News — office furniture

Creative Options for Alternative Meeting Locations

The workplace is a constantly evolving animal, with managers and designers constantly looking for tweaks to help improve productivity and performance. At Online Office Furniture, we have all the products and materials to help make your office as streamlined as possible from an aesthetic and practical standpoint.

When looking to buy office furniture, consider social elements like the conference room. Humans are naturally social beings, and we regularly have meetings and discussions that the conference room has traditionally been used for. But in today’s modern age, the conference room isn’t the only option for these kinds of meetings. Here’s how to adapt your office design without a full renovation or additional conference rooms – a few alternatives to the traditional approach.

Standing Room Only

Sitting for hours each day can increase chances of illness and can also decrease productivity, and for this reason, standing-only meetings are becoming more popular. They’re an excuse for employees to stand up and increase their circulation, all while being productive at the same time. These meetings can take place in a variety of areas where there’s enough space to stand comfortably – at meeting tables, or at a cluster of desks in the office. This format is best for smaller groups and shorter meetings.

Outdoor Elements

If space is at a premium inside, or even in some cases where it isn’t, consider taking things outdoors. Many companies now have covered patios, rooftop gardens or landscaped paths on their grounds. The outdoors can help stimulate creativity and the same kinds of circulation as a standing-room meeting, and will vary things up enough for employees to feel like their day isn’t stagnating.

Productive Pods

Also called huddle rooms, focus pods or touchdown rooms, these are meeting spaces that act as mini conference rooms. You can design them with some basic shaping materials like desks or a group of small tables – anything that clearly signals that this is a space where a meeting is taking place. Productive pods can range wildly in size, and work for any project that needs two or more people. In some workplaces, employees can consider glass walls for sketching or whiteboards. These kinds of meetings are perfect for cutting out passersby and non-essential conversation.

For more on creative ways to design meeting spaces in the office, or to order office furniture today, visit the pros at Online Office Furniture.

Why Workplace Seating is Important

Office design and layout matters more than many people think as far as workplace productivity, and one of the largest individual factors here is seating. Research has shown that office chairs have a real, tangible impact on employee productivity.

At Online Office Furniture, we have a wide selection of office chairs online for your perusal. Let’s look at several of the reasons why office chairs are such a big deal.

Comfort

The most productive employees are those who feel at home in the workplace. These employees are free to focus on the tasks at hand, rather than some small sliver of their mind remaining occupied on basic comfort considerations. If a chair can help an employee feel relaxed and confident while also providing support for posture and other areas we’ll discuss in a moment, that’s a win-win.

Posture

Bad seating leads directly to bad posture, and bad posture can have a real impact on the workplace. It leads to lingering back and neck issues, and employees who come into work with these issues already festering are already starting from a disadvantage. This may be exacerbated by bad chairs, and as a manager, you run the risk of decreased productivity.

On the other hand, sturdy and reliable eating options will offer the support your body needs over long hours of sitting with limited movement. These are the only products we offer at Online Office Furniture.

Versatility

Consider how little items of versatility might impact employee productivity. The ability to pivot and lock chairs seems standard, but many manufacturers actually have real issues combining these features with proper support and comfort considerations. It’s not as simple as you may think to create a product that’s durable enough to last years while checking all the boxes we just mentioned, but you’ll notice the difference when you find a product that does.

For more information on the importance of office seating, or with questions about any of our furniture options, speak to the experts at Online Office Furniture today.

Effect of Office Furniture on Workplace Productivity

If you’re looking to buy office furniture as a manager or building owner, know that there are more factors at play than just cost and basic looks. At Online Office Furniture, we’re here to tell you that the furniture you buy means more to your workplace culture than you may have realized.

The way you organize and lay out an office can go an incredibly long way toward productivity and employee happiness. Many of these are subconscious factors, but they’re highly relevant nonetheless. Let’s look at a few of the most important workplace culture factors influenced heavily by office furniture.

Lighting

The way furniture is positioned within the office can impact lighting – both natural and man-made. Many office managers prefer to maximize natural light, which involves not blocking windows or light entry points and leaving space for light to be shown. The way lamps and other lighting assist devices are placed can have a subconscious effect on productivity, in part because of the effect it may have on employees’ eyes.

Sound

Smart office design will help reduce or eliminate any redundancies caused by sound issues. Proper utilization of office cubicles and building walls can separate employees who may need to be on the phone more often from those who need mostly silence to perform certain precise duties.

Privacy

Another primary use of cubicles is privacy, though the smart office manager prioritizes this within a generally open scheme. Wherever possible, openness is encouraged to make employees feel like part of a single team – many of our cubicles and workstations come in adjustable styles that allow varying amounts of privacy.

Overall Tone

There’s significant research supporting the fact that employees are more responsive to caring, responsive management. This is most commonly found in conscious events like praise or bonuses, but it can also be found in elements like a willingness to alter office furniture designs at employee requests – or even better, by filling a furniture-related need without even being asked. An employee might give you that little extra if they get their own input on their space in the office, and this sort of thing promotes overall team loyalty.

Want to learn more about how our furniture can help increase your productivity, or interested in making an order for office furniture? Speak to our customer service staff at Online Office Furniture today.