Redditch Partitions & Storage > office design

Buying Office Furniture: Things To Avoid

7th August 2023 News Comments Off on Buying Office Furniture: Things To Avoid
breakout room table and chairs

Purchasing office furniture can be a complex process, requiring a clear vision of your needs and the right furniture choices for your business.

To help you avoid common mistakes, we’ve outlined some key considerations for a successful furniture-buying experience.

Size and Measurements

One prevalent mistake during office refurbishment is underestimating the required furniture size or incorrectly gauging the space available.

Ensuring accurate measurements and projections are made before purchasing furniture is essential to saving both time and money during the fit-out process – taking these precautions will result in a comfortable and efficient office layout.

Purchasing Enough Office Furniture

Not procuring enough desks and chairs to accommodate your workforce can lead to frustration and delays in completing your office fit-out.

It’s crucial to buy furniture that aligns with your plans and anticipated growth – if your business is expected to expand, considering additional furniture for future employees is a prudent approach.

Budget Identification

Having a clear understanding of your budget is vital for successful office furniture purchases, failing to do so can lead to unexpected financial constraints.

To avoid this, thoroughly assess the amount you are willing to spend and the furniture you want to buy, by researching prices and obtaining quotes from office furniture companies will aid in creating a suitable budget.

Prioritising Ergonomics

While saving money is important, compromising on ergonomics when selecting furniture is unwise.

Prioritising comfortable and supportive furniture for your workforce should take precedence over tight budgets, and investing in ergonomic furniture will not only enhance employee well-being but also boost productivity and reduce sick days caused by strains and injuries.

At Redditch Partitions, we understand that buying office furniture can be daunting. Our team can assist you in developing a comprehensive understanding of your requirements and expected costs.

With our expertise and support, you can confidently refurbish or fit out your office space, ensuring a comfortable and productive environment for your employees.

Read more

The Importance of Ergonomics in Your Office Design

30th May 2023 News Comments Off on The Importance of Ergonomics in Your Office Design

In today’s fast-paced modern office environment, employees spend a significant amount of time seated at their desks.

This sedentary lifestyle can lead to various health issues, affecting productivity and overall well-being.

As a result, incorporating ergonomics into your office design is essential to create a workspace that promotes employee health, comfort, and productivity.

We’re exploring the importance of adding ergonomics to your office design and the benefits it brings to both employees and the business.

Employee Health and Well-being

Ergonomics focus on designing the workplace to fit the needs of the workers, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and promoting overall well-being.

By incorporating ergonomic principles into office design, you can provide employees with comfortable and supportive workstations.

Ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks, and proper monitor positioning help maintain correct posture, reduce strain on the neck, back, and wrists, and minimize the risk of repetitive strain injuries.

This proactive approach to employee health leads to increased job satisfaction, reduced sick days, and improved overall physical well-being.

Boosts Productivity and Performance

A well-designed ergonomic workspace has a direct impact on employee productivity and performance.

When employees are comfortable and free from pain or discomfort, they can focus more effectively on their tasks.

Ergonomic office furniture and equipment allows for improved concentration, faster task completion, and increased accuracy in their work, by investing in ergonomics, you create an environment that facilitates optimal performance and efficiency.

Prevents Work-Related Injuries and Absence

Work-related injuries and illnesses not only impact employee health but also result in increased costs for businesses due to lost productivity and sick pay in some cases.

Ergonomics play a vital role in preventing injuries and absence of employees, with properly designed workstations and equipment reduce the risk of strain, exhaustion and repetitive motion injuries.

By addressing potential ergonomic hazards, such as awkward postures or inadequate lighting, you create a safe and healthy work environment that reduces the likelihood of work-related injuries and absence.

Improving Employee Engagement and Satisfaction

Employees appreciate when their employers prioritise their well-being and invest in their comfort.

Incorporating ergonomics into office design lets your employees know that you have made a commitment to their health and job satisfaction.

This will make your employees feel valued and supported which will see their engagement and loyalty to the business increase, creating a space people want to work in and a business that retains its talent.

Attracting and Retaining Talent

In today’s highly competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for your business’ success.

A well-designed ergonomic office can serve as a competitive advantage over rival companies in your area, as candidates are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of a healthy work environment when evaluating job opportunities.

By prioritising ergonomics, you send a clear message to prospective employees about your commitment to creating a conducive workspace that supports employee well-being, which in turn can help attract high-calibre talent and improve employee retention rates.

Incorporating ergonomics into your office design is not just a trend; it is a crucial investment in the well-being and productivity of your employees – creating a healthier and more productive workplace for your employees allows you to develop a more successful business overall.

Read more

Four considerations ahead of your office refurbishment

28th March 2023 News Comments Off on Four considerations ahead of your office refurbishment

If you are in the process of planning a refurbishment of your office space it can be an extremely exciting time for your business and employees.

An office refurbishment should not be done on half measures – careful planning and considerations must be taken in the process of bringing your dream office to life in the most efficient and high quality manner.

It can be overwhelming to not only plan the structure of your office design but to also deal with everything that comes with a refurbishment including investment, contractor selection and timescales.

