How to choose the ideal office furniture for your employees?

Budget and Space: The Necessary Assessment

As you can imagine, it is impossible to give a precise budget for everyone and for each person. The physical and psychological specificities of certain employees must be considered, as well as the available space, general needs, and specific needs of certain professions. Indeed, some jobs require more space or more specific features than others.

In summary, each company must define its budget once it has compiled a list of its needs and measured the number of square meters it needs to equip. It is then time to compare what they imagine with the reality of the market by requesting quotes to rent the material.

To keep costs low, it may be worth grouping certain needs by purchasing double desks instead of individual ones. For example, if your employees have the possibility to work remotely, it is obviously necessary to think in terms of the number of occupants/day in opposition to the total number of employees—to define the number of workstations that need to be equipped.

Office furniture, especially quality furniture, can represent a relatively important expense for a start-up whose cash flow must be managed with extreme care. Office furniture leasing can be a very useful alternative solution to not strain the treasury, without compromising the comfort and consideration of employees.

Why is Choosing the Right Office Furniture Important?

It is no secret if the company cares about providing a comfortable and pleasant work environment for its various employees, as it aims to reap the benefits. And as long as it's a win-win situation, that's a good thing!

Productivity

Back pain, poor postures, poor lighting, or a low-quality screen can lead to more breaks and a reduction in productivity. Similarly, a poorly designed layout can also hinder communication between employees. Your employees will be more effective if the location allows it.

For example, if your salesperson works in the same room as your content creator, the latter might feel bothered by the repeated calls of the former and not perform as well as if he were alone. If you provide an acoustic booth for calls, your creator can work in silence, and your salesperson will be more comfortable. The simple fact of not bothering his colleague will also be beneficial.

In short, a smart distribution will soon foster interaction among employees and bring out new ideas. Lastly, the versatility of some furniture and the ease with which they can be moved or disassembled can open up new possibilities.

Health, Ergonomics, and Safety

The benefits of a good setup go far beyond improving productivity. Providing ergonomic and comfortable office furniture can prevent significant postural and health problems for employees. It is preferable to use height-adjustable equipment, such as wheeled chairs with jacks, to adapt to the different heights of your employees. On average, an employee who works in offices can spend 7 hours a day sitting. It is essential to offer equipment that can limit the damages of such a sedentary lifestyle.

Without going too far, it can be said that well-chosen furniture can also limit break times, not to mention absenteeism linked to the consequences that can arise from poorly adapted equipment: back pain, migraines, cervical issues, etc.

However, the installation of quality furniture is part of a broader approach: that of offering a pleasant workplace to its employees. This dynamic also involves providing storage furniture to limit clutter on the floor and the risk of falls, for example.

Comfort and Visual Coherence

It is important to care for employees in all respects, and the workspace is one of them. Entering a room with a nice color combination and identical, sturdy furniture is more beneficial psychologically than entering a room with half-done desks and mismatched chairs.

With the same spirit of well-being and harmony, it is necessary to let as much natural light into the room as possible to improve mood.

Image to Employees and Candidates

Providing good equipment has other important benefits, starting with the consideration it shows to employees and its repercussions: an increase in overall satisfaction. The longer lifespan of good-quality office furniture is also an argument that must be weighed.

Lastly, choosing efficient office furniture is also the first step in presenting your company's image to candidates who come for an interview. In these times when the war for talent is fierce, any weight that can tip the scales in favor of your company instead of another deserves to be considered.

Equipping Employees for Remote Work

Since the health crisis, remote work has grown enormously, but not all companies have the right practices. It is the company's duty to be interested in the working conditions of its employees when they are at home. Not doing so could lead to unsafe behaviors, such as spending days hunched over on the sofa with a laptop on the lap or lying in bed.

Remote work can also mean that there is not a completely separate room for the children's play in the living room. To maintain high productivity and offer maximum comfort to your employees when they work remotely, it may be worth asking them about their situation and providing material responses on a case-by-case basis. Noise-canceling headphones? A pull-out desk? A chair with lumbar support? Whether they are in your facilities or not, your employees deserve to work in good conditions.

Examples of Excellent Furniture

Deciding what furniture you need is not always easy. Especially because new technologies appear on the market all the time, and you may not be aware of them all.

Before presenting you with a list of some examples of what we consider excellent furniture, remember that only you can make a sensible choice, as only you know the situation and needs of your company.

The Most Popular Office Models

The height-adjustable desk has become a must-have, and every influencer on social networks is equipped with one. As we said, the number of hours spent sitting is concerning, and any solution that can reduce this practice is good to adopt.

With a height-adjustable desk, you can work sitting down, but also standing up. With just the push of a button, the board can be raised or lowered to suit all needs and sizes.

The duo desk is ideal for face-to-face conversations. Easy to assemble, ergonomic and compact, the duo desk is an excellent desk for your employees.

With its integrated power outlets, it avoids having a myriad of cables floating around everywhere.

The mobile office is a great solution for employee versatility—comfortable and lightweight.

Chairs

When it comes to chairs, always be careful to use the right ones for each situation, especially if it's chairs for the office.

The ergonomic chair is ideal for spending long days at the desk. Designed to adapt to different body shapes, its sleek design will suit all needs. It is the timeless chair of the selection.

The high-design chair is perfect for the dining room and for quick calls, it will be less suitable for working for long periods. Remember, it's better for your feet to touch the ground during long periods of sitting.

The Herman Miller Aeron chair is sleek and designed to ergonomically accompany you throughout the day. The Herman Miller Aeron chair is an example of pure comfort.

Acoustic Booths

Office acoustic booths are exceptional tools for your employees to enjoy privacy when making calls and not disturb their coworkers. Additionally, they create a special work environment that allows the employee to concentrate better.

Whether it's the Island Solo individual, the Island Twin where two people can work side by side, or the Island Duo where two employees work face-to-face, they are ideal for anyone who wants to offer their employees auditory comfort. These perfectly soundproofed modules allow users to concentrate on their phone calls and video conferences without disturbing other employees.

If this article has prompted you to rethink the layout of your office space, whether entirely or in part, you should know that Fleet can provide you with quality office furniture through a leasing contract. It's a great way to offer your employees an optimal environment and reap all the benefits without it being a burden on your treasury. Contact us for any inquiries.