OFFICE DESIGN | THE PRO DESK

FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES

Many elements contribute to making a workspace comfortable, productive, professional and flexible and as the habits of workers evolve, so does the design of the products that fit within the office environment. People are living longer, working longer and therefore health in the workplace is becoming more important. People want to be comfortable at work and more efficient with their time. The following round-up draws together some useful products which enhance the working environment and pushes office design into a new era that is comfortable but practical, functional but trendy and quiet but efficient.

DESKS

With the rise of the health and wellbeing trend, no longer are people happy to just visit the gym at lunchtime in an attempt combat the effects of sitting at their desks all day. They want to be able to work standing up, and not only that, but to have the flexibility of both sitting and standing at one work station. We’ve seen the introduction of the treadmill desk for the most enthusiastic of folk, so why can’t we all have the flexibility to sit or stand on the same spot without having to use a toilet break or a tea round as an excuse to stretch our legs!? Flexible work stations that offer varying work heights, configurations and the option to be stored flat-pack are now becoming the norm as the selection on offer become more varied with options to suit most office environments.

CHAIRS & STOOLS

Just as important as the humble desk, but if not more important is the choice of seating for a worker. In the past, comfortable chairs have been comfortable looking. Big, bulky and most often limited in colour palette. As workplaces become more adventurous, the use of bold colour is more accepted. Chairs become a movable piece of art, a statement even. Stools act as aesthetically pleasing sculptures whilst unused, but offer a practical solution to casual meetings or lunchtime gatherings.

SCREENS

A quiet space is often hard to find, especially when working in a large, shared office. If you have a job that requires attention to detail or the ability to immerse yourself in a personal project, the efficiency of your workload could be dramatically affected by the noise of your colleagues. Many offices now offer sound reducing acoustic pods for workers to migrate to in time of intense concentration. However, this is not always practical for situations where a large number of workers need peace and quiet at the same time. Individual movable screens offer a flexible solution to this problem. Not only do they provide sound reduction but can offer privacy and reduce the likelihood of nonsense conversation. The variant of hanging curtains can provide an alternative solution to the lack of solid walls. A visual barrier, even if transparent, can be successful in encouraging concentration and increasing productivity.

ACCESSORIES

Finally, what would be a workplace without a little indulgence of useful but stylish accessories!? After all, a desk is a personal space. We spend many hours at work, at our desk, rather than in the home that we make and style for ourselves. Simple things such as an addition of a favourite colour or a place to hang your own things can make all the difference to an employee’s happiness, whether consciously or subconsciously. The personalisation of the desk micro-environment can be further enhanced by the Stratum desk mat, designed by recent graduate Tony Elkington. The heating and cooling offered by the mat offers a solution to the personal preference of temperature, which can often be set subjectively in an office environment.