If you think your workspace could use a furniture upgrade, chances are you’re not the only one feeling that way. But how do you convince the people in charge that new furniture will be a good investment? Here are four points to bring up in your discussion:
- Good office design has a positive effect on employee morale and retainment. A 2017 study from IPSOS found that 70 percent of respondents who work in an office report wishing their workplace would consider a design upgrade. Why? Old and outdated office furniture and décor can make a space feel dreary, resulting in a negative effect on employee morale. Whether it’s the lack of meeting spaces hindering employee collaboration or wall-to-wall beige cubicles making employees feel tired, outdated design rarely does any good. Remind your office manager that modern innovations in office furniture are made to improve workplace communication and employee morale, and include innovative designs such as touchdown meeting spaces, open concept workstations, and breakroom getaways. The right design does so much more than make your office look good.
- Up-to-date office furniture and décor leaves a positive first impression on clients and guests. The same study showed that 76 percent of adults between the ages of 18 and 34 and 55 percent between the ages of 35 and 54 say office design and aesthetics influence their overall impression of a company. What does that mean for the business? In short, first impressions matter. Broken or out-of-style seating in the waiting room and unattractive or chipped tables in your conference rooms will not leave new visitors with a positive impression of your business. Whether you’re trying to hire in-demand new talent or you need to impress a visiting client, new furniture and décor in a clean, professional style will almost certainly help.
- A beautiful office isn’t beyond any budget. The company you work for doesn’t need to go over budget just to create an up-to-date office everyone can enjoy. While you may draw inspiration for your office makeover from high-end contract furniture dealers, let your office manager know that similar styles of similar quality can be found from less expensive “mid-grade” dealers. Trends are always changing, and with new styles constantly being designed and redesigned, chances are pretty good that the way-too-expensive desk you’ve been eyeing is available in a slightly different variant from a more cost-effective source.
- Bringing new furniture into the space is an easy update. Whether you’re looking to improve employee happiness or give guests a positive impression of your office, bringing new furniture and décor into the space is a relatively cost effective way to give your office a boost in aesthetics. Moving to a new building or putting up new walls is not only costly, it’s also a large undertaking that will take some serious time and labor. Adding the right furniture is a great workaround when moving and rebuilding is out of the question. Need more conference rooms? Add touchdown seating to an open area of the office rather than building a new room. Need more privacy in your open-concept workspace? Bring in mobile room dividers rather than completely changing the workstation setup. There are plenty of options available for achieving a look and feel that will work for your business and your employees’ needs.
Whether your old office furniture lacks modern functionality or simply could use a boost in style, there are plenty of good reasons for your business to update its furniture every so often. Keep the lines of communication open between employees and office managers to ensure everyone’s voice is heard and the best furniture is selected for your needs.
Dean Stier is Chief Marketing Officer at National Business Furniture. His experience in product development and marketing has helped him understand what drives office furniture purchase decisions.
