When purchasing office furniture, it is easy to get carried away by the latest interior fads. Since many options are available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with choices. Especially if you are considering factors like comfort, long-term value, and ergonomics, it can be challenging to find furniture that fits all the criteria while staying within your budget.
Here are some valuable tips to help you buy the right office furniture without compromising the design and the user’s productivity.
1. Think About Work Nature and Culture
Before purchasing office furniture, always consider your workplace’s culture and the nature of the job. For instance, if your office’s occupancy rate is low and employees spend more time working elsewhere than in the office, there’s no need to buy multiple desks. A hot-desking solution will suffice. Similarly, consider whether the storage and shelves are necessary or if most of your company records are digitized.
While considering all this may seem unnecessary and simple at first, it is important to identify your workplace’s needs from the get-go to avoid buyer’s remorse later on.
2. Pay Attention to Ergonomics
An ergonomic design supports the human body, prevents strain and aches, and helps create a healthier work environment. This ensures employees can work easily without too much pain. So get an ergonomic chair set that has good back and neck support.
An ergonomic design of furniture is fully adjustable to cater to individual needs. Look for additional accessories like wrist supports and footrests that help reduce work-related strains. You can also invest in height-adjustable monitor arms and sit/stand desks, all of which help reduce sick leaves while creating a productive workforce.
3. Prioritize Longevity
Another important factor to consider before purchasing furniture is its long-term value. Always buy office furniture that can be used for longer and is recyclable. If not, your investment can be irrelevant in just a few years and go down the drain.
A good example of this is the desk with a split top in which one surface is commonly reserved for items like a keyboard and can be pushed under the other surface when needed. However, with the proliferation of different working styles or laptops, this kind of desk has become obsolete for its single-use intention.
If you are buying furniture for a high-traffic spot, such as break rooms or lobbies, go for vinyl furniture instead of sleek leather. It is not only easy to clean but a lot more durable.
Instead of purchasing top-of-the-line furniture, focus on the used material and construction style. Also, ensure the furniture can hold up to regular use in the office. If not, you are more likely to repurchase the same item sooner than you think.
4. Get Portable Pieces
For startups and small companies still in their early years, purchasing portable furniture is the right way to go. Having portable furniture can be a major deciding factor as moving offices is already stressful enough, and you don’t want a desk that would take hours to reassemble, leading to an additional complication.
Also, you can ask someone from IT to try out and look at the furniture from their perspective. For instance, let them check if the furniture can cause problems with wiring or if it needs to be relocated in the near future.
Remember, from convenience to portability; portable furniture provides various benefits that help elevate productivity while transforming your workplace.
5. Keep Spacing Constraints in Mind
Before purchasing office furniture, always consider the office size and spacing constraints. You should also consider the number of employees at your workplace. For instance, you can easily go with larger co-working tables if you have a small workplace with just a few employees.
Similarly, you should consider buying individual office tables if you have a big office with hundreds of employees. With that, it is also important to consider the right size of office chairs and tables based on the available space in your office. When you choose space-productive furnishings, it helps save space as well as money.
Thus, make sure you choose office furniture that fits the room and provide sufficient room for employees to get to their desks, open drawers and cabinets, walk around and get in and out of the office.
6. Stick to Your Budget
Last but not least, before deciding on office furniture, always consider the available budget and stick to it. After all, the design and ergonomics of your office depend on it.
While upholstered furniture is luxurious and comfortable, it can be super expensive. Similarly, wooden furniture is often more expensive than other materials, yet it is more attractive and durable.
Try to settle on one figure that covers the quality, kind, and quantity of office furniture. Once you decide upon a budget, search for the best options, deals, and high-quality furniture that your limited resources and budgetary constraints can easily buy for you.
Conclusion
When it’s about choosing comfortable office furniture, there are various aspects to consider. From design, budget, and material to longevity, it can be overwhelming to sift through the endless options.
By understanding the above-discussed factors and narrowing down your choices, you can rest assured of finding the best furniture for your office. Remember, buying office furniture is not a decision to take lightly.
It can greatly impact employee comfort, office environment, and overall productivity. So get armed with the provided information and immediately make a smart and effective decision.
Also ready: Top 4 Reasons You Should Invest In a Conference Table for Your Office