We’re sharing some of the considerations you will need to make ahead of your office refurbishment going ahead…

What are the weaknesses of your current space?

The first thing you should be considering when you are in the process of planning an office refurbishment is the elements of your space that you are looking to improve.

You can gather a general idea of what is the common consensus from employees who work in the office daily and take note of the struggles or irritants they face in their current set-up.

This will help you to build on your ideas and create a working environment that improves the productivity and motivation of employees, addressing the weaknesses of your office design will only increase employee satisfaction and ultimately, make their working day more productive.

What office furniture do you need?

Considering what path to take on office furniture will be important and help you budget better when it comes to committing finances to the refurbishment.

Maybe you want to keep some of the current furniture, upcycle and redesign your furniture or completely scrap the lot and start a fresh by upgrading to new furniture.

If you do opt to purchase all new furniture, it’s important to scale up just how many of each piece you will need and whether it will fit into the vision of your new office design.

When is the best time for your business to refurbish?

It’s all well and good having a watertight set of design plans if your business cannot commit the time to allow a full-scale refurbishment to unfold in the office.

Luckily, post-pandemic many companies would have already made it possible for their employees to work remotely, so this could be a viable option to maintain the level of work that needs to be completed without large disruption.

If you do not have the facilities for your employees to work away from the office then you will need to carefully map out how you can refurbish around the daily runnings of your business to minimise distraction.

Breaking down your office design plans and designating dates for each area can help you to ensure the office can remain open and safe for employees to work in.

Choosing a office fit-out company

Probably the most important consideration you need to make ahead of your office refurbishment going ahead is choosing the right fit-out company to work with your business and bring to life all of your ideas.

Carefully researching your options and getting quotes from a number of different fit-out companies can help you to come to an educated decision to work with only the best contractors, as well as giving you an average pricing guideline and timescale too.

Read more

The importance of acoustics in the office

27th March 2023 News Comments Off on The importance of acoustics in the office

The modern office is a busy and bustling environment which can provide a sense of community for employees over their working day but can become too much if the acoustics of your office are poor.

High volumes of noise have been proven to detrimental to the productivity, motivation and wellbeing of employees and in worse cases can contribute to the lack of growth and development of your business due to the chaotic nature of the working environment your employees are trying to complete important tasks in.

Noise pollution can come in many forms from telephones constantly ringing to overcrowding in certain areas of the office and ultimately your office design can be the cause of these issues you are facing.

We are sharing the importance of improving your acoustics in the office…

Reduces stress levels

Improving your acoustics with better office design strategy can reduce stress levels significantly and improve the wellbeing of your employees.

Noisy environments can make it extremely difficult for people to concentrate, focus and complete their tasks to the best of their ability, often leading to people making mistakes or not able to meet deadlines efficiently which in turn affects the rate your business is working at.

Reducing the noise levels will create a much more high-functioning office space and provide a welcoming environment for clients and employees.

Improving office confidentiality and privacy

It is incredibly important to create a working environment that has the right balance of collaboration and confidentiality.

Although open plan office design promotes the ease of communication it can compromise one of the most important elements to getting the balance right when it comes to more sensitive and private information that every business has.

Using partitions and panelling to improve the acoustics of your office and reduce noise pollution can also help you to improve the confidential and private parts of your business that provide a place where employees can feel comfortable to work on or communicate sensitive information over their working day.

Improving the safety of your employees

Working in a loud and chaotic environment can mean that people can miss communications that are important to their safety and wellbeing.

Avoiding accidents and injury in the workplace should be a top priority for all businesses, however, if your employees are unable to clearly communicate with each other this increases the risk of mistakes and accidents occurring which can be a real problem for your business and compromising of a safe working environment.

How can you improve the acoustics with office design?

There are many ways you can improve the office acoustics with simple tweaks and changes to your office design, including..

  • The use of partitions and panelling across your open plan office.
  • Careful arrangement and improved seating plans to spread out employees to avoid large volumes of noise from overcrowding.
  • Dedicated quiet areas so that those who are not working on collaborative projects can comfortably complete their work in an independent setting.
  • Believe it or not plants are sound-absorbing and can help to improve the noise pollution in your office, so adding more greenery can not only be an aesthetically pleasing addition but also improve the acoustics.
Read more

Choosing an Office Fit Out Company

29th July 2022 News Comments Off on Choosing an Office Fit Out Company
Choosing an Office Refurbishment Company

There are many office refurbishment companies out there that offer many different services that can help you achieve your dream workspace, however, knowing which one is right for you when choosing the right company to work with can be difficult with so many different choices out there.
(more…)

Read more

An Office Refurbishment Can Boost Employee Wellbeing!

31st January 2022 News Comments Off on An Office Refurbishment Can Boost Employee Wellbeing!
An Office Refurbishment Can Boost Employee Wellbeing

Employee wellbeing should be a huge priority for businesses in 2022, especially as working from home guidelines ending, with many returning to the office for the first time in two years. If you are planning an office refurbishment this year, there are many ways you can use the opportunity to boost employee wellbeing within your working environment.
(more…)

Read more