They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but can you judge an office by its furniture? In many ways you can, and that’s important for small business owners who are trying to achieve differentiation. After all, you put time and energy into defining your logo, brand guidelines, social media personality, and marketing collateral. And stylish office furniture might also be a reflection of your brand's look and feel.
Here are some examples of how you can use office furniture layout to move the needle on your brand picture.
Collaboration is our middle name
Work in a field where teamwork is valued? Try to make sure you ditch the office cubicle and instead create a collaborative workspace through an open plan office. How to arrange furniture might include big tables with mesh office chairs, along with breakout areas where teams can get together and do project planning without disrupting others.
We are “premium” in every way
Are you a law or consulting firm with high-profile clients? They might appreciate coming to an office that’s more on the posh side. You can choose office furniture that exudes class, like a l-shaped desk with a hutch.
Other touches that offer a luxurious ambience include plush carpet for a hushed atmosphere; fresh flowers and just the right touch of office décor.
Creativity fuels our day
By contrast an edgier design firm wants to convey that feeling with its furniture layout and design. If you’re stuck with cubicle desks, you can paint them a whimsical color or create a mural-like wall space. Try to let your team express their own individuality by choosing their own chair color. The result will be an eclectic vibe, but one that is authentic to your company and its associates.
Anyone is welcome here
While collaborative work environments and open floor plan offices are on trend, they are admittedly not for everyone. If you have a group of people involved in dedicated hands-down work and another group that’s making phone calls or having meetings, the two styles can clash. That’s why a modern office furniture good practice is to have multiple spaces that team members can use as suits their style. You might have an open floor plan for some of the team to work together (or separately with their earbuds in) and then offer auxiliary space where they can make phone calls or have short meetings, equipped with a small computer desk, a computer desk chair and—maybe most importantly—a door.
We are “moving on up”
If you’re a smaller business or entrepreneur, you don’t necessarily want to give an impression that screams “start up” by working at home or at a coffee shop; sometimes you need to offer the image to clients and other partners that you’ve already got deals going on. A coworking space not only provides an ideal work environment, but it allows you to “fake it ‘til you make it” through offering all the high-class touches of a full-service office environment—like private meeting rooms, the latest tech and modern office furniture—without the costs associated with leasing your own space.
No matter what type of business you run, there’s a modern office furniture layout that will perfectly express who you are, while contributing to productivity for you and your team.
About the Author
Cathie Ericson is a freelance writer who specializes in small business, finance and real estate.
All content provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is provided “as is” and neither the author nor Office Depot, Inc. warrant the accuracy of the information provided, nor do they assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.
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