One important factor to consider when choosing office furniture is; ‘What office design or furniture combination will provide my employees with enough space for them to comfortably work in?’

Occupational claustrophobia
A heavy presence of office desks, chairs and storage cabinets can often make a work space feel somewhat limited at times. Unsurprisingly, feeling ‘hemmed in’ can have a negative effect on staff productivity as it can make workers feel as though they don’t have enough space to think. Having a spacious lounge-type area in the office can be a great solution to this problem as it can allow workers to have somewhere to go when they need a break from the confines of their office desks or cubicles.

The right desks for the job
When it comes to choosing desks for your office, consider the type of work your employees do. Do they need to discuss their work between them or do they need to concentrate by themselves? If their work does need to be discussed then an open plan office allows this to be done easily. However, work that requires individual concentration may be better served by singular workstations.

With a little bit of careful thought and consideration, you can turn your office in to a place where your staff enjoy having the space to think. To find out more about office design and view our great range of desks, chairs and meeting tables; explore our pages further or call our free customer hotline on 0800 7314592.

It’s every employer’s responsibility to ensure that their employees are safe at work, and not unduly exposed to health risks. In the office you could be forgiven for thinking that this would be easy. After all, there are few hazardous substances to deal with and very little equipment that presents any level of immediate danger.

However, even the humble office desk can be the cause of serious long-term health problems if not set up properly. Working long hours at a deak that is not properly adjusted can lead to back and neck problems, repetitive strain injuries, increased stress, eyestrain, and more. It’s crucial to make sure that office chairs and desks are fit for purpose and can be fitted to fit an individual worker.

It’s the office chairs that should be adjusted first. They should be just high enough that the person sitting has their feet flat on the ground and their thighs horizontal. The upper and lower legs should form a right angle. This seated position creates the least stress on the body. Next comes the office desk. It should be set at a height such that when the user is typing on a keyboard, the arms sit low down. Again, look for a right angle between the upper and lower arms.

Obviously there are some things that don’t need to be adjusted- meeting room tables for instance. They must be reasonably comfortable for everyone involved, but all-day meetings will be rare so most people won’t spend many hours working at the table.

There are several reasons to choose glass or glass-topped office furniture instead of the more traditional metal, wood, and plastic options. The first is ease of cleaning. It’s very hard to stain glass even if you actively try. Even the hottest, most sugary coffee spill will wipe straight off. It might even be allowed to try first. It doesn’t matter- almost anything will come straight off for a cleaner armed with nothing more than a damp cloth.

Glass can also appear more modern than an opaque material. If you want office furniture that builds an impression of a forward-looking, sharp, dynamic company, it’s a very good choice. Glass-topped meeting tables can be especially effective. There is nothing quite like a sparkling expanse of glass to make a room seem clean and bright. And of course, a glass table will show off your sumptuous yet business-like office seating to best effect!

Glass meeting tables are the perfect choice for conference rooms that aren’t quite as bright as they could be. A large, dark wooden table can make a space with limited natural light seem even dimmer. Pick a pale wood finish with a high shine or go for glass, which will make the absolute best of the available light.

The glass used in modern furniture is toughened to the highest standards so you don’t have to worry about compromising on safety or product lifetime. Our tables are beautifully constructed from very high quality materials, to offer durability and strength as well as stunning good looks.

Unfortunately, most offices don’t have room for comfy sofas, generously sized desks, and all the filing cabinets and storage space any employee could hope for. These days working in a cubicle is a fact of life for most people who take office jobs. However, there is a big difference between an efficient, well set-up cubicle and a cramped one that’s poorly equipped.

Building healthy, happy cubicles that promote productivity and reduce stress starts with the right choice of office screens. They won’t be able to block out all noise in the way that a full wall can, but a good acoustic screen can dramatically cut down background noise. This is particularly important for call centre workplaces and others where spoken communication goes on all day every day.

The configuration of the office screens will be determined by the available space and the number of cubicles required, but where possible, take care to leave generous walkways and some clear areas for workers to pass, chat, and congregate from time to time.

The right choice of furniture is also crucial. Large, cumbersome office tables that take up the lion’s share of cubicle space aren’t ideal. Look for compact desks that offer adjustability. Built-in storage space can be a real advantage too, because it cuts down the need for other furnishings.

Office tables that fold away can also be really handy in a workplace that’s not quite as spacious as it could be. We stock a whole range of helpful products that let businesses get the most out of their space. Take a look at the catalogue- there are sure to be some ideas in there that will help you build a small but effective working environment.

Most offices manage to keep workplace accidents to a minimum but that doesn’t mean offices are perfectly safe places to work. Slips, trips, and falls are amongst the biggest contributors to accidents at work and they are by no means confined to heavy industries and the manufacturing world. In an office environment, cables present one of the most persistent problems. There are computer power cables, printer cables, network and internet cables, phone line cables, cables for the copier, the scanner, the fax machine and even the coffee machine. With all of those snaking their way from A to B it’s no wonder so many people are injured in trip accidents.

To minimise cable mess, choose computer desks that are pre-prepared for electronic equipment and have cable ports so the cords can go under the work surface rather than over it. This is particularly important for executive office furniture- the higher up the ladder an employee is, the more gadgets they are likely to have on their desk.

Cable ports are also something to look for on meeting room tables. These days many people bring laptops to conferences, and a table with half a dozen power cables scattered around it is an accident waiting to happen.

