Studies have shown that office furniture and decorum can have an immense impact on employee performance. Office layouts, color schemes, and things of the like can directly affect productivity and collaborative effort. If you’re about to give your office a makeover or filling a brand new one, then here are some things you should consider when shopping around.
The Manufacturer
The last thing you want after you’ve spent hours upon hours selecting just the right furniture is for it to arrive and appear to be nothing like the picture advertised. If you order furniture that’s made in China, then there’s a strong possibility that the size, patterns, or quality will not be what you expected. Your next concern is surely, “But the price of furniture made elsewhere is so expensive!” This might be true. However, consider a manufacturer of office furniture in Vietnam, as the country has a far better quality margin than that of China, with competitive pricing.
Function
Oftentimes, when shopping for home furniture, you might pick something out just for the way it looks. But for office furniture, it must have a specific function that accommodates the needs of the employees. Having a chair shaped like a high-heel shoe might be the perfect addition to your home office space, but it will serve no purpose in an office where people need to be seated in comfortable desks and chairs where they can get work done. If a piece of furniture has multiple functions, then you’ve made a good purchase.
Ergonomics
Humans were not designed to be sitting for nine hours or more a day. Sitting is not the healthiest thing out there. As we sit longer and longer, it can actually have serious side effects on spinal health. If your company has the budget to swing it, consider getting some ergonomic chairs or cushions that promote spinal health. This will not only keep your employees in better physical condition, but it will also help build rapport with them by showing that you care about their well-being. There might also be a spike in productivity if employees are comfortable in their seats for longer periods of time.
Clutter Clearing
Clutter can be a real performance killer. It’s a well-known fact that in an office, less is always more. A cluttered desk or office will only serve as one big distraction, and it tends to make employees feel like there’s still work to do even if they’re finished for the day. Whatever furniture you choose, you want to make sure it’s clutter reducing. Bins, pencil holders, filing cabinets, and things of similar functions are very useful and will take some of the workloads of staying organized off your employees so they can focus on other work objectives.
Lighting
You may not have considered lighting while you were browsing for office furniture, but don’t underestimate the power of light on work performance. Humans are tethered to lighting on a very primal level, and even now, our moods are directly affected by lighting whether we realize it or not.
There are many ways you can improve employee productivity with lighting. Of course, having dimmers and clap-on lights will serve you no purpose, but if you can utilize natural light to make your staff feel happier or put a positive vibe into the air just with a good light fixture, why wouldn’t you?
Comfortable Seating
Sometimes an office can wind up feeling a bit rigid or bare. If you have the space for it, then consider having some furniture that offers some kind of cozy, comfortable seating option away from employees’ desks. By providing a place where people can get away from their desks for a bit, you’ll encourage them to create a community and stronger collaborative team.
When employees socialize with each other, they’re able to build relationships. This can result in a more positive atmosphere and a stronger sense of loyalty to the company. A break room or hangout spot with comfortable seating can accomplish all this as long as it’s not taken advantage of.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics can have a powerful impact on the emotions of anyone walking through your office and should be carefully thought out before selecting furniture. Too many colors can be overwhelming, and too little color will make an office feel drab and lifeless. Neutral color schemes with pops of color here and there are usually stimulating enough without being distracting.
All of these things are the main furniture attributes you should consider when filling your office with new furniture. Keep in mind that furniture with a useful function that promotes health and productivity are strongly advised. Utilize space and lighting well, always keep your employees’ best interests in mind, and you won’t go wrong with your choices.
