The average American adult puts in around 1,811.16 hours at the office per year. That’s a lot of time to spend in one place, especially if it’s spent sitting in uncomfortable furniture. Recent studies are showing more and more that the average worker benefits from using office desks that are comfortable and ergonomic. It helps with focus, creates a more positive attitude, and helps prevent long-term health concerns such as arthritis or back pain. However, when it comes to choosing office furniture from the right gsa approved vendor, how do you know what’s going to work best for your employees? While certain concerns like basic comfort are universal, it can be difficult to choose furniture in bulk to suit a range of different employees with different issues. What’s more, you have to make sure your purchase doesn’t affect the bottom line. So how can you make sure you’re doing right by your employees by setting them up in a comfortable, safe office environment? Before you look into buying new desks for your office, here’s what you should think about.
What is the Primary Use of the Desk?
Don’t assume that every desk in the office is going to be used in the same way. Depending on what you do for work, the way you do your work, and the hours you put in, chances are you’re going to have a different relationship to your work desk. While some workers prefer to use their desk in a more traditional way, as a combination of a storage space and workspace, others prefer to use it as a place to read, study, or do paperwork, preferring to leave computer-related tasks to a home office or common room. If you work in an environment where you have to deal with a lot of paperwork or physical products like books or tools, you may want to save your desk as a bookcase and storage unit. However, if you feel more production sitting at your desk and reserving the space for typing, data entry, and online research, you might want to invest in a more basic option for you and your employees. Just make sure you’re getting a desk that can easily be used in a number of different ways.
What Constitutes an Ergonomic Desk?
Contrary to popular belief, choosing an ergonomic desk over a standard model doesn’t require a higher price or the inclusion of a lot of special elements. To be considered ergonomic, a desk has to have a few basic requirements. It needs to give workers 3 to 3 ½ feet of space between chair and desk, and the ideal height of the desk will range from 29 to 30 inches. Keyboard or laptop placement should allow workers to comfortably and easily extend their arms without straining or putting too much emphasis on their wrists since this could cause serious work-related injuries like carpal tunnel. It’s important to allow workers to make adjustments to their desk height and keyboard placement. Since your workers have different heights and pre-existing physical concerns, it helps to find desks that have a bit of wiggle room and can be easily adjusted from person to person.
How Much Space Do You Have?
Using a desk in a space that’s extremely small can present a challenge, especially in an office environment. However, due to the budgetary constraints of some offices, cubicles need to be installed to allow each worker enough private space. While some cubicles are made of different materials such as glass partitions with wood desks attached, others are flimsier and don’t leave a lot of room for adjustment. When it comes to buying a ton of desks in bulk, make sure you don’t have to compromise on the size and quality of the desk just to be able to fit of a bunch of workers in one office. If space is a huge concern, think about using rotating “hot desks” or setting up a communal space where a few workers can spend time in lieu of a traditional office or cubicle.
What Will Last the Longest?
When making any office-related purchase, it’s important to know that your investment will last. Opting for a slightly more expensive laminated desk model rather than a low-end disposable desk will always pay off in the long run. While laminate is a good choice for office managers buying in bulk, choosing a more durable material like metal or wood is a good investment to make for companies that are looking to expand and only want to make a one-time purchase. If you’re thinking about going with metal, however, make sure you’re getting a good quality option that won’t conduct heat or become too heavy to move around.