Do you have a blank canvas of an office that needs furnished? Are you starting to consider when and what furniture to purchase? Is budget a determining factor that will affect your overall design and space planning? If you answer "yes" to any of these, you're certainly not alone. We meet with local businesses just like you every day. What we've learned over the past 80 years is creating a truly great space that will provide an exceptional associate experience is critical. Selecting the right furniture plays a big role in that overall experience.
Of course you're looking for furniture to fit your unique business needs and goals. And the options are endless. You're going to be faced with many choices like quality, design, quantity, and pricing not to mention what manufacturer is right for you. That's why it can be helpful to bring in a furniture partner in the beginning of your design process - even before you have walls. Selecting your furniture should be a fun, creative process, and can inform the rest of your space plans.
A dealer can help you start envision your new space and all of the considerations that come into play. A lot of people simply don't know all of the questions that should be discussed prior to selecting furniture, and, that's okay. That's what your dealer is for and it's why we love helping people and getting them to think differently about space. For instance, here are just some of the things we will ask our clients and partners when we start planning for furniture:
- Does your space tell your story with a clear message?
- Have you involved IT in space planning to discuss cord management and conference room media needs. Is the right hardware in the right panels?
- For your reception area do you need guest seating or are there signage requirements?
- What are the break room and coffee room requirements?
- Do you want flexible spaces like workshops, social spaces, and break-out rooms?
- What are the storage considerations?
- Will associates be able to have a choice in where they sit and work throughout the day?
- Have you discussed a change communication plan?
That's just a small taste of some of the insight that leads up to choosing the right furniture. It's really a fun, creative process that will truly help you start to thinking differently about your space. The right dealer can also provide industry insights by leveraging current research. For instance, we recently published a study in which we learned 87% of people want flexible settings like workshops, meeting rooms, and more. We also found that 71% of today's current workforce wants fluidity in where they sit. Armed with that type of information, you're better positioned to make the right choices not only for your business, but also for your associates.
Read the full study by clicking on the graphic below.
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