Furniture plays a crucial role in the workplace
When it comes to office renovation, furniture is arguably one of the most important aspects of the design. This is what’s going to decorate and breathe life into your workspace, so it’s important to deliberate carefully before making any final decisions. However, above all, it’s imperative to consider how your staff will be affected by the change, how each item of furniture can adapt and support the way your staff want to work. A company’s employees are what enables a business to operate and with this in mind, it’s important to select furniture that’s going to be a hit with the rest of the office. While it can be hard to completely cater for all tastes there are a few important things to keep in mind when scouting for furniture:
Comfort, ergonomics and support
This is arguably the most important thing to get right. An uncomfortable office chair with bad support can be extremely distracting and for those with pre-existing back or neck problems, it can exacerbate aches and pains. Likewise, fixed work surfaces & screens at the wrong levels can at best be an annoyance to staff and at worse cause issues such as repetitive strain injury.
A lot of development has gone into the ergonomic task chair centered around users spending the majority of their day chained to a fixed desk location and working from a single computer. With the advances in technology and a move to agile working a whole range of furniture systems are now being introduced to support staff in a variety of postures in working. The recent uptake in sit-stand desks is a prime example. This in itself is beneficial as the adoption of agile working encourages movement and variation which is key to minimising overuse injuries and posture issues. To simultaneously boost employee well being as well as productivity, it’s advisable to do your research, shop around to find the best furniture items that are in keeping with your budget.
Colour
Offices were once plainly decorated spaces purely designed with practicality in mind, but this is now no longer the case. It’s becoming increasingly popular to be creative with decor and design; modern office spaces are now a smorgasbord of colours, shapes & textures. As well as being much more visually appealing, a colourful office can have a great affect on the mood of an office.for example add intensity or excitement with Red, Calm things down with Blue or add a burst of energy with Orange. Although there are varying opinions on what each colour evokes from a person, it’s safe to say that injections of accent colours in an office is a definite must.
Storage
Although it’s easy to get carried away picking out the fun things, practicality is also a crucial consideration. An office must have an appropriate storage system to ensure documents and other items are kept in order and out of the way. From localised desk storage through to dedicated archive storage; making an inventory of the items you need to accommodate is key to ensuring your provide enough storage. With increased use of the cloud and digital storage it may also be a good time to evaluate what hard copy storage can be reduced. In addition, adopting agile working and co-working spaces may require you to rethink personal storage; incorporating more fluid methods of data transfer. We are seeing an increased use of fitted locker & storage wall with dedicated secure locations for staff.
Clutter can be extremely distracting and can make for a very chaotic work atmosphere, so to ensure your staff are not overcrowded, be sure to purchase the right amount of storage.
Communal Areas
It’s a widely known fact that everyone needs to take regular breaks throughout the day to reduce the likelihood of burning out. Working non-stop can have a profound effect on our engagement, stress levels and even our health. With this in mind, fitting out the communal areas in an office is of the utmost importance.
Comfortable sofas will give employees a place to come and relax whilst a communal dining table is likely to inspire social interaction. Everyone needs time away from their desk to refresh and rejuvenate themselves, so it’s important to create an inviting communal area that everyone can enjoy. The communal areas in modern workplaces are becoming hives of activity; creating informal spaces for interaction, collaboration and cross pollination. They are also great places to grab five minutes to yourself or do a spot of reading; think coffee house work cafe.
