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Ten Point Checklist for Choosing Office Furniture

Whether you’re  starting a business, refreshing your office furniture, or setting up a home  office, there are some key issues you need to think about before you choose  your new office furniture. This list helps you keep track of the top ten issues  and make sure that you’ve considered your new buy from every angle.

1. Special Space Needs

You should begin  with a clear idea of the space you are looking to fill with furniture. Walking  around in your empty office or office space won’t give a definitive idea when  it comes to choosing furniture. Take some paper and a tape ruler and draw out a  diagram of each space to be furnished, taking note of their dimensions, and  paying special attention to particularly small spaces. This way, you’ll know  for sure whether the furniture will fit. You’ll also need to decide whether  you’re creating individual workstations in an open plan office or furnishing  individual offices.

2. Office Basics

You’ll probably be looking  for the office basics especially if you’re just getting started with a new  business or home office. Make sure you’ve covered the following areas:

• Workspaces – office desks
• Reception – reception desks and  lounge chairs
• Seating – office chairs
• Workstations – for open plan  offices only
• Filing and Storage – do you need  additional filing and storage cabinets?
• Meeting spaces – are you  furnishing a meeting area?
  • Do you need projectors,  whiteboards, or projection screens?

Make a definitive list of your office basics  needs according to your staffing levels.

3. Future Needs/Business Growth

In purchasing  office furniture, you should also plan for future growth if relevant. If you’re  planning to expand in the near future, you may also want to think about how you  can re-use and fit your existing office furniture system (especially  workstations) to accommodate larger numbers, and if storage capacity will be  sufficient for short-term expansion.

4. Employees and Work Style

Consult your  employees about furniture styles and layout where appropriate, especially if  they have special needs. Consider your organisation’s work style, particularly  in terms of team work and group gatherings. Do you need a meeting space? Do you  want to use partitioned workstations to encourage information flow, or more private  spaces that will help employees concentrate better on individual projects?  Perhaps your organisation needs a mixture of both.

5. Comfort and Efficiency

Remember that  comfort enhances efficiency and reduces risk of injury. Choose furniture that  can be personalised by employees and give them plenty of working space on  desks, in their cubicles and workstations, and in their offices. Rest and  recreational spaces don’t have to be complicated. Make use of simple pieces  like lounge chairs for rest and leisure spaces.

6. Decorative Pieces and Extras

If you’re adding decorative pieces and extras like  pot plants, fish tanks, paintings, lamps, or sculptures, you can keep this in  mind while you’re choosing your furniture. How these additional pieces will  affect the aesthetic aspects of your furniture, how they will help brighten up  the room, and colour co-ordination are just some of the factors that you may  want to keep in mind.