Office furniture: Does it suit the nature of your business?

Much like the proverb: a picture is worth a thousand words; your choice of office furniture too can affect the overall corporate culture you’re trying to cultivate. In fact, it’s a basic understanding that your office should reflect less of your personal style and more of a common set of company beliefs. That is not only being adhered to by the employees but is also something that your customers relate to.

You see, as it turns out, customers are not only people that are interested in a company’s products but also its core belief. The identity of the company plays an important role in realising the lifetime worth of a customer. However, it plays an even more important role in shaping the future of a community. So, unless your company’s beliefs are not fully aligned with that of the customers, they may as well take their business elsewhere. After all, there are many options to choose from in today’s competitive market.

So, how can you design your office space and fill it with furniture that reflects your belief system?

Choose office furniture that speaks to your corporate office

Before heading into choosing the right office furniture, you must first realise a unique company culture. Once these sets of beliefs and values have been defined, it’s important to create an office space that does full justice to your list.

Say for example, open collaboration and well-being are the pillars of your company’s belief system. Traditional office design tends to pander to a hierarchical environment.

In such a case, it’s important to understand certain ground realities. Such as the fact that many people might be more productive in a cushy environment and then, there are always those who work better when they’re alone. In order to accommodate such realities, it’s important for employers to create a space that allows everyone to feel at ease. After all, studies show that productivity levels rise when employees feel comfortable. Thus, it’s important to create a space that allows employees to get serious and yet, kick back at the end of the day.

The Nature of your business

Just the way no two employees are the same, no two companies are the same either. Thus, before investing in office furniture, one must also pay careful attention to the kind of business your company deals in. Consider the following types of companies:

1. Creative: A traditional office set up for creative agencies just will not do. Because the flow of creativity has a lot do with the environment in which you thrive, unique furniture designs should complement a creative atmosphere. Striking the perfect balance between cooperative and personal spaces is very important. In fact, you should allow your employees to have a say in the decision making.

2. Traditional: Standards are what define a traditional company. And that should reflect your entire office design and its furniture. More formal layouts that also promote teamwork. Traditional corporate office furniture is more geared towards set groupings and adaptive cubicles, but styles can differ from classic to modern, and statement to chic.

3. Technology: Your office furniture should reflect and inspire your innovative ideas and tasks at hand. You can select from a wide range of modern, original and forward-thinking furniture and layouts.

(With Inputs by Ashish Aggarwal, CEO of Indo Innovations)