Office Cubicles: Definitive Buyers Guide
How to Find an Ergonomic Office Desk?
While cubicles are often touted as a downside to any office environment, they can be great space-saving solutions. With the variety of cubicle choices out there today, you may be surprised at the ways they could help your office. However, if you don’t know what you are looking for, you could easily find yourself overwhelmed by the choices.
What do I need to know before I shop?
Unlike purchasing most office furniture, buying cubicles isn’t just about finding a design and a type that would look good with your décor. It is an involved process that requires you to work closely with us at NJ Office Furniture Depot.
In order to prepare yourself for the process of outfitting your office with cubicles and other systems furniture, you need to get familiar with your office space.
Perhaps the most important thing to know is the floor plan and measurements of the space you are going to outfit with systems furniture. These measurements must be exact. Provide us with your architectural drawings or files & we here at NJ Office Furniture Depot can take care of the rest. If you do not have architectural drawings or files – no problem we can measure your space for you & provide you with plans.Then, you must think about the employees who will be working in these cubicles. What do they spend their days doing? Talking on the phone? Working on the computer? Collaborating with one another to brainstorm or problem solve? Depending on their job description, their ideal cubicles could vary widely.
Finally, you have to remember to think about how the office will be laid out. You wouldn’t want an employee always interrupted by traffic going to and from the bathrooms, or a station that is constantly subjected to the noise of the shared printer. Remember, you don’t have to finalize any one arrangement, but it is good to be aware of possible disruptions so that you can start to plan around them. Because cubicles and other systems furniture is a big investment, it is important make sure you are getting what you want and need, the first time.
What kind of cubicles are available?
There are two main types of systems furniture: panel-mounted and freestanding. Panel-mounded systems furniture consists of furniture components (like desks, filing cabinets, etc.) that are mounded directly onto wall panels. Panel-mounted systems furniture and cubicles are highly versatile, offering office owners endless configuration options, and they can be a bit better and providing employees with a private, quiet place to work. The majority of the systems furniture and cubicles out there are now panel-mounted configurations. The freestanding systems furniture consists of separate panels that are placed around furniture configurations. Because freestanding cubicles are easy to reconfigure and move, they can be great for firms that often rearrange workspaces, or for highly mobile company’s that need fairly convenient quality workspaces.
What features are available for cubicles?
Cubicles can be suited to accomplish a number of tasks: block out noise, facilitate group work, or provide privacy. The trick to getting a cubicle to work for you instead of against you is making sure you choose features that enable you to get the look and the function that you want. Walls. Because we mentioned this previously, you know that cubicle walls come in a variety of heights—but what you may not know is that they come in a variety of materials as well. In addition to the standard particleboard and metal units, cubicles can have windows. While these can be aesthetically pleasing, keep in mind that they make the cubicle less effective at blocking noise. Power Sources. If your employees are going to use computers, phones, or any other electric device within their cubicle, they will need a power source. There are three power options you have: base-feed electricity (power that comes from an outlet plug in the wall), top-feed electricity (power that is dropped down from the ceiling), or the “utility pole” approach (where a non-structural pole is added to conceal wires being run from a point in the office.
Both base-feed and top-feed electric options require that you “electrify” each cubicle, and can be rather pricey. If your configuration allows it, you may wish to go with the “utility poles” option, as it works with the structure you already have in place to provide power to your systems furniture. Storage. Cubicles often have a variety of storage options to choose from—there will probably be several that fit your cubicle needs. They often include filing drawers, cabinets and shelves, wheeled pedestals, and freestanding shelves. Many systems furniture lines are set up to provide maximum opportunities for customization—allowing each unit to fit its task to a “T”. Task-specific accessories. For employees who frequently work on computers, there are often keyboard trays that adjust to the proper, ergonomic height. Some cubicle systems even offer entire work surfaces with adjustable height. You can often also get built-in bulletin boards, whiteboards, task lights, and hooks.
What sizes are cubicles available in?
There are several common cubicle sizes: 6’ x 6’, 6’ x 8’, and 8’ x 8’. However, cubicles can range from 2’ x 4’ for a call center workstation, to 12’ x 12’ for a manager’s cube. In addition to the footprint of the cubicle, you will need to decide on the cubicle’s wall height. They typically range from 34” to 85”, depending on how much privacy your employees require. Many employees like to be able to talk easily with their co-workers while having privacy while sitting, and 54” walls are a great way to accomplish that.
How do I know which cubicle system is right for me?
There are a few different factors to keep in mind when choosing cubicles for your office. Task. Why are you purchasing systems furniture for your office? Do you have a group of telemarketing or telecommunications employees that need a small workstation? Are you attempting to promote group dynamics with a “bullpen” arrangement? Do you want to provide a managerial office to a few employees for meetings and conferences? Keep your needs in mind, as they will strongly dictate the type of systems furniture you need to purchase. Make sure to tell your systems furniture dealer exactly what you need your cubicles for—they will be one of your “best friends” in the process of selecting and purchasing the right system. Flexibility. Do you plan on moving offices in the next few years? Will you eventually need to rearrange the current workspace to accommodate more employees? Will you eventually need these cubicles to serve a different sort of worker? If so, you may want to choose a system that allows you to rearrange components to fit a variety of needs. There are systems available that can work for several situations
