Release Date: July 4, 2022
New President of Atlantic Business Interiors sees growing demand for hybrid workspace, post-pandemic.
Dartmouth, NS. It has been a challenging few years in the office design and furniture industry. The global pandemic obviously pushed many companies and their employees to work from home. Now, as pandemic mandates have been lifting in Canada and around the world, companies are grappling with a new normal, including a hybrid work model.
In August 2020, David Clarke was promoted to the role of President, Atlantic Business Interiors (atlanticbusinessinteriors.ca) by company owner Tom Rose. Rose stepped back from leading day-to-day operations, handing over the presidency to Mr. Clarke, his long-time manager of the company’s Newfoundland office.
“It was pretty daunting – taking over the presidency role for an office design and furniture company when offices were shuttered everywhere in the middle of a pandemic,” said David Clarke, President of Atlantic Business Interiors. “At the time, it was hard to know how deep and how long the impacts of the pandemic would last. Needless to say, it has been a challenging two years.”
Yet, all the change and disruption in the way people work has created new opportunities that have led to a level of optimism. Atlantic Business Interiors is the exclusive Atlantic Canadian dealer for the popular Steelcase line of office design and furniture. Late last year, Steelcase conducted an extensive 11-country study to understand the pandemic’s impact on how and where people and organizations will work in the future. The study found:
- The office plays a crucial role in how people relate to their organization
- People are willing to trade remote workdays for their workspace in the office — while they want the autonomy and flexibility of hybrid work, people are looking for choice and control and a sense of belonging
- Access to private spaces is more important than ever. Contrary to the headlines, people want their office to help them collaborate and focus.
It all adds up to the most profound change to what we know as “the office” in more than a generation. For many, expecting that employees will return full-time to the office is unrealistic, as is expecting all employees to maintain a purely work-from-home approach. We’re entering a new era, one where hybrid workspaces are designed to meet the varied needs of management and employees.
“Especially in the last three months, we’ve seen a shifting and growing demand for hybrid workspace solutions. Our corporate clients are looking for solutions to address current office spaces that no longer meet the needs of their employees,” said Mr. Clarke. “It’s not just about creating more collaboration spaces; they want the flexibility to meet their needs today and tomorrow. And people still expect a level of privacy as well. It’s all about creating office spaces that earn an employee’s commute.”
ABOUT ATLANTIC BUSINESS INTERIORS: Atlantic Business Interiors is the authorized dealer in Atlantic Canada for Steelcase, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of office furniture. The business partners with other leading furniture research and development firms to provide modern, custom solutions for companies in many different industries. In addition, the business offers printer and managed print service technology, partnering with global players such as HP and more. Established in 1986, The company has grown to be one of Canada’s leading office furniture and related services suppliers. With offices in Dartmouth – Nova Scotia, Saint John – New Brunswick, St. John’s – Newfoundland and Charlottetown – PEI, the company serves clients throughout Atlantic Canada.
For details, or to arrange an interview with David Clarke, contact:
Sarah Elkholy
Executive Admin Assistant
Atlantic Business Interiors
direct: 902-496-2317
email: selkholy@atlanticbusinessinteriors.ca