Office Furniture – How to Use Workspace Optimally
Selecting the right office furniture is critical to the efficiency of your organisation. Studies have linked the comfort of a workplace directly to the efficiency levels of employees and employee turnover. At the same time, space is becoming more and more expensive. It is, therefore, crucial to select appropriate office chairs and office desks that not only save space, but are highly comfortable.
Saving Space
Office furniture has been an integral part of an organisation’s performance. What happens when you outgrow your office? Moving is extremely expensive and a larger workspace adds to company costs in terms of rent, electricity, etc. In most firms, space and related costs remain the largest expense, second to only payroll. Thus, the importance of space planning and utilisation can not be understated. The need of the hour is to design the workspace to accommodate more employees, while still creating a feeling of space. Selecting office chairs and office desks also plays a very important role in this. Here are some factors that you can consider while selecting office furniture:
Size
Recent technological advancements have made office equipment such as desktops, laptops, fax machines and photocopiers much smaller. However, it still remains bulky. One should replace large desks and bulky chairs with lightweight, sleek furniture. The minimalist look is what you should aim for, with smaller workstations and compact computer desks. Lighter is also more cost effective, easier to transport and less expensive to install.
Screens
Instead of using enclosed cabins, one could segregate space by using screens and partitions. This creates a feeling of space, while still achieving the desired privacy.
Colours
While selecting the colour of walls, screens or office furniture, opt for lighter shades. Light colours make the office look more airy and spacious.
Other Ideas:
* Opt for proper storage solutions, like filing cabinets.
* Hideaway desks are also a great idea for saving space.
* Glass office desks make the office look more spacious.
* Hide equipment like routers to make the office appear less cluttered.
Pre-Owned Office Furniture – Save Money and Save the Environment
Save the environment while you save money for your business. Pre-owned or used office furniture is affordable and it is green.
In Los Angeles County and many other places in the US used business and office furniture and equipment are in abundant supply. The unfortunate downturn in the current economy has contributed to one of the largest gluts in quality used office furniture and products. This condition makes it an excellent time for you to find top-notch recycled office furniture at extremely affordable prices.
The wide availability of pre-owned business furniture and equipment in Southern California and other places around the country means wholesalers and retailers of pre-owned or used office products and services need to sell at low, low prices to move their inventory.
Two more factors are creating a buyer’s market in recycled business furniture and equipment. Those factors are online or virtual stores and the rising tide of imports.
First, the prices of used furniture are affected by internet retailers and wholesalers. In the past a wholesaler or retailer had to have 30,000 to 80,000 square feet for showroom and warehouse space as well as sales and warehouse personnel which amounted to huge overhead costs. Today, with the development of the world-wide-web and just-in-time (JIT) inventory technologies almost anyone with a little initiative and curiosity can open a virtual store over the internet. With an online store, a gung-ho entrepreneur can get by with 2,000 to 10,000 square feet max cutting his outflow significantly and giving him/her an advantage over the older business model and competition.
Second, the onslaught of imported business related furniture and supplies is also putting downward pressures on prices for used office furniture and equipment.
Buying used or pre-owned business and office furniture is technically recycling and therefore counts as green. By purchasing used business equipment or products, you help your community save huge amounts of landfill space. Furthermore you help slow down the need to use up the country’s natural resources. Recently the Fluor-Daniels Corporation chose to purchase pre-owned cubicle workstations from A.B.E. Office Furniture in the Los Angeles area. Fluor had A.B.E. install the systems stations in offices all over the United States including St. Louis, Houston, on the East Coast and the famous glass building in Irvine, California. In doing so the Fluor executives saved huge amounts of operating cash and rescued an estimated 500,000 square feet of landfill space. Finally, another way to buy green for your business and office is to look for companies that refurbish or remanufacture old workstations using recycled materials. Most fabrics and even some work surfaces used in Today’s cubicles or systems stations are made from recycled plastics.
Purchasing green, used and pre-owned office furniture is a win-win proposition for your company and society.
