Guide: Setting up an office – How to furnish your office like a pro

When it comes to setting up your office, there are a lot of things to consider. How can you ensure your employees are productive and satisfied? How do you want to work in your company? What kind of atmosphere do you want to create? In this blog post, we'll discuss tips for effective office design. Read on to learn more!

Setting up an office: Why should you pay close attention to office furnishings?

A needs-based work environment that considers the diverse requirements of your employees is a key to business success. Facilitate focused individual work, effective collaboration, networking, and communication by creating a work environment that supports these needs. This will help you create a pleasant and productive work environment in your offices.

How much space does a workplace need?

10m² is a rough guideline for the required size. Executive offices are usually larger, while open-plan offices often require significantly less space per person.

In any case, it is necessary to comply with the legal requirements for minimum size: at least 8 square meters for the first workplace, at least 6 square meters for each additional one.

How should the workplaces be arranged?

Workstations should be arranged in such a way that employees can work as effectively and ergonomically as possible.

This means paying particular attention to the three topics: concentration, cooperation, and communication.

The following list provides an overview of the most important points:

1. Group according to tasks and workflows. This ensures "short paths in collaboration".
2. Place workstations opposite each other. Eye contact facilitates communication.
3. Arrange workstations in such a way that work can be carried out with as little disruption as possible. Where necessary, partitions provide the required privacy.
4. Use natural daylight wherever possible. Position desks at a 90-degree angle to the window to avoid screen reflections.
5. Do not place workstations with their backs to important walkways.
6. When setting up an office, it's also important to consider the technical equipment. Printers and copiers should be positioned for easy access, ideally in a central location to minimize walking distances.

Finding the right office furniture

“Clothes make the man.” The same applies to your office furnishings. They signal to your visitors, customers, and employees what you and your company stand for. Many companies choose furniture with a timelessly elegant design that represents solidity, reliability, and high quality standards.

In line with the company's philosophy, you'll naturally find lavishly furnished offices or – for example, for budget-conscious startups – more functional designs. Whichever path a company chooses, the goal is always to create an environment that reflects its values ​​and strengthens its brand identity. In today's highly competitive market, office design is yet another way for companies to differentiate themselves from the competition.

What does ergonomics in the workplace mean?

Workplace ergonomics is crucial for employee health. It's especially important to prevent back and neck pain, as well as muscle tension. Employees should be encouraged to change their posture. They should work not only sitting but also standing. A height-adjustable desk is ideal, as it can be adjusted to the correct height for each individual.

An ergonomic office chair with good padding and lumbar support is also important to relieve back strain. If you work with multiple monitors, you should also ensure that they are ergonomically positioned. The same applies to your keyboard and mouse.

Proper ergonomics in the workplace not only protect health but also improve work performance. Employees are less tired and can concentrate better.

Do you want to learn more about ergonomics in the workplace ?

The right office chairs

When it comes to ergonomic working, the right desk chair and its correct adjustment to the user is of utmost importance.

Learn more here about the different functions and how to correctly adjust an office chair to the user.

1. Seat height, seat depth, seat tilt
   The basis for optimal individual adjustment is correctly adapting the desk chair to your height and body proportions. Seat height : You are sitting correctly when your hip, knee, and ankle joints are approximately at right angles. Your thigh should form a slightly downward-sloping line towards your knee, meaning your knee should be slightly lower than your hip. Your feet should be firmly on the floor. Seat depth : You are sitting correctly when there is a gap of three to four fingers' width between the front edge of the seat and your lower leg, while your pelvis is in contact with the backrest.

   Seat tilt : If your chair has this feature, you can tilt the seat forward. This tilts your pelvis slightly forward, which is good for your spine.

2. armrests
   You are sitting correctly when both shoulders are relaxed and horizontal, while your forearms rest on the armrests.
3. backrest
   Your back will be optimally relieved if the lumbar support is located approximately at the level of the belt line.
4. Neck support
   A neck support relieves pressure on the cervical spine and the entire back. It offers relief not just for the neck, but for the entire back.
5. Movement mechanics
   Unfortunately, only very high-quality office chairs have a movement mechanism. Most chairs force you into a static working posture. An even better alternative: change your working position frequently.
   A height-adjustable desk provides optimal support. Here you will find further interesting information on how to adjust an office chair correctly .

The right desks

When it comes to furnishing your office, the desk is one of the most important pieces of furniture, both visually and functionally. After all, you often spend the majority of your working life there.

In an office with many departments and employees, different desks will be appropriate depending on the tasks involved. Here is an overview to help you choose a desk:

1. Size
   A standard desk is at least 160cm long and 80cm deep.
   This size offers sufficient space for a computer workstation and
   Storage space for documents. For individual offices, desks are preferably chosen in lengths of 180cm or 200cm, provided the room size allows for this. If little space is needed for documents or screens, for example because work is mainly done on a laptop, 140x80cm is a suitable alternative size.
2. Height adjustability
   More and more people spend their workday sitting down, hunched forward at the computer. This unhealthy posture quickly leads to tension in the neck and shoulders. This pain can become chronic.
   We should therefore change our working posture more often, instead of only working sitting down, but also standing up. A height-adjustable desk makes this change very easy.
3. Storage space
   Do you want your desk to look tidy? Then choose a model with integrated storage space or complement the desk with, for example, a rolling container .
4. Cable management
   In a modern workplace, many different cables quickly accumulate around the desk. A desk with integrated cable management helps minimize the risk of accidents and tripping hazards.
5. form
   If there is a particularly large space requirement or if a visitor function needs to be integrated, an L-shaped desk is often used.

