There is much more to designing your office layout than just ensuring that every member of your team has a desk, chair and a set of drawers, and companies should be seeking specialist advice early in the game to ensure they get the maximum potential from their office space.
Incredibly, it is often left to the very last minute and often to an inexperienced member of staff to source furniture for a new office as building works take precedence, and this can result in poor planning and design, which in the long term can cost money and reduce productivity.We all know how building costs can spiral, and as a result when sourcing office furniture often the priorities begin with cost. Whilst this is entirely understandable, it is often not cost-effective and ultimately can result in a poorly designed office which simply does not “work”.
Buying online is of course also an option that many consider and certainly it can be cheaper, but are you really getting value for money? Not seeing the items you purchase beforehand carries its own risks, and having to assemble them yourself can also be somewhat perilous, so you need to weigh up the potential for things to go wrong and ultimately cost you money before purchasing “blind”. In addition, extra costs added at the online checkout for things like delivery and insurance can increase the overall cost considerably.
When a move or reorganisation is imminent, you should take the time to consider these important questions.
How do your teams work — who needs to be sat near (or even away from) whom?
How do you make the reception welcoming and stylish, whilst still being practical?
How do you plan for the future — is the furniture flexible and can it be extended and adapted as the company grows?
Is the furniture ergonomic? Are you enabling your teams to control/adapt their workspace?
Specialist office furniture suppliers can advise you on all of these matters and more, as well as producing designs for you and offering you advice on health and safety regulations.
By planning ahead, and seeking the right advice from the outset, new offices can be designed in such a way as to give a great first impression to visitors, accommodate your working teams, give privacy where it is needed whilst maintaining flexibility for the future snd keepin the cost down in the long run.
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