Selecting quality office furniture and accessories such as lighting, desks, chairs and floor mats, requires more than just a passing thought. Whether it involves home offices or Fortune 500 companies, careful consideration in furnishing and accessorizing your office could make a difference in health and comfort of the body as well as simple wear and tear of office flooring.
The Importance of Lighting
Lighting has a profound influence on a person’s performance in the office. With accurate lighting, it could reduce double vision, headaches and fatigue caused by reflectivity of bright objects such as printed paperwork or computer monitors in excess lighting. The human eye can adjust to a variety of lighting levels, but only a single light level at a time. When someone stares at a dim computer monitor in a brightly lit room, the eyes are confused about which to adapt to, light or dimness.
Common lighting preferred in offices is most times track lighting or ceiling lights. If installing track lighting, it is suggested to avoid high-voltage halogen. This type of lighting has been found excessively rigorous for prolonged exposure. Desk lamps are a variable form of subsidiary lighting. An office desk lamp can add a charismatic design, as well as a glare-free atmosphere that will help prevent eyestrain and fatigue.
Choosing the Right Desk
Space is always a concern when it comes to choosing the right desk. If your desk has restricted space, you may have a need for a desk designed for more than a single purpose. Your office tasks may require space for a printer, fax, phone, shelves, drawers or files. With the absence of needed space, desktops become cluttered and finding things can become a difficult undertaking.
Purchasing the best desk for an office is an important investment that could last a business’s lifetime. Time and consideration are key in choosing a desk. There are an ostensibly endless assortment of desks in sizes and shape. Desks are normally produced in mass quantities and may necessitate some self-assembly. Checking into a local crafts business that could build desks to order may be something to look into.
A Comfortable Chair Can Alleviate Back Pain and Poor Circulation
Back support and leg circulation are critical to good posture and wellness while working. Sitting at a desk for lengthy periods can be extremely challenging since it applies excessive pressure to the lower back and upper thighs which causes leg discomfort or back pain. Keeping the backbone in a neutral position is essential in maintaining good posture and alleviating the annoyance of back pain and poor blood circulation.
A person’s desk chair should accommodate them. If another individual is using the chair, it is important for the chair to have sufficient adjustability to suit each user. When searching for a desk chair, look for a “waterfall edge” located at the front of the chairs seat pan. This design helps to prevent deficient circulation in the legs while sitting. Try to find a chair with a “tilt lever” which enables you to recline and switch positions easily. This will help relieve pressure placed on the back of your thighs. A protruding “back rest” on your chair will help support the lumbar while in an upright position.
Minimizing Maintenance Costs on Flooring
When it comes to protecting office floors, depending on the type of flooring, maintenance can involve waxing, stripping, buffing or replacement. When an individual is working at their desk, they may not always be confined to one area. Their work may include rolling from their desk to a file cabinet, telephone, wastebasket or another desk. No matter which type of flooring is used in an office, wear and tear becomes apparent. Carpet fibers are pulled up, linoleum is punctured, and hardwood or tile floors are damaged. Most flooring types are not designed for the tremendous amount of pressure generated by rolling office chairs. They may also not be appropriate for wheel chair accessibility. Utilizing chair mats could limit the safety issues involved where an area is not properly floored for wheel chairs and at the same time, minimize the maintenance needed to any floor.
Selecting a needed chair mat for any workstation starts by determining what type of flooring the mat will be covering. Chair mats used over carpeting should be more unbending and impenetrable than those placed on harder surfaces. Chair mats for tile, linoleum or hard wood surfaces should be textured. This will prevent the mat from sliding on slick floors. They should also have beveled edges to enable easy rolling between surfaces. Once we know the floor type, the desired shape and size is chosen. For example: How much floor space is used while working at your desk and its surrounding areas? Chair mats should cover more than the immediate area in front of a desk. Otherwise the areas not protected from chair casters may require maintenance that could have been avoided.
Purchasing office furniture and accessories are not quite as unambiguous as you might have thought. There are numerous factors involved in choosing accurate lighting, a comfortable chair, a spacious desk and appropriate chair mats. Anticipated by the measure of time spent working in the office each day, ignoring these factors could result in strained eyes, bad posture, desk clutter and avoidable damage and maintenance. The main idea is to optimize your productivity without contributing to physical tension. Keep that in mind the next time you accessorize your office space.