Some companies don’t put much thought into furnishing their office. However, the furniture you choose could have a big impact on your company’s success.
Your office furniture choices can have a big impact on your company’s public image, your workforce’s wellbeing, your ability to organise and your overall morale. If your furniture is unattractive, uncomfortable or unusable it could be time to consider an office furniture makeover.
Below is a guide to some of the different types of office furniture and how to select the right items to bring your company success.
Office desks
Your desk is your command centre. Choosing the right desk can have a huge impact on your productivity. But what type of desk should you choose?
Start by considering how much space you have to work with. A giant executive desk will make you feel powerful and could inspire productivity, but only if you’ve got a large enough room to fit it in. Squeezing a large desk into a small space could just make your workspace feel cramped and claustrophobic. A smaller desk could be better for allowing more space to move and think.
In fact, now that most of our work tools are digital, all many of us need is a desk large enough for a laptop. While desktop space for a few ornaments and some drawers for the occasional paper file can be useful, a desk that’s too big might actually promote clutter.
Desks should ideally be high enough that the top of your screen is at eye level, while your feet should be able to sit flat on the floor. Height adjustable desks (along with height adjustable chairs) could allow you and your employees to find the optimum height. Some adjustable desks can even be turned into standing desks if people want a break from sitting.
Where you place a desk is also important to consider. Too many companies make the mistake of placing desks against walls. While this can’t always be helped, it’s much better to have space all around a desk to make a workspace feel less confined. The direction you or a worker is facing is also important. It’s not healthy to face a wall all day – instead face your desk so that you’re looking out a window, or face your desk towards the door (so that you’re able to see and greet people coming in). Having a wall behind you could create more privacy and prevent you from having to turn around to talk to people.
Office chairs
The ideal office chair should feel like a throne – it should make you feel powerful. At the same time, it should have the comfort of an armchair.
Avoid basic chairs without arms or full back support. A large chair that supports your whole body shows people that you ‘mean business’ and can promote relaxation.
Fully-adjustable ergonomic office chairs are the best choice. These allow you to adjust the seat height, the arms and the headrest. Lumbar support is also important for the back. Such chairs can help reduce repetitive strain injuries caused by lack of elbow room or having to lean forward.
It could also be worth choosing an office chair that rotates and has wheels. Because who doesn’t like a spinny office chair with wheels? Most office chairs have these functions nowadays, however it’s important to choose a high quality chair – many office chairs get thrown out once their wheels break or once their rotation function breaks, and this will occur sooner in a cheap low quality chair.
Shelving and storage
Shelving and storage solutions are key to keeping your office organised and reducing visible clutter. Modern offices typically don’t need as many storage units and shelves as they once did due to less paper usage. However, it could still be important to have some shelving and storage units for certain documentation and various office supplies.
Choose robust shelving systems for heavy boxes or large equipment. Custom shelving could be an option for maximizing space – you can build it as tall and narrow as you need and sculpt it around awkwardly shaped rooms with pillars or alcoves. Don’t settle for cheap basic shelving that may not be able to handle heavy loads.
Filing cabinets are a bit old-fashioned nowadays, but could still be useful if you have a lot of paper documentation. Use clear labels and dividers and allow enough space for future growth. Alternatively, create a system for digitizing old paper documents and getting rid of their paper counterpart so that you’re not constantly accumulating more paper.
When it comes to storing cables and loose objects, consider options like storage boxes. These could be labelled to allow you to easily identify their contents. You can buy storage box units that have lots of cube shaped-holes for storing various boxes.
Don’t overlook aesthetics when choosing storage solutions. You don’t have to choose sterile white or grey storage. Incorporating bold colours into this storage furniture could actually make you and your workers feel energised while carrying out organisational tasks. You could even choose shelves and cabinets that fit your brand colour scheme to help reinforce a sense of brand identity.
Break room furniture
Does your break room furniture promote relaxation? Do you even have a break room?
If you have a team of over 8 employees and you have the available space, it’s worth having a break room where people can get out of work mode. This could be directly next to the kitchen so that employees can conveniently prepare drinks and food.
When choosing break room furniture, try to model your furniture off a coffee bar. Don’t settle for cheap plastic chairs that provide no comfort. Similarly, avoid office chairs and desks in this room – help people get out of work mode by choosing armchairs and couches and coffee tables. Some companies set up fixed booths for employees to sit at. However, it’s generally better to have furniture that employees can freely move around.
Want to treat your employees? Investing in a massage chair for employees to use on their break could be a fun feature that promotes destressing. Sports furniture like ping pong tables and table football can alternatively encourage employees to get on their feet and socialise with colleagues.
Reception area furniture
Not all offices are large enough or receive enough visitors to warrant a reception area. However, if your company does have a reception lobby, it could be important to also think about the use of furniture here in order to build a good first impression.
Reception area furniture should first and foremost look visibly appealing. Think about the types of furniture you see in a hotel lobby – soft inviting couches and sleek statement coffee tables can both impress guests and put them at ease. Make sure that such furniture is in good condition and consider using colours that reflect your brand.
Of course, this furniture should feel comfortable as well as looking comfortable. Visitors may only be sitting on it for a few minutes, but you want to make sure that they can relax – especially if they are customers, investors or promising job applicants.
If you have a reception desk, it could be worth making a statement out of this piece of furniture too. There are companies that can create custom reception desks that integrate brand colors or logos on the front. This will show people that you’re a serious company.
Conclusion
Choosing furniture that promotes success involves thinking carefully about ergonomics, aesthetics and function. It does involve spending extra money and putting more thought into your purchase. However, it’s worth it – not just for the improved image and productivity that it brings, but also for your team’s overall happiness.