Do Not Let Your Office Furniture Get Affected by the Credit Crunch
We all know that we are in the midst of a huge and difficult credit crunch; every part of the world is being affected by these financial difficulties. But do not allow your work place to be affected by the current situation.
While we are at high times of stress, we need to think of ways to make your company and team more productive. I have visited a lot of offices that have as of late been letting their work place look a bit of a mess to be honest.
The other week I went to an office meeting and they had let things slip a lot, there was food all over the carpet and the chairs were all ripped and stained. My first impression was what sort of company is this? If they are trying to get clients and invite them to their head quarters the clients will take one look at the state of things and just walk straight out.
If you are looking to propel your company through these hard financial times then you need to get your thinking hat on and decorate your office. Even if you are struggling you should rejuvenate your workplace for one of many reasons.
1) Having a healthy office will help you have a healthy mindset. Employees will be a lot more productive and produce a better quality of work, effectively giving your clients satisfaction thus them recommending you and giving you a lot more work.
2) Look professional towards clients, if you are trying to impress clients than there is nothing worse then having a messy office.
3) Keep your equipment up to date, this will again provide benefits for your employees and visitors to your company. Giving your visitors a great chair to sit on will place them into a much better mood.
So as you can see obtaining the correct procedures will give your business and employees a great advantage. There is no point in letting your business get affected by old or useless office furniture as you could end up earning a lot more in the long run if you present yourself in a professional and unique manner.
Do not let the credit crunch effect you, fight back now to eliminate liquidation and debts. As it could not only be you that suffers, but also your friends and family members especially if you are the only bread winner in the house.
Office Furniture Needed in Every Office
You just received a new job, and your boss has given you an opportunity of a lifetime – you will be able to choose the office furniture for your office. However you have never had this opportunity before, so you are not quite sure what all you will need. Here is a look at office furniture that is needed in every office.
Desk. The most important piece of office furniture in your office is your desk. When picking out a desk, some things that need to be considered are size, functionality, and composition. Size is very important, because you need to have enough desk space to allow you to do your work effectively, but the desk also has to fit nicely in your office. The functionality of the desk would include a keyboard drawer, a cabinet for a computer, drawers for filing, a hutch for books, etc. The composition of the desk is also very important, because you want something that is going to last and not look worn out in six months.
Desk Chair. If your desk is the most important piece of office furniture for your office, then your desk chair is the most important piece of office furniture for you. You will be spending most of your day in your chair, so it has to be very comfortable and easy to use. A good office chair should be able to be adjusted up and down, and inclined forward and backwards. It should also be made of a soft, durable material that can be cleaned easily in case of spillage. A good office chair should also have arms for support, as well as good lumbar support for your back. If you are one of the lucky ones, then you might be able to get a chair with a massage functionality built into it.
Filing Cabinet. Another piece of office furniture that is very important for every office is a filing cabinet. Without a filing cabinet, many important documents will be lost, and your desk will always be cluttered with paperwork. When picking out a filing cabinet for you office, you should consider the size and functionality as well. The size of the filing cabinet is the most important aspect, because it will need to be small enough to fit in your office, but large enough to house all of your documents. The functionality of the filing cabinet is fairly standard; the filing cabinet has drawers that pull out with hanging folders on the inside for access to documents. However, some smaller filing cabinets just have a lid that opens to reveal all of the hanging folders at once.
Why You Need Ergonomically Correct Office Furniture
Most people spend long hours each week in their office, making it very important to have the right style of furniture. While comfort is important, you really need to be more focused on the office furniture being ergonomically correct then on the color or material of it.
You will feel much better at the end of the work day, and have more energy to complete your tasks with an ergonomically correct office chair. It will help improve your posture, resulting in less pain in your back and neck areas. It will also reduce the risk of office injuries and claims.
If you use a computer in your office on a regular basis, not having the right posture can lead to carpal tunnel in your wrists. This is the result of moving them in a particular repetitive motion throughout the day. Along with an ergonomically correct keyboard, you can prevent such injuries from happening.
