Office Design

The 4 Most Underrated Pieces of Office Furniture

David Spence
July 12th, 2016
underrated office furniture

Finding the right furniture for your office is an important step to creating a productive and comfortable work culture. There will always be keystone pieces like your office desk and chairs to be considered, but paying attention to the more overlooked items can make all the difference in developing a work environment where you and your staff can flourish.

7 TIPS FOR CREATING AN ENGAGING WORKPLACE

1. Whiteboards

worker using whiteboard

Don’t understimate your whiteboard. It is a tangible home for your team’s ideas, jokes and important updates. Bonus points if your whiteboard is capable of moving to different locations to allow your office space more flexibility.

A whiteboard can help your team visualize their thoughts when solving difficult problems and function more productively in their collaborative work.

There are also plenty of alternatives like smart boards or glass dry-erase boards for facility managers who are looking for more robust features or a unique look for their offices.

2. Desk dividers

desk dividers office furniture

The popularity of open office layouts brings with it many benefits but also issues of employee comfort and privacy.

Desk dividers are a great addition for flexibility as they can be moved around to partition individuals or departments according to workplace needs.

Implementing dividers in an office helps employees shape a public environment like workbenches or shared desks into a more private place where they can be comfortable and concentrate on the task at hand.

3. Couches

couch office furniture

In a home setting, a couch often symbolizes relaxation and socialization. In office environments, however, it can be an important location for workers to rest their minds or conduct meetings with a more informal tone.

Having a couch in your office also gives your space more versatility for events like parties, meetings or presentations.

Consider the comfort and size of the couch as well as where you’ll place it. Will it fit several people? Is it somewhere people will feel comfortable sitting down to work or chat for an extended period of time? These are crucial factors that can maximize the benefit that you’re getting from any furniture.

4. Plants and greenery

large leafy plant office decor

Plants, green walls and vegetation are great ways to add style to an office space while reaping major health gains. Some plants like cacti are easy to manage while large leafy greenery require a little more care and can take up more space.

Plants can boost workers’ comfort, health and productivity levels. Though they can be subtle and blend into the background, it’s very important to consider which ones are right for your office’s climate and operations.

Great offices follow basic design principles and use furniture to create a strong positive impact on health and culture. When planning an office layout, you’ll make major decisions about things like desks, ergonomic chairs, recreational and flex space. Remembering these often unnoticed pieces of the workplace furniture can create an environment that’s truly unique and beneficial for your workers.

 

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Photos: Benjamin Child, StartupStockPhotos, Anton Gvozdikov / Shutterstock.com, Jay Mantri, George Yanakiev