The coronavirus pandemic has had a massive impact on every aspect of our lives, including the way we work. You may have been launched into home-working for the very first time, with little guidance on how to set up a comfortable working space, or you might be struggling to fit in work around home-schooling your kids. Here are a few tips from HSI on how to be productive, comfortable and positive while working from home.
Get dressed
I know, who wants to put proper clothes on when we have a legitimate reason to spend all day in pajamas? But getting dressed will help you mentally prepare for the day, and draw a line between you-time and work-time, making it easier to focus.
Set up a comfortable, quiet working area
You won’t get much done if you’re slumped on the sofa, especially if the temptation of the TV remote is too much to resist, and it won’t be good for your back either. Ideally, you want to set up a home office, perhaps in the spare room, where you won’t be disturbed. It’s worth investing in a decent office chair and desk – it’ll improve your posture and reduce the strain on your muscles and joints. If you haven’t got space for a full home office, find a quiet space where you can sit comfortably at a table. If you’re short on space, try an ergonomic stool rather than a swivel chair.
Stick to a schedule
You’ll be much more productive if you try and stick to your regular working schedule. Wake up at your normal time, get dressed and get started. Make sure you take a proper break at lunchtime too. Move away from your working area and eat your lunch elsewhere or, even better, go for a walk. If you’re trying to balance work and childcare, set up a rota with your partner so that one of you works while the other watches the kids. You could swap over every two hours, or whatever works for you.
Plan out your day
When you’re working from home, you have to be your own task manager. First thing in the morning, make a list of everything you want to get done during the day, and keep referring back to it. It’ll help to keep you focused, rather than checking social media one more time because there’s no one there to stop you. Plus, it’s quite satisfying ticking off task after task on your list.
Stay connected
Working from home can feel rather lonely if you’re used to the buzz and camaraderie of a busy workplace. Check in with your colleagues using video calls rather than just email, if you can – seeing your workmates’ faces will help you feel more connected and motivated.
Log off and enjoy your evening
Don’t let the boundaries between work life and personal life become blurred just because they’re taking place in the same house. If you’re sitting on the sofa scrolling through work emails at 10pm, you never truly get to switch off. Set a time to finish work for the day, switch off your laptop and relax. It might help to change out of your “work” clothes, take a shower or head outside for some fresh air – anything that helps you draw a clear line between your working day and your evening.
HSI stock a huge range of office chairs, desks, stools and storage options to create your perfect home office and see you through these strange times. Email us at sales@hsifurniture.co.uk to find out more.
If you spend the majority of your working life sitting at a desk, correct posture is really important. If your chair and screen are in the right positions it can help to reduce strain on your back, eyes and ligaments. Getting it wrong puts extra pressure on your muscles and discs, and can lead to backache and fatigue.
So how can you ensure you’re sitting correctly? Sit in your chair, relax your shoulders and look at your screen. Your elbows should be slightly higher than the desk surface and your thighs should be at a 90-95 degree angle to your upper body. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your eyes should be in line with the top of your screen. Adjust your chair and screen height until you’re in the right position. If your feet still aren’t resting flat on the floor, you may need a footrest.
Then, adjust the horizontal part of your seat – that’s the bit you actually sit on – until you are sitting firmly and comfortably against the back pad. You should have a small gap between the front of the seat and the back of your knees.
Now adjust the height of the backrest so that it sits in the small of your back. This is crucial for providing lumbar support and maintaining the natural inward curve of your lower spine.
Put your arms in your regular working position, for example typing on a keyboard or moving a mouse. They should be ever so slightly higher than your work surface.
Finally, release your chair’s locking mechanisms – seat and back – to allow it to move freely. As the chair moves, it will encourage your muscles to work, which helps your circulation.
We offer a wide range of ergonomic chairs from leading brands, all designed to ensure your work environment is comfortable. With a variety of fabric options available, as well as free delivery and installation (T&Cs apply), you’ll be sure to find an option that complements your existing office design and budget.
Click here to find out more. For a free quote or advice, get in touch on 0118 9883009 or email us at sales@hsifurniture.co.uk.
