Office furnishings frequently come with a high price tag. However, business owners must recognize quality pieces last for an extended period. With the right selection, they see an excellent return on their investment.
Business owners want to find high quality office furniture for this reason but aren’t sure how to go about doing so. What should they look for when choosing these pieces? The following guide becomes of great help to those tasked with choosing these items.
Ergonomic Adjustability
Workers come in many shapes and sizes. Each person needs furniture that is right for their height and proportions or they won’t be comfortable. In addition, the wrong pieces may actually lead to health problems for them.
At a minimum, every office should have chairs that are height-adjustable. However, manufacturers now offer chairs that can be adjusted in many other ways. For example, a worker may be able to adjust the arm height and width or change the tilt of the chair.
Today, many offices invest in adjustable sit-stand or standing desks. This allows employees to get the health benefits of standing while still getting their work done.
Speak with employees to find what they feel is most needed in their furnishings. Although a business cannot satisfy every employee, asking this question shows the business cares about its workers, and this provides benefits throughout the organization.
Wood Furniture Construction
Another factor to consider when purchasing office furnishings is how the pieces are made. The construction of office furnishings plays a role in how long the pieces will last and how well they will hold up with daily use.
Many companies choose to invest in wood furniture, as they believe these pieces will be strong and stable while adding beauty to the workplace. However, wood furnishings come in varying levels of quality.
Always choose pieces made from solid wood rather than pressboard, and purchase tables and chairs with one-piece posts. Look at the joins to ensure they will hold up with time.
Joins need to fit tightly. The best options are cut and slot, split and wedge, or mortise and tenon. Corner blocks should be present at stress points to make the furniture stronger, and drawers should be constructed with dovetail joints.
When assessing these drawers, ensure the bottoms are thick. Thin bottoms won’t be able to hold the weight of many items found in workplaces today if they are too thin. Furthermore, the drawers should slide easily.
A person may not know what all of these terms mean. Judging the quality of a piece doesn’t have to be difficult. Feel the piece to ensure all joins feel smooth and look to see if any part of the furniture appears of lower quality. People will discover quite a bit when they take this simple step.
Upholstered Furnishings
Many offices today have upholstered furnishings, and the quality of these furnishings determines how often they will need to be replaced. When assessing upholstered pieces, determine which material has been used.
Real leather will have naturally staggered pores that don’t look produced. Over time, faux leather chips and peels. It will also feel rigid or more like plastic than leather.
Examine the seams and piping to determine if they are straight. If they wander off course, the tailoring was of low quality when the piece was produced.
Fabric patterns need to align visually or flow naturally. Any prints or patterns that aren’t aligned are a sign of poor craftsmanship. Consider the placement of these prints and patterns on the pieces, as well.
They should flow from one cushion to the next on a sofa or at the place where the arms meet the back. If they don’t, this is a sign of low-quality work. Other pieces should be selected.
Basic Needs
The quality of the furniture won’t be of much importance if the piece doesn’t meet the user’s basic needs. For instance, a desk will not be used if it takes up the entire room and the person struggles to sit behind it. On the other hand, a desk that is too small may not hold the basic tools the employee uses regularly when getting their tasks done.
Determine the size of the area and what furnishings are needed for the employee using that space. Figure out what the desk will need to hold to ensure the right size is selected, and consider the storage needs of each employee.
Furthermore, determine whether this individual will need to secure items and how and where they will do so. At this time, consider what additional features will be beneficial. For example, if a person needs three monitors to complete their job duties, look for pieces that offer wire management features to keep unsightly cords hidden.
Hardware Options
Many office furnishings come with hardware. A business owner might consider this hardware to be nothing more than a decorative touch. However, it also serves a purpose that needs to be considered.
Quality hardware will be solid and weighty. Most people can judge the quality of the hardware by looking at it. Examine those parts of the hardware that aren’t readily seen to ensure they are of quality as well.
Test the Pieces
The best way to test the quality of office furnishings is to take them for a test run. Visit a showroom and use the pieces as they will be used in the office. See what works and what doesn’t with each piece.
If this isn’t possible for some reason, speak with the office furniture provider to learn if they have a return policy. Some retailers will allow furnishings to be returned in the days or weeks after they have been purchased.
However, learn who will pay to have the items returned to the store. The cost of doing so may be more than the buyer is willing to pay. This needs to be considered during the decision-making process.
Invest in high-quality office furnishings. Companies that do so find they save money over time, as these pieces won’t need to be replaced as often. In addition, employees appreciate quality furnishings, particularly those items chosen with their needs in mind. Consider this when redoing the office for great results every time.
We hope you found this blog post on How to Determine High Quality for Office Furniture useful. Be sure to check out our post on Why Modular Office Furniture Works Best When Moving Offices for more great tips!
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