How To Pick The Right Workstations For Your Office

Are the workstations you select for your office really important? It’s a question many business owners will contemplate when installing an office fitout or renovating an existing work space to accommodate an influx of new employees. The answer, invariably, is yes.

Depending on your industry, the size of your company and the floor space available in your building, seemingly simple elements, such as the colour, storage space and mobility of office furniture can influence the ambience and functionality of your office significantly. Of course not all workstations are going to be right for your business, and, with the current extensive array of choices available, the task of selecting them can actually become more daunting than enjoyable. Let’s try to simplify it for you by explaining the key considerations that must be made in any purchase of workstations.

A great way to begin your decision making process is to reflect on the current goals and services of your company as well as your future plans. If expansion of your business is likely and you anticipate employing more office-based staff, you should choose workstations featuring mobile furniture which will allow you to shift and rearrange cubicles to free up space. Desks should be made of lightweight materials and feature portable partitions that can easily be dismantled and reassembled, as well as wheeled chairs and filing cabinets where possible. Not only will workstations with mobile furniture allow for expansion, they will facilitate the separation of different groups of staff which may become necessary in the future. For example, sales representatives who conduct a great deal of their business on the phone can be distanced from those whose roles involve quiet thinking.

Noting whether your employees store most of their information by digital means or in hard copy is also a key factor in choosing workstations for your office. If you run a business that specialises in online design, the amount of filing and book storage space required by each employee is likely to be a lot less than those working in a law firm or human resources for example. Desks featuring extensive drawers and additional overhead shelves are wonderful for providing easy access to regularly used paperwork, but if this is not an integral part of the function of your business then investing in furniture that incorporates these elements may be an unnecessary expense.

Another thing to consider when selecting workstations is the level of comfort they offer your employees. There are many ways in which they can be made more user-friendly, ranging from design, to furniture choice and the modification of accessories. Make sure that workstations provide enough desk-top space to position the computer monitor directly in front of the user. If desks are cramped and employees are forced to turn to one side to view their computer screens, they are likely to experience extensive muscle stress and possible headaches or permanent muscular damage when seated for extended periods. To prevent repetitive stress injury, workstations should also incorporate a chair that is adjustable for individual heights to ensure that computer keyboards are positioned at an appropriate level. This level will vary between individuals, but should be at a height at which employees are able to type while maintaining relaxation in their upper arms, with their elbows at right angles and wrists as straight as possible.

It’s crucial to consider all of these factors to ensure you are selecting the right workstations for your company. Making an educated choice the first time around could save you money and effort in the long run by guaranteeing that your office furniture is appropriate and will allow for future modification, rather than having to be entirely replaced with every change or addition to your company.