For every company, there comes a point when things need a refresh. When that dreaded day arrives, it can feel like an overwhelming obstacle. You may not have enough money left in the budget to buy brand new, or enough time to dispose of all your old furniture. On the other hand, it’s not going to help your company’s image or sales if your clients have to sit on ripped, shabby chairs during pitches and meetings. The fact is, office updates are an essential part of good business. It keeps things modern, fresh and clean, and makes a good first impression on potential customers. With us, refreshing your office furniture doesn’t have to be a huge project to tackle. Choose to renovate your office furniture and you’ll save time, money, and the environment too.
Style Savvy
Almost any item can be reupholstered and given a new life. Office chairs, reception sofas and general seating are all perfect candidates. The beauty of our service is in its versatility. We provide a large selection of high quality fabrics – including leather – with different colours and patterns to choose from. You can also provide your own fabric. Existing furniture can be further refreshed with replacement arms, new seats and backs, and antistatic castors. Have a look at our before and after photos to see what we can do.
Cost Effective
Office furniture renovation can cut your expenses by up to 50%! As well as the obvious saving (no need to buy new furniture) you’ll also be eliminating costly disposal fees for your old furniture. We offer free advice and quotes to get you started, as well as free delivery within a 50 mile radius of Reading (T&Cs apply). Standard turnaround time is 7-10 business days, but our experienced professionals may be able to complete in a quicker timeframe if required. When it comes to French polishing, the job can be done on site in your office! Thorough cleaning is also covered in the cost so that your furniture is totally transformed. And the best news? All of these services are covered by a 12-month warranty, so you can rest easy knowing your pieces will stay intact.
Eco Friendly
As if you needed another reason to reupholster, here’s a great one: you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint and your company’s impact on the environment. In the UK alone, more than 22 million items of furniture are thrown out each year, creating a huge amount of carbon dioxide emissions that could be avoided if we simply upcycled old or tired items. What’s more, keeping these items out of landfill prevents additional waste from being created during the manufacture of replacement items. When you renovate your furniture, you’re not only driving business and saving money, you’re also having a positive impact on our planet.
Ready to give your furniture a new lease of life?
Click here or call us on 0118 9883009 to talk to us about office furniture renovation and reupholstering.
Refurbishing office furniture, as opposed to buying new, has a lot of environmental and cost benefits, and more
Cost benefits
Choosing refurbished office furniture makes a big impact on the difference in price. Buying new furniture can be extremely expensive, in fact a new set of furniture often doesn’t fit the budget for most businesses. It also takes more time to wait for new furniture to be manufactured and shipped.
Refurbished desks often save more office space and increase productivity in the workspace by 35%
As much as £90,000 can be saved in office space costs per year
If you intend to grow and expand your business, this is even more reason to not purchase new furniture and opt for refurbished ones and not waste extra time or money.
Office desks which are refurbished cost around 30%, or less, than the expense for new desks, so the amount that you save can be seen immediately.
Refurbished furniture typically comes with a 1-5-year warranty, which is the equivalent of new furniture.
Environmental benefits
When you purchase new furniture for your office, it takes resources to have this new furniture made, and to ship it causes an environmental impact.
Every ten office desks which are refurbished save up to a tonne of C02
Approximately 1.8 million office chairs and 1.2 million office desks end up in a landfill in the UK every year.
Refurbishing an office desk, for example, can cut its carbon footprint by 36%. Replacement of the desk top cuts its footprint by 18%. An office chair’s carbon footprint can be reduced to as much as 45%
Any office furniture which is left over after refurbishment, because it’s very common in offices that refurbish to have some of their old furniture unneeded, can be donated to schools or charities.
Other advantages
Refurbishing furniture is actually a popular trend in design, and is becoming more and more favoured, not just because of the benefits mentioned above. Refurbishing office furniture gives you a chance to reinvent the look of your office. You can repaint or even redesign the furniture completely. No one will even be able to tell that it’s a refurbished item.
It also gives your office a more unique look, which can improve the moods of your employees and reduce stress.
Refurbished furniture also tends to last much longer than new.
With new furniture, the resale value is much lower than the original. However, quality refurbished furniture can be resold at a high value, often higher than the original price. It has proven to be a very worthy investment.
If you think that refurbished furniture will make your office look shabby, you are completely wrong. As I already mentioned, refurbishing office furniture is the direction most businesses are going towards, because it can be made to look modern, and even better than new furniture.
