10 things corporate companies aren't telling you about your office furniture, to save costs

The human resources management recently made some changes with regards to placing greater attention and care on the needs of the employees. The happier the employee, the better scores in productivity. Does your company take proper care of how furniture impacts you?

Unlikely. Most companies are looking to save costs and the first thing to sacrifice is what seems unnecessary or a luxury – office furniture.

Let’s take a look at 10 common things that companies don’t talk about:

1. Short-term vs. long-term investment

When deciding to invest in office furniture, you have two options: A short-term investment, meaning that you spend quick and low because you have bigger plans in the future, hence you don’t need “serious” furniture now; or long-term investment, where you plan to buy furniture to last long and answer to the needs of the work place.

When buying office furniture, many companies make the mistake of not thinking this through. Even though they plan to use the furniture for a long time and invest money in it maybe once at 10 years, corporate companies choose cheap and unhealthy furniture in order to save money.

2. Refurbished vs. new

Taking time to plan the office furniture can actually save costs without compromising the health of the employees or their productivity. Think of buying refurbished furniture that has a lower cost and possibly a higher quality. New furniture is usually more expensive and is manufactured in the single-use trend. However, if you plan for a long-term investment, you can find office furniture dealers and companies that sell high-quality furniture at a reasonable price.

3. Health vs. budget

Most corporate companies are not willing to spend on office furniture so they will choose plastic, easy design chairs and tables. However, the health of the employees will suffer. Blood circulation can be hindered by tough materials with a rigid design. The position of the spine will be modified because of spending long hours on an uncomfortable chair.

Did you know that the more time you spend on a chair, the shorter your life expectancy will be?

Add to this an uncomfortable sitting position and you get serious health problems.

4. Cheap vs. quality

Buying cheap furniture can mean a setback in quality. Buying furniture made from two panels and three nails that crumbles at the minimum use, means a waste of money and additional costs on repairs or new furniture.

5. Open-office trend

The trend in corporate companies is the open-office layout. But guess what? It wasn’t fashioned in order to strengthen the community at the work place or to encourage communication, it was designed to cut the costs.

6. Impact on productivity

Since employees spend more time at work than at home, they need to have the comforts of home in order to work properly. Uncomfortable positions are painful; employees get tired faster and drop in productivity.

7. No eco-friendly

Most cheap or easy-to-get furniture has a high rate emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to the use of solvents such as paints, stains, and glues. It affects the health of the employees such as the breathing system and it also hinders the environment.

8. Furniture functions

What do you need furniture for? A simple desk and a chair is enough – this is what corporate companies might think. They save costs by restricting the functions of furniture; they are not willing to invest in a small bookcase or in a cute footstool that can encourage the blood circulation while sitting down. For the health conscious have a look at a Standing Desk.

9. Companies change

Or better said... employees change. Corporate companies that have hundreds of employees won’t invest too much in their comfort. They know employees change monthly or maybe once at three months. If the company grows they won’t invest because the furniture will change, as well; if the company gets smaller...no use investing in comfortable furniture.

10. Office space, employee space?

Employees like to personalise their working space in order to feel more motivated and cosy. Employers... don’t like that. However, a compromise can be made. There are cheap ways to let employees personalise their office, easy to remove, easy to attach.

Keep your office inviting, comfortable and pleasant for your employees and visitors alike by providing them with the most affordable office furniture in Cape Town.

Here at OfficeScene our consultants are trained to know what works best for your desired situation and budget, contact us today to get the right advise for your office.