You can ignore everything in your office but not your furniture. It’s the heartbeat of your office operation. It’s like the fuel that burns the furnace of productivity in your employees. And if you want every member of your team to see your work environment like a home away from home, you need to invest in the perfect office furniture.
Whether you are redecorating your existing workspace or setting up a new location, you need a comfortable set of furniture. However, getting the perfect office furniture isn’t as easy as it seems.
If you are buying workspace furniture for the first time, you may be tempted to focus on aesthetic and style. Trust me, aesthetic and style are the least important thing you should consider when buying office furniture.
Here are tips to help you select the perfect office furniture.
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Tips to Select the Perfect Office Furniture
#1. Choose Functionality Over Fancy
Fanciful furniture makes your office beautiful and gives a great impression of your business to visitors. However, it’s advisable to prioritize functionality over fancy when buying a new set of office furniture.
For instance, it’s wrong to buy an office desk because of its fanciful feature. Instead, go for office desks that feature storage drawers and cabinets that you can keep your office files and supplies. This will make the workstation neat and organized.
Remember, the perfect office furniture for your workspace may not fit your ideal taste. But it’s not all about you and your sense of fashion. So, focus on what makes your office conducive.
#2. Comfort
Before you buy any office furniture item, always consider your employees’ comfort. They spend a minimum of 160 hours in the office every day. The least you can do for them is to make the place comfortable, homely, and conducive.
Test the furniture you are buying and see if it’s perfect for your employees’ comfort. If possible, test the chair and desks together and ascertain if they are ergonomic.
#3. Measure Your Office Space
The size of your office space will determine the kind of furniture you are buying. It’s pointless to get a nice set of office furniture that occupies the entire office space. Before you choose any furniture style always measure your space.
For instance, if you have a small office space with a few staff, the perfect office furniture to buy is large co-working tables and chairs. This won’t take much space, and people can still move freely around the office.
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#4. Consider Your Office Layout and Location
Every office has a unique layout and style. You have to put this into consideration. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get the perfect office furniture that comfortably suits your work environment.
#5. Consider Your Business Needs
Sometimes, the nature of your business determines the kinds of furniture you use. If your business deals with much paperwork and requires storage, you need to invest in filing cabinets. This will enable you to keep your paperwork organized.
Similarly, if your business interfaces directly with customers a lot, you need to invest more in comfortable chairs and side tables.
#6. Flexibility
As a rule, consider office furniture with multiple functionalities. For instance, if you are buying desks in your office, look for the ones with enough storage space and drawers, the ones that allow your employees to stretch their legs and move them freely, etc.
If possible, take any of your employees with you when shopping for the perfect office furniture. Have them test out different chairs and desks to ascertain their flexibility.
Remember that the comfort and functionality of your office furniture are relative. In other words, the furniture items that are perfect for your office may not be suitable for another office. It depends on several factors like the nature of your job, the employees’ height, weight, etc.
So, always think about the kind of furniture you need based on the functionality of your office. For instance, if your employees only spend little time in the office and do most of the job in the field, you may not need multiple desks. A simple worktable will be enough in this scenario.
#7. Check the Additional Support The Dealer is Offering
Before you buy office furniture items from any dealer, try to check out the support they are offering. Ask the dealer the following questions and their response will determine whether or not you are buying from them;
- What kind of warranty do you offer?
- If anything happens to the furniture during shipping, how do you repair it swiftly?
- Do you provide additional services like assembly, set up, and installation?
- What do you do with my old office furniture? A smart dealer will give you useful suggestions on what to do with your existing furniture. They can offer to buy from you if the furniture is still in good shape. And you can decide to donate them to charity as well.
#8. Consider Your Budget
Buying the perfect office furniture for your workspace is a major investment. And you need to budget for it accordingly. Ensure that every dime you spend on purchasing your workspace furniture is spent wisely.
Try to consider these three things before you budget for the purchase of office furniture;
- Decide the style of furniture you need and how much you are willing to spend
- Consider the number of furniture item your office needs.
- Is it possible to prioritize aesthetic over functionality?
With these, you can narrow down your choice without tampering with quality because you already allocated budget ahead.
As a rule, never cut corners when buying office furniture. It’s better to wait until you have enough budget for the perfect office furniture than buying low quality and cheap furniture items.
