Introduction
Exploring office furniture might seem fun and games until you have to make the right purchase. Shopping for furniture for your office or home might seem quite easy but in reality, it's a challenging task. You might even face some complications while buying furniture online. This is because the object is not physically available to touch or feel the quality. However, as the online presence of various platforms is growing, people are rapidly switching to buying things online, even comfortable office furniture.
Online transactions have given us several comforts. It has made the shopping process hassle-free, we do not have to come out of our comfort zone, returns are available for several manufacturers, etc. There are several similar points that can make your shopping experience for durable office furniture very convenient & easy.
Useful Tips For Choosing The Right Office Furniture
Embellishing your office is a personal task and it may involve several emotions too. Creating an ideal space for the employees to work in, is the top priority of the employer. Promoting a healthy work environment will give you more efficiency in the work too. You can ensure the effective functioning of the employees and maintain a well-structured workplace ecosystem by installing the right and comfortable office furniture. There are some tips that can help you pick the right office furniture warranted by your workplace.
1. Don’t forget about spacing constraints
The space available in your office plays a critical role in deciding the fate of the furniture it will have. Apart from this, it is equally important to consider the number of employees working for you. Record these numbers as they can be very helpful while deciding the quantity of office furniture. In case, your office houses a small number of employees with limited office space then you can opt for larger coworking tables. These will be highly efficient for your setup.
However, cramming a relatively larger number of employees in a limited space will result in congestion and inefficiency in work. This is where you can increase the number of office desk.
2. Sustainability
While shopping for durable office furniture, always keep in mind the type of office setup you have, your work culture, and its nature. These factors strongly influence the type of furniture you bring in. Make sure you don’t forget about supplementing office furniture like bookshelves, storage cabinets, and computer stands. This furniture will provide additional functionality, storage space, and ergonomics in your office.
3. Comfort Quotient
Whether you buy your office furniture online or offline, make sure you take the comfort of your employees into consideration. Satisfied employees will work efficiently, therefore, their happiness must be given due importance. There is a great probability that your team members will be irksome, moody, and might not feel comfortable working in hideous cubicles or desks.
4. Draw a Realistic Budget
Before you head to a market for buying durable office furniture or begin your search online, make sure you have mapped out a well-structured and realistic budget. The design, layout, and ergonomics will depend on your budget. So, avoid making an impulsive and foolish decision and consider a budget for purchasing your new office furniture.
5. Size of furniture
Consider taking measurements of your office space for choosing the right furniture. This way the furniture you pick will fit easily in your office and enhance your working style. Bringing bulky or oversized furniture into your office may eat up some valuable space and impact the free movement of employees negatively. Besides the size, consider the shape of your office furniture. This enables comfortable space management.
6. Cost
Do thorough research before buying furniture so that you have complete knowledge and know the worth of the piece of furniture you are investing in. compare prices of various brands office furniture and pick the one that suits your budget best.
7. Aesthetics
The look of your workplace can influence the employees’ as well as your clients’ behavior. There have been several studies that prove that an aesthetically pleasing workplace helps to attract & retain top talent.
Your team culture & workplace play a crucial role while recruiting and retaining employees. So, when you spend on durable office furniture, you are clearly investing in a space where the employees will spend one-third of their daily life. Therefore, great workplace aesthetics would mean that you value your employees, their health, and time.
8. Quality
It might seem convenient and easy to buy cheap furniture, however, in the long run it would be smart to invest in quality furniture. By investing in office furniture you are investing in your business assets, ensuring the quality of furniture and other features like function, comfort, and durability. Making the right choice in furniture will minimize the long-term ownership cost.
Other factors to keep in mind while purchasing office furniture include evaluating the shipping or any additional charges, reviews about the company as well as their products, the kind of warranty they are providing, and their customer services.
Types of Office Furniture You Need
1. Desk
An office desk must be able to accommodate all your stuff like a laptop, notepad, pen stand, etc. The space of your desk must take into account your daily needs, and it must align with your height. You can also ensure proper storage while buying an office desk.
● Surface area
Think if you need multiple screens, an external keyboard, a table lamp, etc. Ensure a clutter-free desktop. The more organized your office desk, is, the more efficient you can work. You can figure out the approximate surface area you usually need for your stuff & work style. Now use these measurements as the marker for your search.
● Ergonomics
Find an office desk that aligns with your height and try to avoid a little wiggle room under it. Ideally, you should position the keyboard at elbow level, unless you are using a laptop. This will provide you with a comfortable position when you work. Your screen must be placed roughly 20 inches away and at a slight downward angle from your angle of sight.
Type of Desks
● Executive desk
Executive desks are typically old-school-type office desk. They have an L-shape, and built-in drawers and cabinets on both sides and sometimes on one side.
● Computer desk
Computer desks come with cord portals and built-in charges as they are ergonomically crafted according to this particular need. An office desk with table management is helpful in keeping the desk neat and tidy.
● Standing desk
The surface of the standing desk comes up to above your waist height. This category of desks allows one to function while standing or sitting on a high stool. Some of these desks are adjustable and convertible into traditional desks.
● Secretary desk
Secretary desks are an icon of mid-century office interior design and consist of a hinged surface. Their surface is double the size of a desktop and has an array of drawers on the top for storage.
2. Chair
After the office desk, the office chair is the next item on your furniture list. This piece of furniture should be bought after several considerations because you’ll spend a significant number of hours in this chair. So, never compromise the quality as well as the comfort of this piece of office furniture.
You might want to change the height or support of the chair throughout the day. So look for an office chair with adjustable height, armrests, and backrests. The fabric must also be considered for this furniture piece. The ideal fabric must promote airflow and breathability.
Types of Chairs
● Ergonomic chair
These are basically task chairs along with some modified features that go beyond height and include features like customizable depth, tilt, and lumbar support.
● Executive chair
This category of office chair flaunts a high back and is quite expensive. Executive chairs reflect a style statement and class and are best suited for large spaces.
● Task chair
These are common office chairs with basic features like casters, armrests, a cushioned seat, and a backseat.
● Drafting chair
Drafting chairs are perhaps the most comfortable office chair and they promote more conformable components than any other chair.
FAQ's
Office ergonomics plays a crucial role in employee productivity. You must provide a healthy and comfortable environment to your employees to ensure productivity. Furniture will play a chief role in maintaining the comfort of your employees. Therefore, quality office furniture can impact your productivity.
There are a number of office chairs available both offline and online that support your back. These ergonomic chairs perfectly complement the long working hours and protect your back.
Any piece of furniture that you buy for your office is fully tax-deductible.
Office furniture can be capitalized when the inseparable individual components cost at least $5,000. Furniture usually has a longer lifetime and takes around 20 years to depreciate.
