Making financial investments internally in your company can be a tough decision, because usually you're pitted against two goods. On a basic level, that typically means weighing the advantages of something short term, like salary bonuses against the benefits of return on long term investments such as growth programs, equipment, and upgrading office furniture. While it may be easier to calculate for the short term, long term investments can pack much more punch and have longer lasting effects. That's why we have provided some decision making tips to help you make a solid, confident decision about the long term investment of upgrading your office furniture.
The Top Ten Reasons to Upgrade Your Office Furniture System
1)Image is Everything Making good first impressions can make or break a deal. For many companies out there, the phrase "image is everything" rings true. It is true not only for companies that fall under the typically image conscious industry categories like fashion, finance, and frou-frou department stores and hotels, but for most companies seeking to strengthen their brand position in the market. Hence the increase in demand for modern office furniture systems, feng shui interior design and space planning, and branded office environments. As your industry becomes more competitive, customers will seek the more mature companies with established brands, quality style, and customer service. Looking the part by appealing to your client base can significantly increase your business, creating a substantial ROI for your new office furniture system.
2) Comfort Consciousness This one is along the lines of image consciousness but different. If furniture aesthetic is important to get your clients to walk in the door, then furniture comfort is just as important (if not more important) to help them feel at home. Employees will also appreciate the comfort of ergonomic furniture designed for posture support and to alleviate stress, increasing energy level and productivity. And of course, the boss can enjoy the comfort of a high back black leather office chair for his or her executive office.
3) Expansion You may be experiencing tremendous growth, but may not be prepared to hop ponds and move to a bigger office. If that's the case, then installing a better, more efficient and upgraded office furniture system to maximize space and number of stationed employees is the right solution for you. If you are planning on moving to a new office, you'll probably want to anticipate future growth anyway by installing a flexible office furniture system that allows for maximum head count. Workstations and cubicles do an effective job at managing space while balancing open air office layout with a level of privacy and comfort.
4) Storage Another case of running out of room, lack of good storage solutions is a common reason to upgrade your office furniture system and storage units. Many modern workstations and desks come with built in or configurable storage solutions, such as pedestal storage bins, overhead cabinets, shelves, drawers, and the like. Book cases and filing cabinets are a great way to organize your work and reduce pile up, clutter, confusion and duplication of loose account folders.
5) Functionality Are you working around your office furniture or is your office furniture working for you? If you find yourself hunched over to view the computer monitor, out of room to jot down notes, or unable to move the mouse because your tower is too far away because your feet have to have room... it's probably in part due to your office furniture. Adding office furniture accessories and components on top of your desk can be a patch up job, but can also clutter up your desk. Modern office furniture systems have built in solutions that resolve your common clutter and workstation usability issues.
6) Logistics Always bumping your co-worker on the way to the water cooler? Before you panic and run to the gym to shed a few pounds, consider whether your office furniture is to blame. If your current office furniture only allows for narrow passageways, has chairs too close together, or doesn't allow enough room for regular traffic flow of people, then it's probably a good time to upgrade your office furniture. This time, also consider hiring a space planning team that can recommend a layout that is an effective and comfortable fit for the number of people you currently have in your office or to plan for the number of people you wish to achieve in the future.
7) Stress Take a common sense look at your furniture: if it's broke, fix it. The pain-in-the-butt factor for judging if you need to upgrade your office furniture consists of tallying simple observations: If your office chair arm is falling off, if you can no longer adjust your seat, if your shelf needs to be carefully balanced in order to not fall, if you keep banging your leg on that pointy desk corner, if your desk has scratches and water marks all over it, or if your lobby seating is just plain ugly - then it's probably a good bet that you and your co-workers would feel less stressed and better off with an upgraded office furniture system.
8) Feng Shui A lot of people don't believe in it, and that's ok. Most people don't understand feng shui. But most people also aren't informed of the benefits that a feng shui office furniture arrangement can achieve, and the common sense principles behind its ancient philosophy. Just as you probably wouldn't paint your office pink and brown, because of your mental and visual associations with the colors and because of common sense, your common sense also suggests that out of practicality, you give feng shui treatment a try in your office. Feng shui office furniture arrangements can lend greater productivity and worker satisfaction to your office. Don't knock it 'til you try it.
9) Boost Morale Sometimes a change of pace and a change of place are just what the doctor ordered. If life at your work has dribbled into a dreary monotonous drawl, and productivity has worsened, your new office furniture system could be just the thing your employees need as an incentive and reward for their hard work.
10) Budget Of course, the appropriate budget is necessary for all investments. A budget surplus can lend even stronger rationale to upgrade your office furniture. But did you know that you can save thousands of dollars on perfectly beautiful, brand name, mint or near mint condition used office furniture by purchasing from an office furniture reseller? CubeKing, America's #1 office furniture discounter offers a low price guarantee for legitimate offers on used office furniture, and savings of up to 90%. Visit CubeKing.com today for more information and recommendations for upgrading your office furniture system.