Would you like to learn more about height-adjustable desks?
Click here for our guide to height-adjustable desks.

The right storage

Office furniture – your business card

It is advisable to choose office furniture with foresight. Your office space is not just a place to work, but also a place to present yourself. Choose office furniture that conveys your desired image.

Your company will change over time. New employees will join, and new workspaces will need to be integrated. Choose furniture that can adapt to these changing requirements. This way, your office spaces can still look attractive and as good as new even after many years.

The entrance area

They say first impressions are the most important. Therefore, make sure you create a positive first impression! A well-designed reception area has a positive effect on both visitors and staff.

A reception desk , a cloakroom , a waiting or communication area with seating can provide the ideal entry point.

Ample storage space

Make it easy to stay organized! If an office doesn't have enough storage space, it quickly appears disorganized and unprofessional. Therefore , every workstation should have a designated space for frequently used files and documents.

A messy office makes a bad impression, so plan for sufficient storage space for office supplies and the archive.

Which furniture is suitable for which purpose?

There are many different types of storage space, e.g., open or closed storage, tall or low furniture, furniture on wheels.

Open or closed storage?

Open storage is cheaper and more flexible, but it can quickly look cluttered. With closed storage, your office can always look perfectly organized. A wide variety of features allows you to choose the right furniture:

• Orders disappear behind flaps
• Drawers store many small items
• Hanging files are an optimal way to organize a large number of files.
• Desk containers combine storage in drawers and compartments directly at the desk.

Tall or low storage furniture?

Tall storage units utilize cubic meters instead of just square meters! In small offices, opt for tall storage units.
Storage furniture. This allows you to store a lot in a small space.

Tall storage units can also be used as partitions. For example, this way space disappears.
The printer and all accessories, the fax machine, the mailboxes, etc. are concealed behind an elegant wall unit, without the expense of building a real wall.

Lowboards or sideboards are also ideal for separating individual areas.
Workplaces and areas without compromising clarity.

Modular furniture – the sustainable option

Modular furniture systems have the advantage of being adaptable. They can be adjusted to changing requirements at any time. They can be reconfigured at any time: higher or lower, longer or shorter. Open compartments can be supplemented with doors, flaps, or drawers.

Individual parts can be replaced instead of discarding entire pieces of furniture and starting from scratch. Quality and durability pay off in the long run. If your business is ready for change, modular furniture will help you make the most of your new space.

What creates a pleasant atmosphere in the office?

Congratulations! With the steps taken so far, you have already set up your office space.
Design and function are optimally tailored to your needs. This blog could end here, were it not for important aspects such as air quality, light, and acoustics, which have a significant impact on everyday office life.

Many things can make an office feel inviting. Firstly, the right furnishings and decoration. Secondly, sufficient light and air circulation.

Colors

• Color structures and enlivens your office spaces
• Generally, large areas should be kept in subtle, light colors. Individual bold colors can be used as accents.

Light and lighting

• Adequate ambient lighting is essential for every office. Poor lighting strains the eyes and can lead to health problems.
• Office lighting should consist of a combination of direct and indirect general lighting. Direct lighting, such as task lights and desk lamps, provides focused light for specific tasks. Indirect lighting, such as ceiling lights, emits diffused light that reduces glare and eye strain.

Acoustics

Unpleasant noise levels are one of the biggest problems in open-plan offices. They can be minimized through clever planning of areas and workstations. If they do occur, these simple tricks can help:

• Felt glides under sturdy chairs
• Whisper casters for office chairs
• Sound-absorbing materials (acoustic elements on walls)
• Soundproof partitions between workstations
• Carpets and rugs in selected areas

Plant

Plants have a significant impact on the atmosphere in an office. They not only bring color and life to the office, but also play an important role in improving indoor air quality. Furthermore, plants can help reduce noise levels by absorbing sound waves.

Office furnishing ideas

Here are some photos for your office and home office.

You can find more ideas at the following link: https://flexcube.ch/projekte/

Office setup checklist

Congratulations – nothing stands in the way of your successful office setup. We have summarized the most important points for you in this checklist.

1. List of all areas that the office should include
   Entrance area, work areas, meeting rooms, social rooms, archive, etc.
2. The employees are informed and, as far as possible, integrated into the processes.
3. The arrangement of the areas on the floor minimizes walking distances and takes into account the functions of “focused individual work, collaboration, communication,
4. The type of workstations – individual workstations, team workstations, shared desks – is defined.
5. The number, size, and equipment of the workplaces are defined.
6. The necessary technical equipment is defined.

Conclusion

That brings us to the end of our blog about office design . We hope you enjoyed learning about all the different elements that contribute to a functional and stylish workspace. As we've seen, there are many factors to consider when furnishing an office, from the layout and furniture to the color scheme. But with careful planning and a little creativity, you can design an office that meets your needs and reflects your company's culture. Thanks for reading!

We hope you found these tips helpful. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about office design, please contact us. We'd be happy to help you create the perfect office for your business. Thank you!

Questions & Answers about setting up an office