, GDOT Design. The move to expand in Ohio will accelerate the company’s growth strategy as it leverages the area’s growing population and more than $2B of recent development.

Several private-sector real estate projects are underway throughout the city, including the 36-story Sherwin-Williams Global Headquarters, accommodating more than 3,000 employees; Thunderbird, a 21-acre mixed-use development, of which Great Lakes Brewing Company has purchased an 8-acre plot; the 51,000 square foot Cleveland Foundation Offices; the New Cleveland Public Library and numerous clinics and institutions related to medical research and development.

“We’re very excited about expanding our design team and customer base, further positioning Office Revolution as a leader in contract furniture services,” said Bernie Donaldson, founding principal, Office Revolution. “This alliance with GDOT Design brings a wealth of experience and an extensive portfolio from a fellow Teknion dealership.” The combined organization boasts several hundred clients and partners across the commercial office, healthcare, education, multi-family residential, senior living and hospitality verticals.

Sean Regan, who has served the Cleveland commercial interiors market for more than 30 years, will lead business development as director of sales in Cleveland. “Sean joins us with extensive experience in systems furniture, architecture, design and general contracting, as well as local market knowledge, a skill set that will help us continue to grow our brand throughout the Midwest,” said Donaldson.

The expansion to Cleveland marks the fourth location in the Midwest market for Office Revolution, which is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and has locations in suburban Chicago; Columbus, Ohio and Raleigh, North Carolina. Office Revolution is one of the largest Teknion dealers in the country and has been recognized with Teknion’s Orion Award for excellence in sales, service, community involvement and customer satisfaction. The Company augments its marquis brand with a collection of premier and value brands including Humanscale, Allermuir, SitOnIt, OFS, Kimball, and Studio TK.

Autism Acceptance Month

April is Autism Acceptance Month, an opportunity to elevate awareness around Autism, neurodiversity, promote acceptance and ignite change.

The term “neurodiversity” was coined in the late 1990s by Australian sociologist Judy Singer, who is a person with Autism herself. Singer, recognized that what we call “diversity”, i.e. the variety we observe and value around us, can also be applied to people whose brains are different. These variations include Autism, ADHD, the various forms of ‘dys’ (-lexia, -praxia, -calculia etc.), learning disability and more.

We have the potential to improve design quality for everyone by understanding how “neurodivergent” individuals (in the neurological minority) view the world. The Autism experience is different for everyone. It is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is often referred to as a “spectrum condition” that affects people differently and to varying degrees. Some people with Autism have difficulty processing and integrating sensory information and, therefore, may be overwhelmed by environmental stimuli.

We can design Autism-friendly spaces and infuse health & welfare into our design routine by incorporating the following:

Acoustics – Workplaces can be noisy. Auditory stimuli can be a challenge for all employees, but especially to individuals with Autism. Providing better insulated spaces and partitions to break up spaces can help eliminate background noise that can be distracting to neurodivergent people.

Lighting – Color and light can affect one’s mood, behavior and cognitive behavior. Overpowering stimuli, like fluorescent lights, can cause distress in day-to-day activities. Incorporating natural light into your space is a way to offset some of these triggers.

Spatial configuration – Spaces that are orderly and defined can be easier for individuals with Autism to process. Sub-dividing rooms, breakout spaces, adequate storage for non-essential items, and many other considerations, help build comfort levels.

Improved spaces for all. Planning through the lens of Autism helps create spaces that are more usable, comfortable and beneficial to all constituents and allows them to feel more connected, free, calm, and ultimately, included. By understanding all human experience, we can create better spaces and serve all who inhabit.

For more information, to get involved or receive support, check out https://autismsociety.org/

Raleigh Showroom Grand Opening

On March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day!), our Raleigh location held a showroom grand opening event, inviting partners from Teknion & Studio TK, A&D firms, general contractors, real estate firms, clients and other members of the Raleigh Chamber. Over 200 attendees came out to celebrate, view the space, and enjoy some basketball and fantastic BBQ! It was a great opportunity to welcome everyone into our new space and connect.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and a special thanks to our raffle sponsors; Costa Murphy Group, Dan Lurie Associates, Designtex, Emu, HB Lines, Humanscale, HWM Office Environments, LightArt, Momentum, Southeastern Furniture Reps and Unique Concepts.

Office Revolution named Top 101 Winner of 2021 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For®️ in the Nation

We are thrilled to announce that we have been named a Top 101 Winner for The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® in the Nation.

The Best and Brightest, a certified Women’s Business Enterprise organization, strives to recognize the most influential, trend-setting companies across the country and regionally in focused programs. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole.

Congratulations to all winners of this award and thank you to everyone that is a part of our community that helped make this possible!

Photography: Kendall McCaugherty, Hall + Merrick + McCaugherty Photographers. Designer: Eastlake Studio

Office Revolution Gives Back – MLK Day of Service

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Office Revolution participated in a day of service benefitting local charities and nonprofits of their choosing. Participants in Chicago collected donations for organizations like AMVETS and volunteered via My Block, My Hood, My City. where the goal is to cultivate a deeper connection to the community in order to ensure everyone has what they need to succeed.

Our Columbus participants delivered Meals-on-Wheels throughout Columbus as part of LifeCare Alliance’s Meals on Wheels.

Participants from the Raleigh office partnered with A Lotta Love, and painted rooms at a local domestic facility. A Lotta Love remakes and maintains homeless shelter & crisis center rooms to be welcoming, safe, comforting spaces for the people who need them.

The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”

Employee Excellence

Throughout the past year Office Revolution, Compel, Custom Crafters and Rework employees have been recognizing each other’s work and nominating their peers for our Employee Excellence Program. Individuals that have contributed to their company’s success by putting in extra effort have been recognized each month, and winners have the option to win a gift card or donate to a local charity. In 2021, we had 10 employees choose to donate to a charity of their choosing, totaling $1,000 in donations!

Charities include; A Lotta Love, Build Chicago, Canine Collective, Greater Chicago Food Depository, The Hill Learning Center, Mercy Home, Melendez Foundation, Misericordia Heart of Mercy, Saving Grace Animals for Adoption and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Office Revolution Gives Back – The Boys & Girls Clubs of America

In December, Office Revolution participated in the 2021 Holiday Gift Drive benefitting local Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Their mission is to enable all young people to reach their full potential by providing emotional, educational, physical and cultural resources that allow them to enjoy their childhood and thrive in adulthood. Our Chicago team had an online shopping party and purchased 14 gifts for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago.

The Columbus team purchased gifts and held a wrapping party. Donating 12 gifts to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Ohio.

Participants from our Raleigh office each pulled a child’s name and purchased a gift from their wish list, providing 12 gifts for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County, NC.

We purchased several gifts to ensure that every child is able to open a gift this holiday season. The Gift Drive is a great way to show kids how much the community cares about them and share the joy of the giving season.

Employee Spotlight – Onisha Walker receives IIDA HQ’s Equity Council Invitation

Please join us in congratulating Onisha Walker on her invitation to join IIDA HQ’s Equity Council! This newly formed committee was created to produce, develop and provide guidance in commitment to anti-racist and anti-bias policies, goals and objectives to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. All members of this council will be charged with being a changemaker for equity, diversity, and inclusion within the interior design industry.

123 4 5 6