How To Arrange Furniture In An Office
Whether you’ve got a big, open-plan space, or something much smaller, how you arrange the furniture in your office can have a big impact on how well it works for your people. Getting the best from the light, creating a good flow, easy access, and a space conducive to increased productivity are some of the things you need to think about.
So, read on if you’d like to find out more about how to arrange office furniture.
Why Is Furniture Important For An Office Space?
Furniture is one of the key elements of any office design. It provides your people with the tools they need to be able to do their job and also creates a first impression for anyone visiting your office.
When you are deciding which furniture to buy, the key consideration should be whether it is suitable for the function it’s being bought for. Trendy desks and chairs may look amazing, but if they give your team back ache which causes them to be away from work, then they’re a waste of money. The cheapest furniture options – particularly cheap office chairs – might appeal to the finance department, but this is often not the most cost-effective option in the long term, if items need to be replaced more often, or if staff have the distraction of coping with shaky desks and chairs with gas-lift mechanisms that let the user slowly sink to the floor!
Stylish and functional furniture shows any clients who come into your space that you value your workforce and that you mean business. Old, shabby furniture will do the opposite.
What To Consider When Arranging Office Furniture
The starting point when you are planning to buy new office furniture is to consider your space and what the furniture is going to be used for. Your office furniture arrangement needs to be functional, allowing people to move around the space easily and work comfortably. If you are thinking about how to lay out office furniture, here are some things to consider:
Start With The Basics
Set a clear budget and identify what things are essential. It’s no good spending a lot of money on state-of-the-art chairs if you have no budget left for desks. Work out how big the space is and how many different zones you need. If your office is open-plan, do you need some quiet spaces and rooms where confidential discussions can take place?
If you are thinking about how can I make my office stand out, consider your colours and the feel you want the space to have. Vibrant colours work best for spaces that are creative and need to encourage collaboration. Paler, more muted ones create a calming atmosphere for when your people need to concentrate and focus.
What Is The Office Space Situation Like?
Once you’ve looked at the basics, you can move on and think about things in more detail, taking into account how big your space is and the best way of utilising it. How to lay out office furniture in a way that enables your people to do their best work will depend on the nature of your business. Look at what works well in your current space and what doesn’t. Do you need more workstations? Can each one be made smaller? Would a more flexible office furniture arrangement work for your team? Does each team member need a desk with its own pedestal drawers, or would a cube locker for each team member work instead of pedestals, and facilitate desk-sharing by staff who do not use the office every day?
What Will The Office Furniture Be Used For?
It may seem very obvious, but when you are thinking about how to lay out office furniture, look at what it is going to be used for. Are desks being used to sit at and work from? Or are some used more for discussions and collaboration? There also needs to be storage space for different office furniture options.
Think about your current storage solutions. Do you have paper files and work-related equipment that is regularly used in your cupboards and on your shelves? If not and they’re being used for staff belongings and redundant equipment, use the space for something else. File
If you have separate offices, are they being used fully or would the space be better utilised as an open-plan environment, giving more flexibility for the office furniture arrangement?
Do your teams hold regular video conference calls? If so, is there sufficient provision of private spaces where these calls can be made effectively and without distraction? Does the backdrop the customer sees behind your team on a video call look good and reflect your business profile?
Don’t Disrupt Movement and Flow Around The Office
Planning how to lay out office furniture needs to take into account the space around the furniture as well as the individual items. Your staff need to be able to move around and access all of the areas they use, easily and without obstruction.
If they have to navigate around a lot of boxes or squeeze past other staff to get to a piece of equipment, not only is there a risk of injury, but it will discourage them from doing that task which could impact the way your business works. Spending time at the planning stage to make sure movement and flow work well will help to create a space that meets the needs of all of your team.
Ensure The Working Environment Is Comfortable
One of the most important aspects of any office furniture arrangement is to make sure it creates a comfortable environment for your team. Choose furniture that supports posture and also enables people to get up and move around freely whenever they need to.
Make sure the lighting is effective and creates an environment that is easy for people to work in. Lighting that is too bright or too dim will affect the productivity of your team, making it harder for them to do their best work. It is also important to have good natural light in your office space so make sure you consider this when designing your office layout.
Does Your Business Need Office Furniture?
Office Options are the experts in furniture that support the needs of your business. We can deliver anything from office chairs to lockers and canteen furniture that suits all budgets and designs, whether your office has a sophisticated executive look or a modern open-plan design.
Get in touch with our expert to find out how we can find the perfect furniture for your space.