Small Biz Spotlight

It's no secret. The way in which we work and live has changed from the days of our parents and grandparents. With more emphasis on workplace strategy to increase productivity, the coveted corner office is a thing of the past. Democrat and Chronicle has chosen to spot light Sedgwick Business Interiors for campaigning the much needed changes in our workplaces. Read the article below:

Sedgwick Business Interiors [is] leading the charge:

"It wasn’t all that long ago that most offices had a similar look — rows and rows of desks, perhaps, or 'workstations' divided by cubicles. That was then and this is now. The layout of many workplaces nowadays is a lot different than your parents or grandparents might remember, and places such as Sedgwick Business Interiors are leading the charge. The Rochester-based company has fresh ideas for workplace ambiance, promoting a holistic approach with phrases such as 'cozy coves,' 'personal hives' and 'public plazas.' 'We’re going to provide the highest quality products, designs and services in order to provide integrated, world class office environments,' said firm founder and President Douglas Sedgwick. The philosophy is sound: Create a more creative, good-vibe, “healthier” atmosphere, and employees will be happier and more productive. It’s a philosophy many offices have adopted to attract and retain millennials. Sedgwick Business Interiors is a certified dealer of products made by Herman Miller, the so-called rock star of this industry. Miller created the ergonomically correct Aeron chair, which is in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City."

The corner office that was so highly sought in years past is now passé.

"Sedgwick noted, though, that his business is about much more than just chairs and desks.'We’re designing the customers’ space,' he said. 'We go over how they function, and we provide solutions for how they operate. … They want different places to do their tasks.' The corner office that was so highly sought in years past is now passé. Collaborative spaces and stand-up workplaces are in. 'It’s a whole new approach,' Sedgwick said. There’s even a division called DIRTT, an acronym for Do It Right This Time, that deals in modular wall systems by subdividing spaces with pre-fabricated interior construction. Sedgwick founded Sedgwick Business Interiors in 1997. He had worked for a furniture dealership in Syracuse before starting the company and continued there for five years or so before concentrating solely on his own business. The firm has been on Anderson Avenue, near Village Gate, since it started. Sedgwick Business Interiors has since expanded into Syracuse (in 2003), Ithaca(2007) and Corning (2016), bumping the staff to 83, including 19 designers."