Getting your office space right is vital these days. The last thing employers want is for people to loathe coming into the office. Which is why careful and thoughtful office design can go a long way.
Additionally, with more and more companies adopting a hybrid working week, making your office feel comfortable, but still a productive space is important too. You want people to still feel as though the office has structure, without compromising on productivity, or creating a space that is too relaxing.
Keep reading our essential guide to workplace furniture to find our tips on creating the perfect office space.
Small vs. Large Spaces
A good first step in picking out furniture is determining the size of your office space and how much room you have to work with. You don’t want things to feel too clinical or empty, as it might make it difficult for people to settle and get into the right mindset to work.
With that being said, a cluttered office can also decrease productivity. It’s about finding a good balance of open space, without making your office feel too crowded.
You want to work out the amount of space that each of your employees needs, and try to cater to this so that they can come into a pleasant work environment. Working out your spacing details, and whether you’re working with a small or a large space will help you to figure out what size and shaped furniture you want to buy.
Colours
Colour scheme is another important thing to think about in your office. It might seem minor, and not directly related to your furniture, but it may be more important than you think. You want your office to feel cohesive, with a flow between feature colours, decorative elements and your furniture.
Also, depending on the industry you are in, different colours might work better in your office. For example, calming tones such as blue or green can really elevate the productivity of your office. Yellow tones are often found in more creative spaces, and neutral colours can give off a more professional or corporate aesthetic.
It comes down to preference, and keeping things harmonious within your office. You might want furniture that matches or complements the existing colours in your office. On the other hand, you may fancy a complete change, delving into new and exciting colours for your office space.
Communal Workspaces
Your office might have communal workspaces, where employees can work together and collaborate, or you may want to introduce this. A collaborative area or communal desk is a great opportunity to bring teams and employees together, so investing in a large communal desk area could be a good idea for your business. This may be subjective to the amount of space you have in your office, but it could encourage a good level of productivity and teamwork.
Essential Workplace Office Furniture
The previous points are simply extra bits and bobs you could consider when you’re designing your office. We have outlined the following essential workplace furniture items to help you ensure that you have everything necessary to maintain an enjoyable office.
Desks And Chairs
These may seem like the basics, and they are! But this is all the more reason to invest in desks and chairs that are good quality. They are the parts of your office that potentially get used the most. Employees spend all day at their desks, so incorporating a good quality desk and chair is definitely in your best interest.
It can make you a bit restless to be sat down all day every day, and many workplaces recognise this. The idea of sitting and standing while working is a relatively recent phenomenon, but many people benefit from this! You can find a wide selection of desks that move upwards and downwards to allow you to work standing or sitting, whatever feels best for you. This can increase productivity massively by giving employees more opportunity to feel comfortable at work and find a working style that suits them.
Storage
Investing in proper storage for your business or office is essential to keep it free of clutter and disorganised documents. Many offices now have sleek filing cabinets and minimal storage systems to keep their offices looking sleek and clean.
Removing clutter and giving all documents or bits and bobs a home will help create a more productive space, as clutter can make focusing more difficult or create distractions.
Printing Facilities
If you’re working in a place that does a lot or a little printing, things won’t run as smoothly if you have everyone waiting around for the printer. So, having a wireless printer is an essential feature of an office. Your printer should be located in a central place for everyone, so that anyone can use it. Additionally, it should be simple to use, so that everyone can use it if they need to.
When buying your printer, make sure you check the:
- Print speed
- Long term costs
- Maintenance
- Ink & paper costs
- Print quality
These are important things to consider to keep your office at a good level of efficiency.
Living Spaces
The living spaces in your office may just be sofa areas where people can sit and work, or take their break to eat their lunch. Either way, this doesn’t need to be a complicated space. A few sofas and chairs can make for a nice area to talk and decompress away from your desk.
Many offices have booth style sofas and cosy areas for people to do independent work away from their desk, and get a change of scenery.
Kitchen Furniture
Being comfy while you eat is also important in an office. If you have a designated kitchen area, it could be useful to get some sofas or comfy chairs for people to take their break on.
When people are on their break, they want to switch off a little and detach from work mode for an hour or so. With that being said, your kitchen area shouldn’t be dirty or unhygienic, but it can definitely emulate a more relaxed place than being sat at a desk. This creates more segregation between actually working and being able to switch off, providing more of a mental balance.
Visitor Seating
Visitor seating is another important factor for your office, making a good impression with your visitors is important for your brand. You want to make them feel comfortable and at ease, while maintaining a level of professionalism.
Having a well thought out, clean and simple visitor seating area will definitely go a long way in showing your visitors what your business is about, and is a massive reflection of your work too.
Have You Thought About Buying Refurbished?
If you’re working towards a more eco-friendly office, or just looking to purchase something that hasn’t been made from all new materials, then buying refurbished furniture could be a great way to furnish your office.
There are actually a range of benefits to buying refurbished furniture. Not only will you be saving on costs, but you may also find that you get more choice in style and personalisation of items that are being refurbished. Not to mention the reduction in carbon emissions that comes from manufacturing brand new chairs and desks.
Corporate Spec
Here at Corporate Spec, we take pride in our refurbishment process. As the UK’s leading stockists of refurbished, branded office furniture, we are committed to producing high quality items for all of our clients. From swivel and static chairs to sofas, stools and benches, we are here to make furnishing your office nice and easy.
For any enquiries about our products or the services we offer, feel free to contact us today and speak to our team. We will be happy to answer any of your questions and get you on your way to finding your dream office furniture!
