Hot ? Cold? How to Get it Right in the Office

Too hot? Too cold? It seems impossible to please everyone in the office when it comes to temperature. 

We are all guilty of complaining about it and trying to take control over the dial.

In an era of open office layout, pleasing everyone is near impossible, so how can we make the workspace more comfortable for all?

Studies show that productivity can drop off by as much as 20% if the temperature is judged uncomfortable as well as contributing to fatigue, heat and cold related illnesses. 

So figuring out the right temperature is not just a matter of stopping the complaints, it is also one of health and well-being.

As a rule of thumb, the office temperature should sit somewhere between 20 and 26 degrees Celsius. However the felt temperature under the same digit will highly vary according to the season, the level of activity, the amount and type of clothing worn by employees, the location of their desk in the office, the outside air temperature or the humidity level.

A study run by the Netherlands also revealed that women, who produce about 30% less body heat than men, prefer temperatures about 3 degrees warmer than their male colleagues. 

With the Australian weather being rather unpredictable lately, here are a few tips to help make the workplace a little more enjoyable for everyone:

- Regulate your air conditioning unit for temperature (between 22 and 26 degrees) and for humidity (between 40 and 60%)

- Check that the air conditioning reaches all areas in the office and get it serviced regularly

- Avoid installing workstations directly under air conditioning outlets

- Direct airflow away from people by installing deflectors on air vents

- Assess the level of sunlight and heat coming through the windows, you may need to apply a window treatment to block out the light or simply install some blinds

- Avoid having too many employees as well as heat generating equipment in small rooms

- Ensure adequate air flow throughout the office to avoid a feeling of stuffiness. On the other hand too much air flow will cause draughts. A desirable air flow sits between 0.1 and 0.2 metres per second

Our 2017 Biggest Morning Tea

On the 24th of May 2017, Krost will be hosting a company Biggest Morning Tea to support the Cancer Council and their mission to beat cancer.

Over the past two years we have raised over $3000 to help fund the Cancer Council’s vital research, prevention and support programmes and this year we hope to raise even more!

You can help us, any donation big or small, can make a difference. Simply click here to donate.

To find out more about how your donation can help, click here.

Let’s raise our cups and together we’ll beat cancer!

Happy Easter! Enter our Competition for your Chance to Win a Jena Rocking Chair

We’re celebrating Easter this year by throwing a Virtual Easter Egg Hunt, where you have a chance to win one of our new Jena rocking chairs.

All you need to do is locate the Easter Eggs on our product pages. The products you'll need to find are new for 2017 and pictured below. When you find a virtual egg, just click on it and fill out the entry form for one entry into the draw. The more eggs you find, the more entries you'll have – there are a total of 5 to be found!

Competition closes Tuesday 18th of April at 12am. Good luck and have an egg-celent Easter!

InDesign Labels Our Customer Service Model as the Industry Benchmark

We're delighted that our customer service has been referenced as the benchmark in InDesign’s recent article.

Providing superior customer service is central to everything we do and our mission statement:

Offer the best possible experience through superior quality, passion and commitment.

The article highlights our most important values including our commitment to quality products, our holistic approach to managing your projects from beginning to end, our simplified communications processes, our world class showroom, our open offices/ factory and our industry best lead times.

Since opening our doors in 1989 we’ve lived and breathed this philosophy and look forward to continuing for many years to come.

Moving Sale - All Stock Must Go!

Are you looking for a bargain?

It's time to say goodbye to our St Peters showroom, and to save us from transporting all the stock over, we have been clearing it. 

You only have until Tuesday 21st March, so if you are looking for some office furniture at unbelievable prices and need it quick, check out our clearance store now. All stock must go!

Please note that we will only deliver to Sydney areas.

Our 2017 Catalogue is Out! Order Your Copy Now

The wait is over! Our 2017 Catalogue is out and we cannot wait for your to see it.

After producing an Award winning catalogue last year, the pressure was on to outshine our 2016 edition. 

Our 2017 catalogue and 28th edition hosts a range of new and exciting products. From our complete range of executive desks and tables Oslo, to our statement rocking chair Jena, or sleek and elegant Sana leather lounge and many others, there is a piece to compliment every workspace. 

Designed around today's office reality, our new and improved range of office furniture answers the dilemmas of the open office, the need to integrate technologies and the conscious effort to be healthy and active at work. 

