You likely spend over 40 hours a week or 1900 hours a year in your office. It is often more than many people spend at home, not counting sleep time. This makes it tremendously important to have a good atmosphere in your workspace that is not only conducive to productivity, but to wellbeing in general. Office furniture is of crucial important in the mood that your office creates. There are several key points which should be thought about thoroughly when it comes to finding the right fixtures for you.
The first thing to really look at is how the space will be utilized. You want to make sure your new furniture meets the needs of the work that needs to be done. For professions which are heavy in paperwork, a desk with sufficient space is particularly important. Shelves and built-in storage for papers and books is an additional plus.
If you need to use a computer at work, you want to make sure that the desk is wire friendly as well as has a place to store a CPU or a laptop docking station and peripherals like a keyboard and mouse. Often times, even in a computer centric position, you will have paperwork that goes with it so it makes sense to have additional working space as well.
Beyond the utilization aspect, make sure you pick something that is comfortable. This is particularly important with the chairs as people may be sitting in them for hours at a time. You want to make sure that they are ergonomically friendly and mitigate risks including lower back pain. Comfort is also of important when choosing your keyboard if you have a computer. Increasingly, convertible desks which allow quick switches between a sitting position and a standing position are being utilized to give people the option to switch between standing and sitting, which is often more comfortable as well as healthier.
After utilization and comfort, you want to consider the identity of your office and how it fits into the larger brand identity of your company. The colors, designs, and feel reflect on your company and the type of working environment you want to cultivate. Increasingly, many new firms are going for colorful and lively furniture which is meant to excite and inspire. This is in contrast to more neutral colors in your classic office.
The right office really meshes together all of the aforementioned pieces into one final cohesive piece. This allows workers to make the most of their workday and may allow for greater work satisfaction as well as productivity. The look and feel of an office is tremendously important and should not be something that is skimped on because it connects with the work that is being done and the quality of the output. Remember to always keep in mind the impact a potential decision will have on utilization, comfort, and identity in order to maximize the value of your workspace for your employees and your company. Office furniture is no small decision and do not let it become one.
Image credit: Daniil Peshkov