Many manufacturers of ergonomically correct office furniture offer a wide selection of office furniture products to choose from. This allows you to still get a great looking office but one that is designed for your body as well. It is a good idea to purchase ergonomically correct office furniture with the help of a qualified consultant. They will be able to identity what needs to be improved with your current working conditions.
You can purchase entire office furniture work stations including desks, chairs, computers, keyboards, and all the accessories that are ergonomically correct. You can save a great deal of money if you purchase a package deal than if you buy one or two pieces separately.
Many people who use office furniture don’t realize that it has a negative effect on their posture, health, productivity, and even their mood. More employers are starting to recognize the importance of providing ergonomically correct office furniture. Not only do the employees get more work accomplished, they take fewer sick days.
Modular Office Furniture, An Affordable, Flexible Option
Since in the modern age we spend such tremendous amounts of time in our workplaces, and at our workstations, it seems only fitting that more attention should be paid to our office environments. Having the right ergonomic office furniture and accessories is very important to being more comfortable and as productive as possible. Because new office furniture can be such a major purchase for you or your company, you should consider all your furniture options before making a final decision.
Specifically, consider modular office furniture, which is also frequently referred to as “contemporary office furniture.” This is not the same as standard workstation or office cubicle furniture. The freestanding furniture is not panel-mounted (attached to panels). This type of freestanding furniture can be used in a bullpen situation, which is a workspace for several people surrounded by panels for privacy (affectionately called a “cube farm” by many who have worked in them).
Modular office furniture has a great many advantages over furniture that is fixed in one singular spot. For one, you will save money on the cost of the panels, as well as on installation charges. Also, if you have a maintenance staff to take care of furniture installation, they can handle moving modular office furniture around quite easily. Little, if any, knockdown and reassembly is required. This is something to really think about when you are in the early decision-making process. Any hours spent wrestling with complicated installation of office furniture translates into a direct bottom-line effect to the comapny.
With modular office furniture, it is also a breeze to add any additional pieces when they’re needed. Modular office furniture is very flexible that way. If you think, down the line, you may want to add additional pieces of furniture or accessory pieces, find out what pieces can be ordered later. You might want to ask if there is any chance of that particular piece of furniture or line of furniture being discontinued.
There are also many options to pick from, as well. No matter what the style of your office modular furniture can be customized with materials, colors, finishes, etc. All major furniture manufacturers have their own versions of modular office furniture. You can shop at your local office supply store or catalog if you are shopping for a few pieces and you know what you want. If you are considering a major purchase, however, it is recommended that you go directly to your local office furniture dealership. An architectural or design firm can be helpful too, if you are consulting with one.
Modular office furniture encourages team work, and it is especially effective when staff share equipment, files, or other office essentials.
Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her “day job” assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.
Benefits of Purchasing Office Furniture Online Vs In a Store
Finding and choosing new furniture for your office can be a challenge. There are so many different factors you will need to consider in order to make the best choices for your own work space. One of the primary decisions that you will need to make is where you will purchase your office furniture. Office furniture is available from so many different sources that it can be confusing to know what the best option will be for your own situation. Before you even pick specific stores to patronize, you will need to choose whether you will buy your office furniture online or in a store. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options, so be sure that you consider the options carefully before you make your final choice.
Your first consideration should be convenience. Do you have the ability, time and availability to go to multiple stores in order to find new office furniture? If you do not already have a preferred furniture chain or store to check out, you may find that you spend a lot of valuable time running around to different stores trying to compare your options. Even many stores of the same chain offer different products in stock from location to location. Before making your final decision, you may also find that you need to visit some stores more than once, to remind yourself of your options, to make comparisons, or because in the midst of shopping, some furniture becomes unavailable. If you find the products you want, it may be difficult to find a store associate to assist you in actually purchasing them if the items are too large for you to carry by yourself.
Shopping online eliminates that hassle. Instead of running to multiple stores and having to take careful notes or even pictures to remind yourself of your options, you can instead accomplish the same tasks by simply opening multiple browser windows or tabs and clicking back and forth between several stores you can browse at the same time. You can instantly compare brands, styles and prices without ever leaving your home or office. On the other hand, if you are just in the process of setting up your first office or cannot spend a lot of time online, you may still find that visiting storefronts is your best and most convenient option to buy your new office furniture.
