Office furniture is one of those dull topics that rarely comes up in conversation, but the importance of good furniture shouldn't be so lightly dismissed. There are two main types of office- those that are used as a public facing office and those that are a base for employees to work from; having the correct set up, both aesthetically and comfortably is of paramount importance for both. Starting with customer facing offices, it is stating the obvious to say that when members of the public are going to be visiting, a neat corporate image is required. Shabby mismatched and broken office furniture does not leave customers feeling that the company is going to offer a good level of service with first rate products. It does not instill that all important confidence that is so vital. Customer confidence brings repeat trade, but also leads to personal recommendation to friends and family which in turn brings new custom.
Having a back office set up does not mean that these issues do not apply, although customers will not be seeing the working environment, the employees will. Morale is an important issue in work, and whilst it is understood that budget constraints must be adhered to, where possible provision should still be made to have proper fit for purpose workstations set up for each employee. Battered old desks actually leave the overall feel of the office in a somewhat negative place, and suggests that an employer does not place employee care very highly on their list. Even if the budget does not allow a whole new suite for the office, a rolling program of replacement could be looked into; this will at least reassure employees that their presence is valued.
Chairs are just as important as desks, as the wrong chair can lead to backache, and potentially sick leave if the suffering gets too much. There is an excellent range of chairs that have been ergonomically designed to ensure that comfort is achieved, and with a massive array of items on offer getting one to suit the budget is less challenging. Having chairs that can be adjusted in terms of height and back position allows all employees to find the optimum position to work, which in turn is going to boost rather than dent morale, no one wants to work day after day in discomfort.
The excellent thing about seating for offices is the amount of choice especially when it comes to back care. Some offices have invested in kneeling type chairs, which are promoted by osteopaths, as are the gym balls, however this is too radical for a lot of offices - some do try it though and employees report being happy with the concept. Chairs with arm rests, chairs without, chairs on wheels, the list goes on, and at the end of the day it comes down to getting the best for the individual, fit for purpose and the correct height for the desks whilst at the same time remembering corporate image and colour scheme. The overall result is the creation of that perfect office environment.
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