6 Simple Tips For Finding the Right Office Furniture

Office furniture is a major investment for any business. Not only because of the expense involved but because of the impact it has in an office.

While shopping for new office furniture can be a lot of fun, it can be very overwhelming, especially if you’ve never bought furniture for an office before.

There are lots of different things to consider and you want to be sure that you’re choosing pieces that will be a good fit for your office space for years to come.

6 Simple Tips For Finding the Right Office Furniture

Need some help getting started? Here are some things to keep in mind when finding the right office furniture.

1. Timing

Buying office furniture isn’t always a matter of going to a store, picking it up, and bringing it right back with you.

Once you decide on the furniture you want for your office, it’s very important to remember that there might be a lead time before your furniture arrives.

Rightsize Facility advises planning on a few weeks to allow for setup and delivery, but this could be even longer if you order custom pieces.

This is a big thing you’ll need to keep in mind if you need your new furniture by a certain date, such as if you’re moving into a new office and everything needs to be ready for you to move in on a specific date.

2. Start with the basics

If you’re furnishing an office for the first time, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by all of the options that are available.

To get started, think about the basic things people need to be able to do their jobs.

For example, do you need to create larger workstations where groups can work together or would individual desks be a better option?

Are you a paperless office or do you need storage for paper files?

If you don’t need file storage, are there any other types of storage you’ll need around the office?

Once you have a better understanding of your basic needs, it will be much easier to find your starting point.

3. Budget

As with so many other things in life, the amount of money you have to work with is going to play a major role in your office furniture options.

Ideally, you want to look for the highest quality pieces possible that fit your available budget.

Nobody ever truly has an unlimited amount of money to work with. But even when you have a tight budget, it’s still a good idea to avoid prioritizing price over quality.

As tempting as it may be to buy a lot of very inexpensive furniture, cheap furniture tends to wear out very quickly and the money you save upfront can end up being offset by having to repair or replace your furniture down the line.

Since buying new furniture for an entire office all at once is prohibitively expensive for a lot of companies, it’s very common for companies to buy new furniture in stages.

If you want to go this route, Steelcase recommends starting with office chairs, particularly if people spend a lot of time working at their desks.

If you’re interested in finding ways to save money on quality office furniture and can’t wait for a sale, refurbished furniture might be an option worth considering.

4. Space

Aside from your budget, the amount of space you have to work with is the second biggest limitation you’ll have to work around.

Before you begin shopping for furniture, take exact measurements of your office so that you can choose pieces of furniture that are a comfortable fit.

Pieces of furniture that are too big can overwhelm the space and make it harder for people to move around during the day, but if things like desks or tables are too small, they can be uncomfortable for people to work at.

5. Ergonomics

While it’s nice to have an office that looks great, it’s very important that style not be prioritized over functionality.

People spend a lot of time sitting in chairs at their desks, so ergonomic support is something that’s well worth investing in.

Musculoskeletal disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis, are a very common type of workplace injury.

According to OSHA, work-related musculoskeletal disorders are among the most frequently reported causes of lost or restricted work time.

So making sure your employees have ergonomic support to prevent those kinds of injuries will help them be happier, healthier, and more productive at work.

Since every person has their own unique needs for ergonomic support, consider looking for furniture that allows people to make adjustments to suit their needs.

Ergonomic chairs are a great starting point, but also look for things like adjustable monitor arms that will allow people to keep their monitors at eye level.

If possible, try to test furniture out before you buy it to get an idea of how comfortable it is.

6. Finding a dealer

If you only need a few simple pieces of furniture for your office, you may be able to order what you need yourself without any problems.

But if you need to put in a larger order, working with a dealer can help make the process much easier for you, especially if you want to order custom pieces.

Just remember that some vendors might offer additional services and customer support that can really make or break your experience. It’s important to do your homework to find one who will be a good fit for you.

As you look for a furniture dealer, start by considering their reputation. Total Corporate Solutions suggests checking trade directories, local business associations, and industry events/publications to find a reputable vendor in your area.

But it’s also important to remember that not all dealers necessarily provide the same types of services or customer support.

Be sure to find out about the types of services and support they offer and if there are any extra fees associated with them.