Your Ideal Office Environment

How you outfit your office plays a big role in your business results. The furniture and equipment in your office are a large factor in productivity. They may sit inert for the most part, unnoticed. But if they don't perform as needed the results can be increased back or wrist pain, more time consumed on tasks and lowered motivation.

The furniture, in fact all the items in the office, should be ergonomically designed. That means the manufacturer has taken into account a variety of human factors to make them perform optimally for you. Sure, 'ergonomic design' can be nothing more than marketing buzzwords. But when done well, the benefits are real.

Office productivity is also heavily affected by your choice of desktop computers, more so today than ever before. Good monitors are part of that. Those machines' value is often enhanced by being networked with a central office server, too.

But other equipment they connect to also plays a part. For many offices a good scanner or fax machine will see more activity than the company car. Shredders are key to security for others. A quality copier is indispensable for many. Depending on the type of business you have a great projector can be a make or break piece of equipment.

The guidelines you use in choosing any of these items is often as important as their price. Whether you buy in a retail store or online can affect not only the initial cost, but the long term value. Whether they're purchased used or new is equally important.

When you select your equipment and furniture, go beyond the dollar or other obviously practical issues, though. Consider such things as whether the items are attractive and reflect the 'personality' of the office and its occupants.

It may sound like nothing but a trivial esthetic issue, but it has important practical consequences. Furniture, equipment and accessories that have style - in particular a style that reflects the taste of its individual users - will have a definite impact on motivation. That factor may be harder to quantify, but it can easily outweigh many purely utilitarian considerations.

Consider the office chair you select, as an example. It has to have certain attributes - sturdiness, adjustability, comfort - in order to be a good value. But if, in addition, it adds a sense of style according to its user's tastes, the chair's value is increased manyfold. The typical office worker spends several hours per day in one. It helps enormously if he or she enjoys it.

There's as much art as science to evaluating office equipment, furniture or accessories. But there's nonetheless wide agreement on what is attractive and workable. Some office decor encourages you to get down to business, some other might make you dread it. Ever struggle for hours with an uncooperative copier, or look around the room and see shabby furniture? If so, then you understand.

Spend some time thinking about your ideal office environment. Then, step by step, choose well to make it real. You'll profit in numerous ways.