Office desks are the place where your staff spend most of their working day. This means it is essential to choose well-designed and durable workstations built to meet the demands of a modern organisation. In selecting desks, London-based companies have to consider a range of factors, including the need to make the best use of office space.
Desks may tend to be taken for granted, but they are not all the same. Choosing the right design can help to keep staff healthy and engaged, and, as a result of this, could also boost your productivity.
Fitout contractors Thames Contracts have extensive expertise of office refurbishment projects across London and the surrounding area, including installation of office desks and other furniture and fittings.
Using Space
Developments in technology have seen desk construction change over recent years. It used to be necessary for desks to be heavy enough to take the weight of old-style PCs. But, now that computers are slimmer and take up less space, workstation design has evolved accordingly, with each unit often being lighter and smaller than in the past.
With workspace in London now at a premium, it is helpful if more desks can be incorporated into a smaller footprint, for instance by using modular design. However, health and safety regulations and staff comfort need to be borne in mind. Carrying out office space planning gives an opportunity to look at how best to organise desks within your premises. For instance, it may be a good idea to include some flexible space, where extra desks can easily be added if needed.
Style and Practicality
These are two considerations that need to be looked at together. Choosing desks with the right look is part of the branding which is an important aspect of a new office design. For instance, more traditional materials may be chosen to go with wood panelling in a legal office, while more modern furnishings might be preferred in a high-tech atmosphere.
However, it is also essential that the desks you choose are durable and able to stand up to the demands of everyday use. All the models we provide are of top quality, with a wide range of styles available. We can help you to look at the options and decide which design is right for your workplace.
Storage and Technology
One key aspect of choosing desks is to consider your requirements for storage. Although more data is now stored digitally, for some types of work there is still the need to keep files and papers. Staff may also require traditional drawers to store equipment. Desks can be integrated with filing cabinets and other storage facilities within the workplace.
At the same time, workstations also need to be constructed so that the right technological connections can easily be made, for instance with space for cabling. We build in data and power supplies as part of the office fitout process, and can advise you on where to provide extra capacity for the future.
Ergonomics
This is an increasingly important aspect of desk design. Staff spending hours at their desks need to be comfortable, to avoid the risk of them suffering backache or strain injuries. It is also important to productivity for staff to be comfortably seated. Modern office chairs and desks thus need to incorporate features which allow the workstation easily to be adapted to the individual user, with equipment at a comfortable height.
Standing desks, or those which can be adapted from a sitting to a standing position, are now being introduced in some workplaces. Some research studies have suggested that these types of desk can help to make staff more energetic and productive, as well as reducing the risk of back pain.
Fitting Desks to Work Patterns
With a growth in part-time and flexible working, many offices have introduced an element of hot-desking. This means a need for computer desks which can easily be adapted for different users. Another trend is for a greater focus on team working, with several members of staff collaborating on a project. Choosing desks which can be fitted together, or larger shared desks for some areas of the office, may help to enable this.
However, privacy also needs to be considered, since putting desks closer together can lead to staff distracting one another. This could be a problem in a call centre environment where people are constantly on the phone. Including office partitioning within the design can help to avoid this, shutting out noise, which will in turn help productivity and staff engagement. We are experts in installing office partitions and can advise you on how these can be integrated into your workspace.
Office Desks from Thames Contracts
London-based Thames can provide a wide range of office desks to suit the needs of your organisation as part of our office refit service. We will start by discussing your needs with you, visiting your workplace and planning out the space. We take your priorities on board and deal with contractors so that you don’t have to, managing the whole project from start to finish.
Office Desks London – Follow the link to find out more about how Thames can work with your organisation.