Workstation Furniture Basics

How to make efficient use of office work stations
By Lisa Maloney If employees are the heart of your company, then the office workstations that facilitate their everyday duties are the skeleton that keeps your business moving forward. Making the right choices when you first purchase workstation furniture can make or break your business in terms of future expansion, employee performance and presenting the desired visual impression to customers and clients.
 

While a personal preference for aesthetics is a major concern for many business owners, this shouldn't necessarily be your only criterion when purchasing office work station furniture. Don't forget to take the following workstation furniture basics into account before sealing the deal:

1. Recognize that computer work stations are, above all else, objects of utility.

2. Consider sound-damping and privacy enhancement options to help employees focus, especially if they have to contend with loud noises, crowded working space or high traffic around their work stations.

3. Get work stations that offer easy expansion and relocation options--a great option if you plan to hire more employees.

Identify the essential utility of office workstation furniture

Workstation furniture's most basic function is to hold your (or your employees') supplies and electronics in such a way that they are readily accessible when you need them, and conveniently out of the way when you don't.
Try: OneWayFurniture.com sells utilitarian office workstations for the home office or small business; notice that most of their desks feature a ample in-desk storage space, relative to their size. OfficeFurniture2go.com sells 'L' shaped desks that demonstrate the net step up in utility, giving you ready access to twice as much desktop space and a proportionate area of in-desk space. Their vertical units and work station additions can increase the available storage space and utility of your work stations.

Use office cubicles to cut down on distractions

Working in a crowded, high-traffic environment can be distracting. One basic function of office furniture is to reduce the impact of audible and visual distractions or incidental drop-in visits on your employees' work performance.
Try: Cube Solutions offers office cubicle systems, both new and used, to help give your workers the feeling--if not the fact--of privacy. One Way Furniture sells privacy panels designed to give each of your employees a private work or consultation space. These panels give workers in high-traffic spaces a better chance to complete their work efficiently.

Leave yourself room for expansion with modular work centers

Workstation furniture comes in three basic configurations: Modular desks and other furniture that allow for easy modification of one central component; stand-alone units (built for every purpose, from printed stand to full-size executive desks) and grouped units that can be assembled into stand-alone clusters, but don't offer the same easy add-on and take-off options as modular furniture.
Try: Spacify carries a full line of modular office furniture and workstations. OfficeFurniture.com offers a selection of stand-alone furniture from many companies, while Instawares sells Balt corner workstations that can be grouped into clusters for a compromise between modular facility and stand-alone style.

• As noted on the Spacify website, office space design has a direct effect on worker productivity. While appropriate office workstation furniture may cost more than lower quality alternatives, you can consider the extra cost an investment in productivity, comfort and loyalty; employees are more likely to stay with a company that gives their needs and comfort a high place on the priority list.