Your second consideration should be the cost of the furniture. Because online stores do not carry the same overhead costs as physical stores do, they can often offer better pricing than you would ever find in a typical store. In addition, the selection that you find available online can be more extensive than what you find in your local store, allowing for better price comparisons to consider before choosing your furniture options. On the other hand, buying furniture online leaves no room for cost negotiation. The price of the furniture and the cost of shipping it to your home will be set long before you ever open a web page. In contrast, if you visit a physical store, you may be able to negotiate pricing for the pieces that you select, or take advantage of free shipping types of offers. By balancing which would be more beneficial to your shopping experience, you can make the best decision.
Your final consideration can be simply titled “what you see is what you get.” That phrase means something vastly different if you purchase your furniture online instead of picking it out in a store. One distinct advantage to shopping in a store can be the fact that you can see exactly the piece of furniture which will be arriving in your home. There will be no guesswork as to the actual measurements, the grain of the wood and the condition of the furniture. When you purchase office furniture from an online store, the pictures that are available may not accurately convey the actual appearance. Wood finishes can turn out to be a different shade, measurements may be approximate instead of exact, and you may find that the overall quality is different from what is depicted.
In addition to “what you see is what you get,” a related consideration is your ability to send back furniture that you do not want or that is damaged upon delivery. With a local store, this may not be a very difficult task. But with an online store, it can be expensive, frustrating or nearly impossible. Some stores – online and off – state that if you accept delivery, and change your mind later, you will have to pay the full cost of the return freight, which can be hundreds of dollars in some cases. If the item is clearly damaged when the truck arrives, refuse to accept the delivery.
Before you purchase furniture from either a physical store or an online outfit, make sure you know what you are getting into and know all of the policies concerning your purchase. Only then can you be satisfied that you have made the very best decision for your new furniture. As with any major purchase, comparison shop for the best selection and prices. Low price alone, however, should not be the sole deciding factor. Consider convenience, customer service, warranties, and other store policies that can make or break your shopping experience.
DIY Guide For Office Furniture Leads – Desks, Cubicles, Copiers, Fax Machines, Printers, Supplies
Are you a salesperson that sells office furniture such as cubicles, desks, or ergonomic office chairs? Or perhaps you sell Copiers, fax machines, or printers? Maybe you sell office supplies or mailing equipment? Whatever you sell, do you want to generate more sales leads without cold calling via the internet?
This is a do-it-yourself (DIY) guide for generating internet office furniture leads and other sales leads for salespeople that sell office furniture and equipment.
One of the easiest ways for salespeople to generate leads is to draw on people that are using search engines to look for the products that you are selling and pay to capture that lead. It costs just pennies to capture the lead.
Before explaining how to do it, you must first create a list of “keywords” that you think people that need your products are searching on search engines. Here is a short list of popular internet searches for office equipment and furniture:
* color copier printer fax
* refurbished copiers
* discount office furniture
* commercial office equipment
* Chicago office cubicles
* leather office chairs
* contemporary office chairs
* Atlanta office supplies
* wholesale office supplies
* rebuilt mailing equipment
* secretary desks
* audio visual presentation equipment
* multifunction printer scanner
* home office furniture
* Los Angeles office furniture
Of course, this is just an example of keywords that you can use. For yourself, you need to choose keywords that are relevant to what you sell. Choose specific keywords and use the city that you live in, like I did in a few of the examples above.
To use internet search engines for office furniture leads you must have a website yourself. Create one if you do not already have one. The way it works is that your keywords are shown as “sponsored results” whenever someone searches those words on search engines. Whenever someone clicks on your link and is taken to your website you pay for the click. But don’t worry; each click is relatively cheap. It normally costs just pennies per click.
It really is that easy. People searching for your products on search engines come to your website via sponsored listings and then it is your job to close the sale on the lead.