Whether you're looking to furnish a home office or a multi-level corporate space, we have the solution. 

To order your copy of our new 2017 Catalogue or to view it online, click here. 

What Office Design Trends Can We Expect In 2017?

As we have seen workplaces shift increasingly from traditional office layouts to open plan spaces in the last few decades, personalisation has now become the focus of designers.  The way we are working has changed, we are becoming more and more mobile and designers recognise the need to capture the organisation's DNA, to understand employees and the way they carry out their day-to-day job. They also acknowledge that our work environment undeniably impacts our mood and productivity.

Let's have a look at what 2017 has in store for us. 

- Embracing technology: smart offices embrace and integrate technologies. The use of apps to book a meeting room, the ability to charge devices and plug in from anywhere in the office with ample power sockets available, connect wirelessly to any screen and access our files remotely sitting at a cafe or at home from the cloud will all contribute to higher mobility

  - Promoting health and well-being: ergonomic seating, height adjustable workstations, chill-out zones, lunch time yoga classes or simply introducing natural light and indoor plants or vertical gardens are proven to boost productivity and reduce stress and absenteeism and are features we are going to see more and more in new offices 

- Creating privacy: with the rise of open plan offices, finding privacy can prove a hard task. The use of acoustic screens, quiet rooms or acoustic furniture pods throughout the work space are all ways to create some much needed privacy

- Flexible and adaptable furniture: with employees' and companies' needs changing constantly, it is important to design your work space accordingly. Offering various work spaces that adapt to the task at hand, also known as Activity Based Working, is on the rise. Using adaptable furniture such as modular seating, desk pods, informal meeting spaces or workstations that can be reconfigured as needed will also help future proof your office. 

Stay tune for more new products from us this year. 

Indesignlive Wowed by our ABW Office Solutions

Combining the advantages of both open and closed work spaces, Activity Based Working (ABW) has been the main solution to the distraction and noise brought by open office layouts and the privacy missing from the time of the cubicle.

From open office solutions to breakout areas, quiet rooms or informal meeting spaces, our product range and offices have been thoughtfully designed to reflect today's work environment. 

This hasn't gone unnoticed by Indesignlive on their last visit. Check out what they think about it here. 

With our new 2017 range being released soon, we are bringing you more ABW solutions and we can't wait to show you. Watch this space!

Indesignlive Explores our Local Manufacturing

A special mention was given to our local manufacturing practices in Indesignlive's recent article "Manufacturing: A Local Secret". 

Having our factories located within walking distance to our Mascot headquarters means that we are able to maintain high quality control, offer customisation and flexibility of design, as well as some of the shortest lead times in the industry.

For the curious minds, we can even take you on a factory tour. Contact us here for more information. 

Find out more about what Indesignlive has to say about it here. 

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Krost's Products Featured In UBIQ's Conference Room Guide

Complimented for their adaptability and innovation, our Conti table and Balance stools are featuring in UBIQ's Conference Room Guide.

Specialising in wireless presentation systems, UBIQ have recently published a comprehensive guide on their blog on how to design the perfect conference room. From picking your wall colour to your conference table, chairs, decor or even the name of your conference room, UBIQ have gathered all the tips to ensure your conference room is set to impress and increase productivity. 

See what they have to say about us in their "Conference room design" guide here.

And for more information on any of our products, you can drop us a line here or visit our Mascot showroom.

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Happy New Year And Welcome To 2017

On behalf of the entire Krost team, we would like to wish you a Happy New Year. We hope you had a wonderful festive season and are ready for a great year ahead. 

We are back and open for business. Come visit our Mascot showroom, our sales executives are always ready to assist you with all  your office furniture needs or visit our online store today for a quick purchase.

With a new showroom, a new catalogue and plenty of brand new products soon to be released, 2017 promises to be an exciting year at Krost.

Season's Greetings from Krost

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and to thank you for your support throughout the year.

We’re really looking forward to 2017.  We have some great new products along with a new 2017 catalogue and more additions to our online store, it’s definitely going to be a big one for us!

We will be closed from December 23rd and will reopen on January 9th, we wish you all the best over the break and look forward to hearing from you in the New Year. Until then, eat well and rest up.

See you in 2017!