| Purchasing office furniture that is right for you | | | | Environmental |
| and your employees is of utmost importance to | | | | Not every piece of furniture is created green, |
| your business. Comfortable employees with | | | | especially if you are importing furniture from |
| pleasant surroundings will be more motivated and | | | | abroad when environmental policies may be |
| therefore productive all round than those with | | | | implied, but are difficult to verify. In order to |
| uncomfortable, drab furnishings. So how can you | | | | assure your furniture company is pursuing a truly |
| achieve the perfect office environment - we take | | | | green strategy, you should ensure they have |
| a look at some of the key factors below; | | | | offices in the UK which are subject to UK |
| Ergonomics | | | | legislation. Their clients should also have ISO 9001 |
| The most important consideration when buying | | | | and 14001 accreditation as a bare minimum. In |
| any product is that it needs to do what you want | | | | addition, all products and packaging should be |
| it to do, and office furniture is no exception. If | | | | 100% recyclable to avoid adding to the ongoing |
| anything it is even more important to get right as | | | | landfill crisis in the UK. |
| you need to ensure the good health and well | | | | Accessories |
| being of your workforce. Office workers spend | | | | Accessories are best seen as essential |
| 6-8 hours a day in their chairs so they require full | | | | accompaniments to your office furniture, and not |
| support for their back, neck, arms and legs at all | | | | optional extras. Unfortunately many business |
| times. Some people may sacrifice ergonomics in | | | | owners overlook accessories and the benefit they |
| favour of a lower unit price, but this often | | | | can have to the safety and efficiency of your |
| represents a false economy as low quality | | | | office space. For example monitor arms can |
| equipment needs to be replaced more frequently | | | | create extra desk space, cable management |
| and can increase staff sickness and absence. | | | | minimise the risk of trips or falls and well placed |
| Cost | | | | power sockets save time when adding new |
| Cost is a key consideration for the customer - | | | | desks or computers to your office. |
| everyone wants to get the best possible deal for | | | | Space |
| their office furniture. While it is tempting to focus | | | | The way you use your space in your office will |
| on price as the lowest denominator, you do need | | | | have a direct impact on your workforce. While it's |
| to bear a couple of factors in mind. The first is | | | | tempting to lease the smallest space for the |
| the amount of research and development which | | | | largest number of employees to save money, |
| has gone into making the products. Market leaders | | | | this may only benefit you in the short-term. The |
| such as Herman Miller are constantly researching | | | | last thing any worker wants is to be tightly |
| and investing in new technologies, resulting in | | | | packed in a hot office so this kind of setup isn't |
| reduced cost of ownership whilst increasing value | | | | the best way to get the most out of them. |
| for money over the lifetime of the product. | | | | Clever use of modern furnishings can, however, |
| Design | | | | create an illusion space while making maximum |
| The design of your office furniture can have a | | | | use of your floor space. |
| considerable impact on the motivation, and | | | | By now it should be clear that there are a |
| therefore productivity, of your workforce. It has | | | | number of factors to consider when purchasing |
| been shown that when people are attuned to | | | | office furniture for your business. The main |
| their environment they respond positively to it, as | | | | consideration underpinning each factor, however, |
| they view it as an investment in themselves. Old | | | | is the effect it has on your workforce. After all, if |
| fashioned designs on the other hand, will elicit a | | | | your employees are uncomfortable and unhappy |
| very different response from your employees | | | | then you won't be maximizing the value they can |
| than modern, bright furniture which makes use of | | | | add to your business. |
| different worktop colours. | | | | |