Purchasing from an office furniture store is often done out of necessity. A chair breaks, a table loses a leg, a projection screen tears. And with any business, the bottom line matters, which can lead to cutting corners with things that seem expendable. Who needs a fancy table when any standard table will do, right?

In an office, people obviously are the key factor when it comes to productivity and efficiency. But the environment can be incredibly important as well. If employees feel uncomfortable in their workspace, or are dealing with faulty equipment and products, it can lead to frustration and a lack of motivation. Below are some examples of items you could pick up from an office furniture store that will help improve efficiency.

Tables

Office tables should be able to facilitate collaboration and teamwork. A large, plain table that puts everyone far away from each other is not conducive to creating a team. Many offices are moving away from the stereotypical long conference tables. Not every office furniture store has the amount of variety in tables that others do. This is why it is so important to shop around.

The more mobility and functionality, the better. Instead of getting one long table, another option is to get a number of smaller tables that can easily be moved around. This allows for multiple setups like one large group for presentations or breaking out into smaller groups. Round tables are also great for collaboration because it keeps everyone in each other’s sights, so no one is at the end of the table, being ignored.

Desks

Like tables, desks can also be a huge asset—or an even bigger liability. Whether the office is a call center, marketing agency, IT, or anything else, desks are going to be where many employees spend most of their day. Ensuring that the desks are both functional and comfortable is very important.

There also needs to be a healthy mix of collaboration and privacy, which varies depending on the industry. Some offices have moved to completely open plans where there are no walls between desks. This works great for an office setting where people are expected to do work together. But for a scenario like a call center or journalism, where people should be able to focus on their own work, more partitions are better. Check the office furniture store for what types of partitions and desks are available.

Filing and Storage

Filing papers is a necessity for most offices. And anyone who has had to file years’ worth of papers knows they can quickly become disorganized and messy. By having the best filing and storage products, things will be able to be recalled more quickly, saving valuable time on the job.

Office leaders wondering why their team is not working as efficiently as they should be must consider whether the tools are there for them to work optimally. And this does not just mean the best computers and printers (although those do help). Everything from the chairs to the lighting can affect the ability of employees to work optimally with their office furniture. Purchases should not be made before learning what your employees may need to help make the office a better environment for all.