Of course, computer desks and tables with cable ports don’t get rid of the problem entirely, but they are the first step towards managing cables effectively. You might also like to consider other measures like running cables up to the ceiling rather than along the floor, or keeping them enclosed along the skirting boards.

Most small to medium sized offices only have one large meeting space. It may have to double as a training space, the executive boardroom, and the place to hold conferences with clients ranging from a single representative to a large group. The meeting tables and furniture in that room therefore have to be as adaptable as possible.

Large conference tables have their place, but where flexibility is important, it may be better to choose a more modular arrangement. Small meeting tables can be put together to make one large one (very neatly in some cases), arranged in rows for the viewing of a presentation or a talk, or placed in a circle for an inclusive feel where everyone gets an equal view and an equal share of attention. They can be split up into smaller groups for training exercises and more easily placed out of the way when a big open space is needed, perhaps for the office Christmas party.

The office dividers most commonly used to create cubicles can also be useful when it comes to dividing up meeting space. Two meetings can go on concurrently if the tables can be divided and the spaces defined with dividers that block out most noise. It may not be as good as having two separate conference rooms but it’s the next best thing!

We believe in furniture that offers the greatest possible range of usage as well as the sharpest looks and the best designs, so we have the high quality office dividers and other items that will let you create the most flexible meeting space possible.

Whilst the idea of working long into your golden years may not seem very appealing, the fact is that many of us will not be settling down in our favourite armchair with a nice quilted blanket until we are well past 65.

Naturally, the result of this is that offices up and down the country will be populated with more senior workers. Although this will be a good thing with regard to experience and knowledge, it will also mean that certain considerations will need to be made concerning their health and well-being.

As we all know, your body inevitably deteriorates as you get older. Indeed, the sore hip and achy back that are only mild irritations in middle-age can become far more serious once you reach senior citizenship. Therefore, it is essential that older workers receive the necessary measures needed to keep them healthy while sitting at an office desk for most of the day.

To this end, senior workers will need to have a comfortable, practical workspace that will include a nice spacious office desk, a monitor positioned at eye level, sensible office storage solutions and of course a posture supporting office chair which will keep the aches and sores at bay.

We take posture and comfort very seriously here at Southern Office Furniture, which is why we stock a great range of top quality office tables, desks and chairs that are perfect for keeping all workers comfortable and healthy throughout their working life!

There are several factors which need to be considered before purchasing a new office chair:-

Buy quality
It is quite easy to source good quality office furniture at prices that aren’t going to dent your budget. Therefore, don’t buy something that isn’t going to suit your needs just to save a bit of money – those extra few extra pounds may well be what prevent you from struggling with aches and pains in the future.

Function over impression
Although purchasing a big, executive leather chair may make you feel like “the daddy”, it may not work out to be to your advantage if you are buying it simply for its status enhancing qualities. Even if it looks so impressive that you think it simply must ‘tick all the right boxes’, make sure that it has adequate padding and sufficient back support that will keep you comfortable throughout your working day.

Individual needs
There are several things which you as an individual will need to consider before purchasing a new office chair, most notably: how often you will be using the chair, the sort of positions you like to sit in, and the way you are accustomed to leaning. All of these individual concerns will need to be scrutinised so that you can choose a chair that will suit you perfectly.

Here at Southern Office Furniture, we have a wide selection of chairs, desks and meeting tables to suit all individual and company needs. Browse our pages now to find out more.

There are several things that you as an employer can do to ensure your workers remain healthy whilst at their workstations:-

Allow frequent breaks
All workers need to get up and walk around at least a few times every hour so that they don’t get stiff and adopt bad posture. This doesn’t equate to going for a gentle stroll along the nearby canal for half an hour – just getting up to buy something from a vending machine or pick up some supplies from the stationary cupboard can be enough to stimulate the core muscle groups.

Encourage correct seating
Although office chairs with lumbar support and arm rests can help to encourage good posture, it is important that you frequently remind your staff (and yourself) to: sit up straight, keep feet flat on the floor, keep thighs parallel to the floor with knees bent, adjust chair height so that monitor is at eye level and keep desks at a height that ensures wrists are straight when using a keyboard and mouse.

Provide quality office furniture
Despite what you may think, purchasing employee-friendly office furniture doesn’t mean that you have to go out and spend thousands of pounds on the very latest office pieces. There are plenty of quality office furnishings available at low prices that can help improve your employees’ working conditions.

To source the very best inaffordable office tables, desks and chairs, make us here at Southern office Furniture your first port of call.

There are very few companies around these days that are able to operate without computers. Therefore, with computers being such a vital part of the modern workplace, it is important that companies invest in the right type of computer office furniture.

Having inadequate computer office furniture can cause workers to experience a number of job-related health issues such as: back pain, stiff neck, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and eye problems. Although workers may not experience these issues immediately, they are sure to manifest themselves over time if the root problem remains untreated. Naturally, the simplest way to solve this problem is to invest in computer office furniture that is created with comfort and function in mind. The office chair that accompanies a worker’s desk needs to be adequately padded and have adaptable armrests so that workers do not strain their shoulders. Furthermore, such chairs should also be height-adaptable so that users can position them at a height which will encourage proper body positioning and therefore better support their back and neck muscles. In addition, placing a computer on an inappropriate desk will only make the task of operating it uncomfortable and tiring. Therefore, it is essential that computers are only sited on desks that are of an adequate height and which can be easily positioned to minimise on instances of constant over-reaching.

To find the very best computer office tables, desks and chairs, look no further than us here at Southern office Furniture.