Best desks to grab on return to the office
Ready to return to your Cape Town office in 2022? The type of desk you use and where it’s located in the room could make a huge difference to your productivity, and help you work better with your colleagues and team members.
Our surroundings can have a huge impact on how productive we are in the office, and an uncomfortable desk layout and chair can make every minute feel like an hour.
Standing desks are all the rage nowadays, especially with many of us trying to shed those lockdown pounds. But there’s more to ergonomic office planning and a healthier office space than standing around all day – your desk layout could literally add zeros to your company’s bottom line.
In this article we look at the connection between desk type and arrangement and the psychology of productivity. Before you get back to business next year, now is a great time to make sure that you and your team are set up to succeed.
Sitting: the habit that health-positive companies just can’t stand
In recent years, one of our favourite pastimes has come in for criticism from medical experts.
Sitting in front of the TV after a long day at work or lounging in your favourite chair may be relaxing, but doctors are warning that a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to diseases like diabetes and heart problems – in fact they’re calling siting the “new smoking”.
- If you’re keen to encourage wellness amongst your colleagues, asking your company’s management to make standing desks an option could be a good place to start.
- Standing all day isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, so you’ll want to start slow – without making it mandatory – and stress the health benefits that standing can bring.
- Employees who would rather not stand or suffer from medical conditions that make this impossible for long stretches of time, also need healthy alternatives.
- If you’re in management, you could consider options like a green outdoor area where team members can take walks or a company health policy that subsidises gym memberships and other healthy activities
Don’t turn your back on optimal seating
Recent studies have highlighted the strong connection between where employees sit and their reported levels of happiness and productivity. Here’s the lowdown: window seats are in, and lonely cubicles are extremely out.
Time for employees to get the window seat – best desks
There’s something about sitting near a window that appeals to people, be they in an aircraft, at a restaurant, or in the office.
The visual interest that comes from having a view in front of your eyes and the sense of space and openness that a window provides are great for focus and relaxing between tasks.
For some team members, the old image of status associated with executives in the corner office is another factor that makes window seating highly desirable.
- When it comes to arranging your office desks, employees sitting by the window are likely to be more productive than workers stuck in cubicles or seated in rows or other formations.
- This means that traditional open plan offices will need to be redesigned with the needs of employees in mind – and the ‘hangover’ from the pandemic is providing the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Many of the modern Cape Town office spaces that we currently manage feature large windows, natural light and the potential for a flexible layout – exactly what a dynamic team needs to return to the office motivated in 2022.
Who’s that behind me? Opt for a protected back
The psychology of seating can have a strong effect on our comfort and productivity levels. The ideal position for many people to sit is with a “protected back” without anyone looking over their shoulder and a clear view of their colleagues in front of them.
In contrast, a seating arrangement that makes someone face a wall or noticeboard while people tap their keyboards and chatter behind them is a recipe for frustration and fatigue.
This makes a window filled office with flexible seating ideal for companies wanting to resume in-office operations soon – especially if you opt for swappable seats and a hybrid work model.
Letting people choose where to sit – and whether to sit or stand – will also help your team get used to being back at the office without the rigid seating layouts that so many workers used to complain about before the pandemic.
Get back in the driver’s seat with us in 2022
To make your return to the office a seamless and successful one, securing a modern commercial property in Cape Town with a flexible layout is key – and that’s where we come in.
Ready to start your journey back to the office? Contact the Commercial Space team today to view our portfolio of properties in the Mother City.
