6 Office Furniture Pieces You Shouldn’t Skimp On

When it comes to boosting productivity in the office, one of the most effective strategies is to focus on the furniture that fills it. Few other elements within an office affect how people and teams work together and interact like office furniture.

Offices can function more efficiently when specific pieces are present, which typically includes six main types of furniture pieces. Choosing each of these pieces of furniture carefully can pay dividends by increasing efficiency, providing ergonomic support, and wowing potential clients and investors.

1. Desks and Chairs

The minimalist, open floor plan is popular these days, and it has changed a lot of what kind of furniture you might need. It can, however, never take away the necessities: a desk and a chair.

Understandably, some businesses are transitioning to less structured workplaces with no desks. This, however, would not work for every business. What works are the tried-and-true fundamentals.

Desks and chairs are essential pieces of furniture for any office. Carefully pairing these pieces of office furniture is crucial, as their interaction will affect productivity. A desk that is mismatched in height with an office chair can cause discomfort and even strain, which adds up throughout the day.

Also, choose a desk that provides ample space, and a chair that provides plenty of support all day without becoming too hot.

2. Communal Work Desk

Regardless of the type of office you manage, you will require at least one conference room. You will employ this room frequently, whether it's for brainstorming with coworkers, interacting with clients, or conducting staff meetings.

Therefore, you will need to acquire some huge desks and tables for these conference rooms. In fact, some offices are abandoning individual workstations entirely.

For offices with many workers or teams who need to frequently collaborate, a communal work desk can deliver a quick boost to productivity. By sitting together, teams can easily communicate ideas while working at their computers or using pen and paper for brainstorming sessions.

Communal work desks should provide enough workspace for everyone to keep items like laptops, pads of paper, and important documents close at hand.

3. Lounge Space Furniture

Employees who are happy have higher job satisfaction and are more willing to do things outside of their job description. Sofas, chairs, coffee tables and bookcases can be arranged in a lounge area, as can a TV with video games. Rejuvenating employees might be made easier by providing a safe haven for them to retreat to.

The commercial furniture in the lounge spaces of an office can provide a comfortable retreat for workers to take breaks, chat about ideas, or even talk on the phone away from their desks. This furniture can also serve visiting customers or investors, so it’s a good idea to choose pieces that are aesthetically pleasing, comfortable, and well-aligned with the brand.

4. Drawers and Organizers

Clutter is the enemy of efficiency, so office managers are wise to provide plenty of drawers and organizers for workers to keep things tidy in their workspaces. Organizers keep everything securely in place when opening and closing drawers, making it easy to quickly access smaller items without rummaging through a tangled mess of paper clips, charging cables, and other small office supplies.

Many offices are transitioning away from endless rows of file cabinets and toward paperless options, such as storing files in the cloud.

When purchasing office furniture, you should consider how you want to store everything. These days, less is more, and the more storage space you can purchase that can be hidden under desks and out of sight, the better.

5. Smartboards

Smartboards can provide a way to digitize the work teams collaborate on in the conference room or even the main office area. Similar to a whiteboard, Smartboards provide a space to brainstorm ideas, but with the added functionality of displaying digital documents and images.

As with many electronics, higher-end Smartboards will often perform far better with fewer glitches and better interfaces.

6. Cafeteria Furniture

The furniture that goes into eating spaces like cafeterias serves everyone from workers to potential new clients. Choosing furniture for these areas should focus on balancing comfort with appearance because it can say a lot about how much employees are valued at the company.

Uncomfortable, mismatched, or just plain ugly furniture in a cafeteria can even put a drain on productivity, as it doesn’t make for a rejuvenating environment for workers.

What are some of the questions office managers ask most often when they visit a commercial furniture dealer in Orange County in search of items like Herman Miller office furniture?

What is modern office furniture?

Modern office furniture is furniture that’s been designed to be ergonomic and highly functional, all while paying attention to the effects aesthetics can have on the workplace.

What is the difference between a table and a desk?

Simply rolling up an office chair to a table doesn’t make it a desk. Desks and workstations are purpose-built for work, with heights that pair well with office chairs, providing a far more comfortable seating position for higher levels of productivity.

How much does a home office desk cost?

Home office desks can vary widely in price, largely dependent on the materials they’re made from, warranty, and features like drawers and organizing space.

We make certain that our customers understand the significance of having the proper equipment for a healthy, happy, and productive workplace, which is why we take the time to understand their needs and goals. Quality workplace furniture not only reflects a company's value for its employees, but it also reflects the importance a company places on making an exceptional first impression every time.

When you want to get the most from your team while providing a beautiful space for clients and investors to visit, get help from the experts in business interiors—GM Business Interiors! To get started, check out some of what we have to offer HERE.