We were recently asked to set up office workstations for a digital marketing firm. They were a small, company positioned for growth and they were moving into a new office space.
We were going to help our client assess their needs and plan the layout of the office workstations. We thought that we could leverage our knowledge, from that experience and so many others, to suggest what one should consider when setting up office workstations.
Create an office workplace design to utilize floor space optimally
Ask yourself a few questions: How much space is there? Are you planning with growth in mind, will you be able to add more office workstations as more employees come on board? Where will you put the workstations? How do you want the traffic to flow? There is a lot to consider.
- According to fire code (which may vary by municipality), you have to leave a minimum 3 ft walkway for access and 42-48 inches for major corridor – when planning workstations you leave this space
- What are you trying to achieve? Privacy, maybe a collaborative environment? Most products are sized in 6 inch increments, 18,24, 30… for the width
- Though heights vary, most products have 36 or 42 inch height for reception areas and transaction counters, 50-54 inch height for seated privacy, 63-67 inch height for standing privacy and 79-83 inch height for doors
- Additionally, most products have stack on panels which can be added to create private offices and those are available in fabric or glazing
Consider individual job functions and any necessary equipment demands
You need to ask yourself what requirements your job function demand and how your office workstations will need to accommodate them.
- The trend in recent years has been to reduce the size of workstations due to increased real estate costs and decreased size of equipment i.e smaller monitors, shared printers
- Job function should drive the space more so than floor space -if your task is mostly paper /computer work chances are you can get away with a smaller space whereas if you need to spread out drawing or diagrams, you would need more space
What kind of storage, if any, is required?
Storage at an office workstations can be broken down into two categories:
- Above the desk storage – typically books and binders – the requirement for over the desk storage has significantly declined in recent years due to accessibility of information on the internet and as a result workstations in general have reduced height requirements; open and closed shelves are typical examples of this kind of storage.
- Below the desk storage is generally for things like files and office supplies ie. pens , paperclips, erasers, snacks, shoes; pedestals, pelican drawers and pencil drawers are typical examples of this kind of storage.
Lighting, Power Sources and Accessories
- There are a number of possibilities for lighting – task lighting is usually on some kind of articulating arm, mounted fixed lighting is usually under the overhead cabinets and ambient lighting is mounted on top of the workstation, facing upwards and reflects off the ceiling. Ambient lighting is the easiest on the eyes – diffused and gentle.
- Power sources – either can be at desk height which is great for convenience and make sense if you have a lap top docking station. Base power sources are lower cost and neater because the cords are hidden from view but they less convenient because they are less accessible.
Other items to think about:
- Keyboards – adjustable or not
- Chair selection
- Foot rests
- Miscellaneous accessories – accessory rails or toolbars – devices that are hung off the panel that allow you to organize files or other items above your desk leaving you more desk space- paper sorters for ready access to items used frequently; there are an endless array of choices which can help personalize your office workspace and improve your comfort and efficiency.
We currently have 200 preowned office workstations in stock, delivery within 1-2 weeks. Contact Track Office Furniture to help you build your office workspace and maximize your productivity and your budget.