Modern Office Furniture – Fitting For the New Millennium
In today’s world, work offices are as modern looking as they are technologically advanced. The “new age” office is reflective of our ever changing, rapid paced times. Not only are the computer systems sophisticated, but the furniture has been refined as well. Manufacturers have realized the changing needs of offices and the way that people conduct their business today. To keep up with the current trends, these manufacturers have adapted their modern office furniture to meet these new trends.
In today’s offices, the work is no longer limited to the solitary desk as years past, but it is centered around computer workstations. More conferencing is done throughout the day, so rooms with large spacious tables are necessary. People are also spending more time at the office these days, so office seating must be comfortable and durable.
Furthermore, people today, in general are more aware of their health and are looking for modern office furniture and equipment that is more “body friendly” or ergonomic. As a result, manufacturers are trying to come up with commercial quality office furniture, seating and other items as well, that cannot only withstand prolonged daily use, but is conducive to helping people to do their work more comfortably and safely, while paying attention to body posture and good health. In order to accomplish this, manufacturers of modern office furniture have actually studied the human form and the constant work-related movements of people working in offices over prolonged periods and are designing chairs, tables, and desks accordingly.
Another fact of businesses today is that they are constantly in flux. They may be expanding, moving locations, or simply reconfiguring. With this in mind, modern office furniture must be adaptable. Many manufacturers are designing their furniture and equipment with this in mind and are making their products more modular. This means that pieces of furniture and cabinetry can be intermingled and reconfigured along with any changes that may be made within the office. Furthermore, many companies that specialize in modern office furniture have lines, with add-ons that will expand and grow along with your company.
Since the needs of offices differ depending on the type of business, there are extensive offerings available as far as office furniture. For modern computer furniture, there are large selections of workstations, stands, and carts to cater to any type of businesses from the largest corporation, to the smallest company, to the home office. As for storage, there is sleek space saving cabinetry, as well as bookcases available in any size you could possibly need with the maximum roominess. For the conference rooms or training rooms, there is an extensive selection out there of large conference tables ranging from fine woods to sleek metal and glass. For reception areas, you can find an array of modern looking functional reception desks as well as comfortable stylish couches and chairs for the lobby area.
Whether you are looking to design a private executive suite or a large-scale office area, if you do your research, you can easily find reasonably priced, comfortable, and stylish modern office furniture that will meet all your office requirements.
Contemporary Office Furniture Will Give You Style With Efficiency
When you are planning to put new furnishings in your business space, it’s important that you consider how it is going to make everyone feel. Why? Well, this is because the way that people feel influences how they work. If you are looking for work stations that are stylish and that will improve the efficiency of your space and employees, then consider going with contemporary office furniture when you purchase new furnishings for the business environment. Not only will you get the great contemporary look, but you’ll have desk suites that influence your employees to be better workers, aiding the company in becoming more profitable in the long run.
Contemporary Furnishings Provide Relaxation
Going with contemporary office furniture for your space provides the business area with a sense of relaxation, which is important. When you go with a relaxing furniture choice and décor for the environment, you’ll find that there are fewer distractions to worry about. If your employees are able to relax, they will be far more productive. So, contemporary office furniture style is a great choice.
Making Your Job Environment Comfortable
Of course there is more to picking out a desk for the area than just looking relaxing. You also want to make sure that it is very comfortable as well. When you go with contemporary office furniture, you’ll be able to get a comfortable feel in the entire work area. The furnishings are comfortable to use and it makes people feel comfortable as well. This type of work station makes clients and employers feel more at home, which relaxes them and gets rid of stress in a professional environment as well.
Enhance the Furnishings with Great Art
While no doubt your contemporary office furniture is going to look great, you’ll find that you can greatly enhance the look you choose with the right art throughout the space as well. Add some nice paintings in strategic places. Well placed art will bring together the décor and provide even more of a feeling of relaxation, instead of just having stark walls with nothing on them.
Style and Efficiency Come Together
When you go with contemporary office furniture, finally style and efficiency come together. You get all the great style that comes with the contemporary look. However, you also get better efficiency in the work place because your employees and clients are more comfortable and relaxed. While you’ll have to shell out some money on the furnishings, over time it will pay for itself as your employees become more productive and your profits go up.
