Work is a major part of our lives. In fact on average we spend between 8 to 9 hours per day, 360 hours per week and 1560 hours per month at work. Research has also shown that for any typical worker during our time at work we will spend the majority of it sitting in a chair behind a desk. It’s therefore easy to see why office furniture plays such an important role in our lives and why it’s important to choose the right office furniture for your office to ensure comfort and maximum productivity.
The office furniture you choose will vary depending on your business, the kind of office you have and the tasks you need to fulfil. What suits one office may not suit another. It’s not a case of one size fits all! It’s therefore important to choose your furniture based on your business and office workspace requirements.
Having said that we have outlined a few tips below, based on our experience of working with numerous companies to fulfil their office furniture requirements, which should enable you to choose your furniture wisely.
Setting a Budget
Like all investments it’s a good idea to look at setting a budget for your office furniture so that you don’t overspend. Calculate what you want to spend and keep this in mind when shopping for office furniture. If you have an overall budget in mind it will be easier to make decisions on items that will cost more
What Office Furniture Will You Require?
When it comes to office furniture we immediately think of chairs and desks however it’s also important to remember furniture for meeting rooms, break out areas, kitchen area, reception desk and guest seating and tables if required. All businesses require storage space. With office storage space often being at a premium it’s vital to choose the most effective furniture for storage while maximising workflow and productivity.
Think About Your Office Layout
The first step is to look at your office dimensions and layout so that you know the size of the furniture your office space can accommodate. The last thing you want is to purchase a great new desk only to find that it’s not going to fit. It’s also worth noting where windows are as well as electrical sockets; everything that will influence where you place your office furniture.
How Will Your Office Space Be Used and How Does This Impact Office Furniture?
The next step is to look at how your office space will be used and the functions that take place there. Your layout and the work you need to do will play an important role in deciding what is appropriate in terms of office chairs, desks and storage space.
As an example in a graphic design company where larger than normal monitors are being used which require far more desk space, larger desks would be more appropriate. Where your workers need to be mobile and hot-desking with easy access points is the norm shared desks with plug in facilities maybe best. If you need the flexibility of being able to reconfigure desks to allow staff to work individually or collaboratively desks specifically designed to be moveable may be a great option. If your office has space constraints then thinking through the best office furniture which can flexibly meet your needs is even more important.
Seating Choices You May Not Be Aware Of
The type of desks you will need may be dictated by the work your staff does but it’s also worth bearing in mind the latest research which shows that sitting too long at a desk lead to reduced metabolism, disrupted sugar levels and increased insulin and blood pressure levels which in turn leads to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, depression as well as back pain and muscular problems. There are now a variety of “standing desks” that allow you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day. These types of desks are becoming more popular and encourage staff to be more “active”.
Studies by Alan Hedge, Ph.D., CPE and Cornell University have shown that that 80% of workers preferred working at adjustable workstations that allowed them to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the workday. They found that “The computer workers, who had access to the adjustable work surfaces also reported significantly less musculoskeletal upper-body discomfort, lower afternoon discomfort scores and significantly more productivity.” Other studies have also indicated that work posture can affect worker productivity.
Comfort Over Looks
An easy mistake to make is to choose looks over comfort. Plenty of office chairs look great, but if they’re not comfortable then they’re not fit for purpose. Ask anybody who has purchased a chair that’s looked good whether they are happy with their great looking chair when it causes them back ache and we’re sure they will tell you that comfort is key!
Don’t get caught up in design trends that will leave your office looking outdated in the near future.
When choosing your office furniture keep in mind the comfort of your staff. Think about how chairs are going to feel after sitting in them for a few hours. Go for the comfortable office chair that will allow your employees to shift positions and relax if need be. Consider ergonomic designs that will help guarantee comfort.
Don’t forget to test the chairs to ensure that they can be adjusted to be the right height in relation to the height of the desk (or that a desk can be adjusted to the right height of a chair) to ensure the desk and chair height can be setup correctly when using e.g. computer monitors to avoid discomfort, particularly in the back, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. The Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations require employers to minimise the risk of DSE (i.e. computer) work by ensuring that workplaces are well designed.
Quality Before Price
It’s true what they say “you get what you pay for”. Think long term. Spending less now may appeal to your wallet but bear in mind that a cheaper product is more likely to be made using cheaper quality materials and is less likely to last as long. By buying cheaply you may be saving now but you may lose out in the long term when the more expensive item may have lasted 2 to 3 times longer. Quality furniture is more likely to last longer and will eventually offset the initial cost.
Another question that may arise is should you go for custom or off-the shelf furniture? In simple terms this will depend on your budget and whether you need something that is unique i.e. not available from off-the-shelf.
Contact JBH Refurbishments For Your Office Furniture Options
JBH Refurbishments have a comprehensive range of office furniture to suit your needs and comfort. You can choose from an extensive catalogue of over 50,000 items of furniture. We work to all budgets to supply and install office desks, chairs, storage systems, conference room and reception area furniture. We can also build bespoke furniture and storage systems to meet your needs and branding to suit your requirements.
Call us on 0333 207 0339 or contact us via our contact form to find out how we can help you make the most of your office space.
