How Does Furniture Affect Performance in the Workplace?

Businesses are always looking for ways to improve performance in the workplace, but the answer can be right underneath their nose… literally.

Office furniture plays an important role in workplace performance, but it’s not always easy to get right. Behind the physical appearance of furniture items is their impact on comfort, posture, support and movement, all of which impact performance in the workplace!

Keep reading to better understand how furniture affects workplace performance.

Supportive Task Chairs Enable Productivity

Office employees spend a considerable amount of time sat at their desks, and the chair they’re sitting on can significantly affect their workplace performance for a number of reasons.

Furniture affects health and wellbeing, both of which ultimately affect productivity and performance too. Back pains, neck strains and other musculoskeletal disorders are a distraction that many businesses can’t afford their employees to have.

A ‘good’ office chair will offer sufficient support to all areas of the body, facilitating movement whilst helping to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. Ultimately, good office furniture can boost employee performance by allowing people to concentrate on their tasks without distraction.

Adjustable Desks Support Employees

Desk chairs aren’t the only furniture item able to boost performance. As we discussed in our workplace ergonomics blog post, an ergonomic workspace refers to an environment that provides individuals with a space they can work efficiently and comfortably in.

In addition to adjustable task chairs, adjustable desks offer the workplace a great ergonomic addition. Having the option to transform a sit-down desk into a standing desk, in addition to being able to adjust the height to suit each individual, is great at helping employees create a comfortable and supportive workstation tailored to them. The benefits of this are great, including enhanced performance!

Agile Environments Promote Activity-Based Working

Agile Working at The Tannery, photo by Martin Roe

Creating an agile environment using the right furniture solutions is a fantastic way of boosting workplace performance. As we’ve covered in our blog post discussing office personalities; different personality types often work best in different environments. By creating both concentration and collaboration areas, individuals can choose where to work based on their preference. This helps businesses to get the most out of their people, and furniture plays an important role in creating these environments.

For employees to perform optimally, a space must be well-equipped for its purpose. Collaboration zones should feature furniture that enables workers to easily collaborate, whether it be modular furniture allowing employees to adapt the space to their needs, or even excess stools that can be stored away. Equally, concentration areas should offer privacy and quiet, such as through private booths.

Furniture Placement Can Encourage Movement

For office-based workers, being sedentary for many hours throughout the day is a big problem for wellbeing and performance at work. However, the placement of furniture can impact the way that employees move throughout their working day.

Agile working is part of this, as the creation of different working areas allows employees to move throughout their workspace. Breakout areas are also brilliant, particularly if they promote activities involving movement, such as table tennis!

How to Find the Right Furniture for Your Business

Furniture Consultation to Find the Right Solutions For Your Team

Our commercial furniture experts work with knowledgeable furniture suppliers who invest resources into researching and developing performance-enhancing furniture items. Finding the right furniture brand is half the battle, but we’ve developed strong relationships with trusty suppliers that allow us to shape productive environments for our clients. Get in touch to discuss ways in which we can help to boost performance in your workplace today!