We know that the central point of your work space is your desk
When you’re at work, you probably spend most of your time behind it. And obviously, it’s the place where most people keep their computers, phones, and important paperwork — it’s where business gets done!
Because of that, choosing the right desk for your Tampa Bay office space or for the offices of your employees or co-workers, is extremely important….and can be a little frustrating as there are a lot of options when it comes to buying new office desks.
How did you decide the best fit for your space? How do you decide what looks good? How do you decide what’s the best office desk solution for different employees?
To make the desk buying process a little easier, let’s take a look at a few things you might want to consider. The following suggestions offer a few good tips for buying office desks.
Cost or budget
First and foremost, you want to have an idea of how much you can afford to spend on a desk. A brand new Herman Miller desk might cost a few thousand dollars. A high quality, but used office desk from another brand like HON or Global might be had for a few hundred dollars.
Determining how many desks you need and what styles you’re interested in will help you define a budget.
Understanding Your Needs
Every office and every office worker has different needs. Some people need a small desk because their work is done mainly on a computer. Some employees need room to spread out paperwork, files and other equipment and so need a large amount of desktop space.
Perhaps you need an executive styled desk, an L-shaped or a U-shaped desk or something more streamlined.
Will you need storage space within the desk? Will you need room to write or draw? What about space for files, keyboards, laptops, speakers or pictures of the kids? It’s a lot to consider!
Aesthetics, looks and styling
Some offices have office furniture that are a mismatch of colors, styles and shapes. Some offices prefer to have all pieces of furniture match exactly (all pieces by the same furniture manufacturer or brand) or at least have things matching as much closely possible.
An experienced office furniture store consultant can help you determine how best to shop for furniture. You may be invited to view inventory online or in a warehouse. Or you may direct your consultant to ‘shop’ on your behalf because you know exactly what you’re looking for.
Determining which style office desks you want is important. Colors, fabrics and designs can play an important part in how your office space looks. Are you looking for a modern feel? Contemporary? Traditional?
Flexible and functional
Flexibility and functionality should be kept in mind as well, especially in high traffic areas or in office spaces where multiple employees might share one desk.
Important too is…does the desk need to fit with other pieces like storage pieces, nearby shelving or desktop space for printers.
A business owner may use their desk differently than an office manager or a front desk receptionist. Keeping in mind how the desks will be used is important.
Comfort
Comfort is often overlooked when Tampa area companies are shopping for the best office desks. When making an investment in your office furniture, it can be advantageous to actually sit down at the desk and make sure that it’s the right fit for you.
The is especially important if you or your employees spend a healthy part of your workday behind your desk. CPAs, attorneys, human resource folks, customer service agents and IT folks can sit 5 to 6 hours a day.
A comfortable office desk will help ensure that fatigue does not become an issue. It can also help employees avoid sore necks, wrists and backs.
Obviously, choosing the best office desk is important, but so is a comfortable office chair.
Select the best material
Desks are made out of a variety of materials — wood, pressed wood with veneers, glass top desks, metal desks and many other varieties of course.
You’ll want to select the best material that works within your preferred ‘look and feel’ as well as fits your needs for comfort and styling.
Metal and glass desks tend to be less inexpensive that wood desks.
Pick the right size
Measuring your current office space is key. You want a desk that fits the space, but is not too underwhelming or oversized.
Your desk will need to fit all the necessities you use day to day, which means the desk surface should be big enough for your computer or computer monitor, paperwork, organizational materials and personal items.
You will also need space underneath the desk for legroom, storage, cables and wires.
Consider the location
Your new desk should fit in your office without looking crammed into place. Measure the area you have available before buying a desk, taking into account the space you will need to fit your chair and any nearby furnishings, such as filing cabinets.
Again, it’s important to know where the desk will be located. You may opt for a brand new office desk in areas where visitors or clients come into the office. It might be completely suitable to purchase a used office desk for backrooms or other areas that visitors may not see.
Pick your features
Keyboard drawers, side drawers, drawers with locks and holes for cables are important features that should not be overlooked.
Understanding how you’ll use the desk is an important consideration. Most business owners need more than just empty surfaces for their monitors.
Get your office ready
If you’re having your new office furniture delivered, you’ll want to get the office space ready. That means getting rid of the old office furniture and cleaning the space before the new desk is delivered.
The company you buy your office desk from should arrange delivery and installation of your furniture.
Here’s what some customers have said about choosing the right desk
“I am pretty pragmatic when it comes to desks — I measure the office space and the current desk and then look for a desk that size (or close). As a taller, bigger guy the desk needs to have plenty of legroom for me.”
“My concern is always how to best hide the wires and cables coming off of the computer and printer I have on a desk. What’s the best way to conceal that?”
“For me, it was about fitting my laptop, detachable keyboard and mouse all on the desk at the same time. My original office desk was too small so I upsized.”
“I’m an engineer and had to fit three monitors with the computer itself underneath the desk. I needed a lot of room on the desktop for the monitors as well as for paperwork and files.”
“Keeping brand identity was important when we went shopping for used office desks. As a smaller ad agency, we wanted a nice look that matched our style, but also needed to outfit our new office within the small budget we had.”
“As an office manager, I’ve been tasked with making buying new office furniture many times. Often, ‘new’ furniture for our employees means nice looking but pre-owned furniture. We’re able to save a lot of money by buying used office desks and chairs.”
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Need help choosing an office desk? Office Furniture 911 can help. We’d love to hear from you!