Looking for office furniture that upgrades the office to a modern, 21st-century place?
Sometimes, it may be hard to find a place with furniture affordable and modern, but at HSI Office Furniture, we have a large selection to fit your needs. A good office keeps it nice and simple with their chairs, desks, tables, storage units, and shelves amongst other things.
From the front door down to the coffee room, all must be presented to others with a warm, friendly manner that impresses the eye. Right here in Berkshire, HSI has all you are looking for.
We have many types of chairs for every person and every occasion. A chair for an executive, a chair for the boardroom, a chair for the reception, booth, and regular meetings all come from our selection.
Quality mesh office chairs for all budgets with models with and without arm rests, all unique with the ability to adjust for comfort. Then, there’s the large range of meeting chairs in the cantilever and standard leg styles, all fitted in your preference of fabric and color. For those who want ergonomic chairs, HSI Office Furniture has them to with the Posturemax for users who want extra back support and can take on extra weight.
Then there are our selection of desks, for individuals, bench style, sit & stand, and executive style. The best selling individual ‘Qore’ deskis up to the highest standards with its versatility and configuration for all floor plans in all offices.
The sit & stand desk can be adjusted to where a person could stand at their desk while working instead of being immobile in a chair. The Zenith Executive is built with clean lines and a retro finish and chrome legs in different lengths, all coming with a sliding door cupboard underneath and two drawers.
Nothing is complete in an office besides storage. At HSI Furniture, we can supply the office with cupboards, filing cabinets, and lockers courtesy of Bisley. The filing cabinets come in 2 to 5 drawers, all with a master lock, and built with full extension pulling it out. The lockers come in multiple sizes, which means multiple compartments, and presented with a multiple color palette. The tambours have sliding doors to save on space, reinforced with metal for sturdiness to keep everything in place. And, our mobile pedestals comes in its neutral fashion, an interlock that allows only one drawer at once, and a strong welded steel case.
In addition, HSI has furniture for reception and break rooms, plus accessories for all the cables being used and power modules. It has the same benefits like other pieces mentioned above. HSI sells furniture, as well as reupholsters and refurbishes them when the time is needed. And all of this is delivered straight to your office. Call or send an email to get started on creating the perfect office.
1. Cost and Budget
It is important to note that the most expensive office desks are not necessarily the best. You need to consider how much you are willing to spend on an office desk, and how many you will be needing. Only then can you look into what type of office desks you want based on your estimated budget.
2. Space
How many desks you will need depends on how many employees you have and how large or small your office is. It is important not to crowd the office space too much, so avoid bulky desks. If the office is cramped your employees won’t be able to move around freely and this could lower their moods and thus decrease productivity.
Depending on how you arrange the furniture to fit the room can make your office appear more spacious than it really is, so calculations and research should be done beforehand.
3. Aesthetic
The colour and design of your office desks can influence the atmosphere of your office. Consistency in colour is very important, as it helps create calmness. It’s fine to have a variety of a few different colours, but not every desk should be a different colour otherwise it can just look messy and chaotic.
4. Durability
The material which you choose your office desks to be made out of affects the durability and can even affect safety. This is because wooden furniture tends not to last as long as other materials, and wooden desks are also a fire hazard.
5. Weight
It is not wise to choose desks which are heavy. This is not only because placing them into your office will be more difficult, but for the future as well; should you choose to move things around, perhaps because it is necessary or just because you want a different placement, it will be easier if the desks are lightweight.
6. Comfort
Keep your employees in mind. They will be spending all of their time at these desks, so you want something that gives them plenty of leg space no matter their height, and you want your employees to have enough space to keep their things on their desks without it looking too cluttered. Perhaps your employees need to write things both on paper and on their computers, so they will need enough space to do so comfortably.
Hygiene is also a part of comfort. It is important to purchase office desks which don’t stain easily and that are quick and easy to keep clean.
7. Functionality
Take into consideration how functional the office desks are that you are purchasing. Do they have enough drawers? This depends on how you manage your office as well – if you and your employees store most of your data on computers, then it isn’t so important,and you don’t need too many drawers. However, if you have a lot of paperwork and files, then you’ll need desks with more storage capacity.
