How to achieve the ideal furniture solution for the post-COVID office
Insight
How to achieve the ideal furniture solution for the post-COVID office
As we continue to ponder over what the future might have in store for the workplace, a few key themes are coming through loud and clear.
Sustainability and wellbeing will undoubtedly be two of the most important factors shaping office design in future. While the move towards a more flexible, hybrid working culture will mean that for many businesses the physical workplace will become increasingly geared towards social interaction and collaboration.
It is also clear that furniture has a major role to play thanks to its ability to support staff’s physical and emotional health while creating multifunctional spaces that are well-suited to fluid working practices.
What’s more, it can often be reconfigured in multiple ways to cater to your business’ changing needs. Making it a smart, future-proof investment that could help to minimise your environmental impact in the long-term.
Here’s what to consider when designing your new furniture solution:
Rethink the open plan
Open plan layouts have become a defining feature of the modern office.
Until very recently, these were for the most part filled with banks of desks to suit a fully office-based working culture. However, events of the past year have called into question the necessity and efficacy of this one-size-fits-all solution as a means of ensuring staff productivity.
In fact, employers appear to be reaching a consensus that a user-centric approach that supports staff wellbeing and creates a strong sense of place is far more beneficial in terms of performance.
The ideal furniture solution is key to achieving this.
By selecting the right pieces, you can give staff the freedom to choose where, when and how they work while encouraging and supporting the cognitive behaviours required to successfully complete tasks. Without making any permanent, structural changes to your space.
Support staff’s physical health
We are all well aware of the negative impact a sedentary lifestyle can have on our health.
However, when tasks call for intense concentration, sitting still can be hard to avoid.
That’s why providing furniture that prevents discomfort and fatigue by offering proper support and promoting good posture is still a must even if you are doing away with your open plan desks.
Practical and adjustable task chairs such as the Humanscale Diffrient World task chair which we used in Antin Infrastructure Partners new Mayfair office are ideal for improving staff’s ability to focus for sustained periods.
Meanwhile, sit-stand desks offer possible benefits such as improved mood and energy levels, increased productivity, reduced back pain and a lower risk of heart disease, simply by giving staff the option to stretch their legs.
Saddle chairs, which encourage a neutral spine position while promoting core engagement and improved blood flow can also be a good option for staff whose role often requires prolonged bouts of high concentration.
Boost creativity and collaboration
Using furniture that promotes movement and agile working is a great way for businesses to increase creativity and collaboration in the workplace.
Benches like the one we installed for C&C Group at their new Surrey HQ is the perfect place to host an impromptu meeting.
Stools and seating that encourage staff to perch are also ideal for brainstorming sessions where movement and active participation are key to getting the creative juices flowing.
Promote rest and recuperation
Providing areas where staff can unwind is vital for supporting wellbeing and ensuring high levels of productivity in the long term. Lounge seating offers staff the change to relax away from their screens or hold casual conversations and informal meetings with colleagues.
You can maximise the wellbeing benefits of these areas by introducing some stress-relieving biophilic design elements such as natural tones and textures and greenery. Just like we did in this cosy nook at The Richmond Charities’ HQ.
Minimise noise pollution
As we’ve discussed in our series on the art of acoustics, achieving the perfect balance of sound is vital for staving off mental fatigue and ensuring staff are happy in the workplace. However, this can be challenging in modern, open plan offices where pesky sound waves are unchecked by dividing walls. That’s where furniture comes in.
Multifunctional acoustic pods and meeting booths like the ones we installed for C&C give staff a space to work individually, collaborate or have private conversations while being shielded from the hustle and bustle of the main office.
Comfortable, high back chairs like the ones we added to the reception area also shield staff and clients from noise pollution while creating a feeling of privacy without the need to divide the open plan space.
RE-USE AND RECYCLE
Your office furniture can make a strong statement about your commitment to sustainability.
There are plenty of innovative options out there that are made from sustainable or recycled materials. Take Humanscale’s stylish Smart Ocean task chair for example, which is made using almost two pounds of recycled fishing nets that would otherwise have ended up in landfill or polluting the ocean.
Sourcing pre-loved pieces or upcycling furniture and materials that have already served their original purpose is also a great way to achieve a sustainable furniture solution that’s as functional as it is unique.
Look no further than the stunning project we delivered for YT Industries for inspiration.
If you’re hoping to transform your workplace but are keen to ensure that the changes you make now serve you in future, a flexible furniture solution that can be easily adapted as your business evolves, or even move with you to a new location, may well be your best bet.
To speak to one of our furniture experts about how TDA can help, why not get in touch and let’s talk it through.
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