How to select the Best Office Furniture for your Business

There are several factors that are key to deciding on the best office furniture for a business.  The way an office looks can tell a lot about a company.  Office furniture contributes to the overall look and feel of an office environment.  This impacts the way people view the company, both internally and from the outside as visitors.  Great care should be taken to make sure that the look of the work environment reflects the mission and values of the company.

When selecting the best type of office furniture, managers and owners should include employees and staff in the decision-making process.  Having input from workers ensures that there is greater buy-in and that the furniture will reflect the needs of the staff.  The input of the employees should be combined with the vision of the company so that the workspace is functional and meets the needs of everyday business activities.  Business owners should use the input to guide their selection so that the furniture promotes productivity, comfort, and organization. Business owners can also partner with ergonomic furniture companies to give their employees discounted ergonomic equipment like the Oracle employee discount offered by Oracle and Autonomous.

PRODUCTIVITY

Ensuring that a workspace is productive is crucial to the process of selecting office furniture.  Will, there be individual, private offices, or will there be a common workspace where employees can collaborate on projects together?  What types of work will be done in the space. And will the furniture allow for all of the work to be completed effectively?  Will employees be working on one location all day, or will they need to shift to different workstations or locations?  These are just a  few questions that help to narrow the focus so that office furniture is acquired and installed to maximize the productivity of the workspace.

COMFORT

Office furniture should be chosen for comfort based on the needs of office staff and personnel. Ergonomic furniture is designed to maximize comfort for office staff and to relieve musculoskeletal pain and discomfort due to the repeated motion of everyday tasks. Ergonomic chairs provide multiple options, including lumbar support, neck support, armrest configurations. That supports elbows and wrists, and materials that promote increased airflow such as mesh or light fabric. Ergonomic desks are engineered to be adjusted at the touch of a button, allowing employees to sit or stand as necessary. Technology, such as mice, keyboards, monitors, and laptop stands, is designed to ensure that screens are at eye level and that muscles and joints can work with less stress.

Ergonomic furniture may be more expensive when compared to standard furniture, but the rewards can be great.  If planned in tandem with a comprehensive workspace strategy, ergonomic furniture can promote an office culture that allows for greater focus and productivity while at the same time ensuring that office staff is comfortable and healthy.  Considerations for what ergonomic furniture to purchase may require a review of available electricity, internet, wireless internet, and other infrastructure pieces within the office space.  Adjustable furniture may also require training for staff so that the equipment is used correctly and so that office staff feel integrated into the overall workspace design.

ORGANIZATION

Any office layout must include adequate space for supplies.  These supplies can range from items such as paper, clips, staples, etc. to technology items such as printers, scanners, and computers.  Supplies must be accessible to employees while maintained in a space that is orderly and neat.  The accessibility and organization of files would also need to be considered.  Are there file cabinets necessary, and if so in what location would they be most effective?  Some files may be private, and others may need to be accessible to all employees.  An exploration of whether an office couple potentially goes all-digital may also provide some insight as to the direction of the company and if a paperless environment could be established.

For a company that has many files that need to be accessed regularly, there are some options for ergonomic filing cabinets.  Some cabinets are small and mobile with wheels and with drawers that have unique handles or hardware that makes pulling out drawers and searching for files easier.  Other filing cabinets have powered drawers that move independently.  These are typically larger and need to be installed in a location that provides space.

For any company, the combination of productivity, comfort, and organization provides the framework for a thorough process for the selection of office furniture for a business.  Combined with employee and stakeholder input, this process can help to design a space that is welcoming and that truly reflects the vision of the company, while at the same time boosting productivity and contributing to positive office culture. Now is the best time to give your employees an employee discount program where they can get discounted ergonomic furniture for their personal use as well.