Cleaning Everest

When people talk about office furniture they can sometimes mean either large items such as chairs, tables, desks, filing cabinets, bins and other bulky items, or they can be referring to what is sometimes referred to as desk furniture.

Desk office furniture includes items such as pen holders, desk tidies, paper trays and letter holders or magazine racks. Because in almost any office it’s a balance between organising the large items as well as the small ones, just as in any successful business it’s important to keep an eye on the larger issues, as well as the small details.

Taking your eye off the larger issues can be like trying to work with an elephant in the room, but at the same time it is important not to forget the details, as they’re what tend to affect the larger scale issues.

In almost any office you’re bound to see different types of people, and this is often clear through their choices of either office furniture or desk furniture. There are those people who consider them to be rather utilitarian, with fairly straight forward, practical no-nonsense office furniture and desk furniture.

They have just enough paper trays to be organised without having such a vast library of options that it takes most of the morning just deciding which one of the trays a sheet of paper is best filed away in. Their chairs tend to be simple and practical, rather than large, comfortable versions of armchairs complete with built in massage systems, arm rests for those weary afternoons and of course the gas operated adjustments which allow for every conceivable angle short of horizontal.

But whilst utilitarian office furniture may be simple, practical and affordable it is in some cases best to consider other issues, including agronomical concerns, and visual or aesthetic issues.

Ergonomic office furniture is increasingly being considered in work places as businesses are now very much more aware of the long term health impacts of not having the right kind of office furniture.

Desks which are too high or too low, desks with no space underneath for legs to stretch, chairs which are not able to support the back correctly, and even mouse, keyboards and desktop monitors which represent real health risks in terms of RSI (repetitive strain injury) are all matters for concern.

Today we can often find ourselves sitting for hours at a time in the same chair, at the same desk, carrying out the same type of task, and if this continues day after day for weeks, months or even years, then it is crucial that the office furniture does not pose a risk.

Ergonomically designed office furniture such as fully adjustable chairs which support the back appropriately and encourage good posture are not only likely to cut down on health related problems and physical discomfort, but studies have shown that physical discomfort through poorly designed or poorly chosen office furniture can result in strains that lower energy levels, and reduce performance.

It is therefore entirely true to say that the choices you make in terms of choosing the most appropriate office furniture could easily impact on the eventual success, profitability and output of the business.

But it is also important to consider the aesthetic impact of both office furniture and desk furniture, and even the way in which the office is decorated. Drab, dreary utilitarian desk or office furniture and decor can lower moral, lower energy levels and lower performance.

It has been demonstrated that having a brighter colour on the walls such as blue or green increases feelings of energy, and even having a few pictures of grassy fields, blue skies or rolling oceans improves well-being and performance.

Reds and oranges considerably increase energy levels, although it’s important not to overdo such a colour scheme as it’s more likely to result in an office that’s more reminiscent of Hell.

By taking care to select office furniture which is well designed, suitable for the environment, ergonomically appropriate and visually pleasing it is certain that the health, welfare and performance of those working in the office space will be measurably improved.

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