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Put your current office furniture to work!

DSC 1581 Web Harris WorkSystems Collaborative Seating  scaled

Prepping the office space for the next generation

There is currently quite a buzz about collaborative work-spaces. Facebook, Google, and Microsoft all boast of their large open work-spaces. Why all the hype? Well, most innovation today is driven by at least two people bouncing ideas off each other, which is hard to do in semi-isolation. Team and group work frequently leads to faster, more creative results than solo work. Two heads are better than one, definitely applies to the corporate world.

Implementing collaborative spaces does not mean you have to refurnish your office or throw out your work-spaces completely. Use what you have with some basic adjustments and minimal additions. Not sure where to start? We would love to help!

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Re-organize your existing Work-space and Office Furniture 

Here a few tips on creating collaboration spots by using your current office furniture:

  1. Clear out an office cube and throw in a coffee table with some lounge seating and mobile whiteboard. You can use that extra table for collaboration elsewhere if you have space.
  2. Position your desks in an L or U shape configuration to help promote collaboration.
  3. Take out a divider panel between workstations and set up a small collaboration table between them instead.
  4. Add an extra chair in the corner of work areas to promote the idea of visitor collaboration. Mobile file storage pedestals with cushions on top are a great way to add function and to encourage collaboration.
  5. Place monitors on adjustable arms to easily share data between collaborators

These are just a few of the tips we have utilized and implemented ourselves. As every office has different needs and requirements, an excellent place to start is by space planning.

What is space planning, and why is it important? 

Whether you are re-configuring your existing office furniture or planning out a completely new office space, a good practice is to work on a space plan. Office space planning will help figure the best utilization of the area, promote a strong work culture, and maximize workplace efficiency.

Space-planning designs by Harris WorkSystems office furniture - Tigard, Oregon PDX

8 Questions to ask yourself before space-planning 

When re-configuring your existing office space and furniture, consider these questions:

  1. How will this space be used? Or, how would you like it to function?
  2. List 3 reason for the remodel or refresh
  3. List 3 goals you would like to achieve with this space
  4. Do you need that large conference room?
  5. Does the conference room get used enough to keep it
  6. Can space be used as a multi-functional room instead?
  7. Are you and your employees adequately accommodated in the work-space?
  8. What factors are holding the employees back from collaborating?
  9. Are you planning on adding more employees?
  10. Do you have enough power outlets/supply?
  11. Are employees going to work remotely, moving forward?
  12. Do you have the original office layout/space plan file?

Answering these questions will help you prioritize the needs of your space. Some remodeling may be as simple as moving a few desks, while others may be as complex as a complete remodel. It is always good to look up some office spaces that inspire you. Consider the new office trends and the future generations that will be working in the space.

Creating Flexible and Multi-functional spaces are key to the modern office! 

Visit our Showroom in Tigard, Oregon, to test and view various collaborative desking and seating solutions.

1 thought on “Put your current office furniture to work!

  1. This was a very in depth article about office spaces. I really enjoyed it.

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