VARIDESK, a workspace innovation company, has expanded its growing suite of office furniture to include phone-booth-like privacy pods, which will debut at IFMA World Workplace® on Oct. 16.
Among its easy-to-use features, the Privacy Booth can be assembled or disassembled in minutes. The sleekly-designed booth is built with contract-grade steel to ensure high levels of quality and stability. With sound-dampening capabilities like foam insulation in the wall panel and felt lining the interior, the Privacy Booth offers a retreat for focus work, personal phone calls and other matters requiring greater quiet and confidentiality.
Workspaces have evolved. According to commercial real estate firm JLL, 60 percent of U.S. employees are "completely ready" to exchange their enclosed office space for an open floorplan with access to more innovative environments, compared to only 16 percent who say they are not ready.
But as collaborative workspaces replace outdated cube farms, companies must allow for flexibility and a balance between "we" and "me" spaces.
"Open workspaces allow for tremendous collaboration, but there's still a great need for private conversations," said Rachel Wilcox, vice president of Sales, VARIDESK. "Whether it's talking to your doctor, your child's teacher, or taking a sensitive work call, we all need to step away throughout the day. The Privacy Booth, with its simple and efficient design, is a great solution for that – you can step into a booth and instantly have the space and quiet you need."
Privacy Booths in Action
Hawke Media, a fast-growing marketing firm out of Los Angeles, was the first corporate customer to trial the Privacy Booth in addition to the full line of VARIDESK flexible workspace solutions. The company's leadership was looking for an environment that supported collaboration and encouraged movement – but wasn't so open that it lacked any semblance of privacy.
"VARIDESK worked with us to design an office that struck the perfect balance," said Erik Huberman, CEO of Hawke Media. "Our team gets to enjoy the energy and natural collaboration that comes from the mostly open environment but can easily step into a more secluded space when they need it."
Product Details
The Privacy Booth ships flat and can be easily assembled in 15 minutes by a team of three people, without the need for specialized labor or tools. It comes with a built-in desk that allows employees to take notes during a personal call or work in solitude on a particularly difficult task.
The Privacy Booth features a desk that easily fits a laptop and other essentials, as well as an LED task lamp and AC and USB ports. The unique glass skylight feature allows for natural light in a space that may otherwise make users feel enclosed. The booth accommodates a VARIChair® and is equipped with felt lining and motion-sensor fan ventilation features. It costs $4,995 per unit and complements the VARIDESK full line of flexible workspace solutions including QuickFlex Walls, electric sit-stand desks, storage solutions, lighting and more.
At IFMA
To be among the first to experience the VARIDESK Privacy Booth, visit Booth 341 at IFMA World Workplace Expo.
For more on how the company is addressing pain points in the furniture purchasing process, attend the interactive workshop, "What Workspace Design is Getting Wrong: Simplicity". Wilcox will lead the presentation at 4:15 p.m. ET, Thursday, Oct. 17.