Offices are now having to be on the cutting edge in both technology and on their furniture.
No more drab flooring and seating for the office; it is the 21st-century and offices have to show their modernity. But how much can you afford for new chairs and desks? The size matters based on location and room. What choices are out there that you can decide from?
This is where HSI Furniture comes in. At HSI Furniture, we don’t just have all the decor you need, but we can help from the very beginning in your effort for an office upgrade.
First, contact us to discuss your needs and we can give some advice for you to understand requirements, the options we have, and even arrange a free site survey to see what will fit well in each room.
HSI Furniture is based in Reading, Berkshire and we sell office furniture throughout the Southeast including the entire borough of London. Deliveries are free within 50 miles of Reading; orders under £300 will have a delivery cost. And, if you want to get rid of your old furniture, we can arrange to move them out for a small fee.
HSI Furniture is also good at renovating and fixing any tears in your chairs and couches. If it is in good quality, we can help re-upholster it at a cost 50% less than regular upholstery services. We are happy to quote and advise on fixing things and what to do with all furniture and any repairs can be supplied with high quality parts from the leading manufactures. Pick from the various fabrics and colours that match what you desire because HSI Furniture has it. Work turnaround in renovating any part is 7 to 10 days. All types of furniture being re-upholstered will have a 12-month warranty.
But, that’s not all, as we help check and label all chairs fit to use with every chair supplied or fixed by our repair team. Everything from HSI Furniture will meet UK standards. All fabrics and foams used in new and upholstery services will be made towards UK fire regulations. Compared to most online businesses,the furniture will arrive at the office completely assembled, not in boxes. All chairs will come in immediate to use and all large furniture will be delivered per instructions and based on access to the building.
We have a long list of furniture to choose from and our services in shipping and renovating has been part of HSI Furniture’s 30 years of service.
Call us (0118 9883009) or send us an email to one of our friendly team members for a free quotation. We serve the Southeast to make things better for all offices and a more comfortable business setting.
Most businesses, when it is time to refurbish or expand their offices, immediately begin to search for new furniture to buy for their new offices. This is actually a huge mistake, because it is the choice which costs the most, and the worst thing that you can do for the environment.
Which is the best?
Used, second-hand, and refurbished office furniture are the top choices.
This is because the only environmental disadvantage is the transport to move it which causes a carbon footprint. Purchasing new furniture and having it manufactured is much worse for the environment and the footprint is much larger.
The difference in cost is also huge. Purchasing all new furniture for your office often goes over the intended budget, and furniture which is second hand is much less costly.
Refurbished office furniture tends to last even longer than new furniture as well.
Also, the resale value of new furniture drops by a large amount, whereas with refurbished furniture it can actually increase after purchase. So, in the long run, refurbished furniture is actually a good investment.
Any disadvantages?
Purchasing second-hand and/or refurbished furniture means that it might not be in tip-top condition, but is often worth it because of the unique look it can give your office. You can also find refurbished furniture which looks very modern.
It is possible that some refurbished furniture may be sold without any warranty, so check for this because most can be sold with a 1-5-year warranty just like new furniture.
So, the advantages seem to outweigh the disadvantages.
Second best?
The next best choice for your office furniture would be re-manufactured furniture.
Re-manufactured furniture is ideal if your office is made up of steel and aluminium bases on chairs and desks, because it is reused, and softer parts are replaced.
It meets the needs and budget of clients, and it’s cheaper than buying new furniture but is the same in quality.
It’s better for the environment and has the same warranty.
The only difficulty with this option is that you need to find a re-manufacturer that agrees with your specifications and can meet the quality you want. Re-manufacturing is a good option but only if it’s done properly, so you have to ensure that you find a good provider.
To conclude, purchasing all new furniture for your office may seem like the obvious choice but it is not the right way to go. Nowadays, there are so many other options which are better for your pocket and the environment and, unfortunately, not everyone is aware of this.
Our new office ergonomics brochure is packed full of solutions for a happier and healthier work force, including:
- Electric Sit-Stand desks
- Sit-Stand desk converters
- Pneumatic height adjustable desks and tables
Download the office ergonomics brochure here.
We supply ergonomic seating with inflatable lumbar support, coccyx cut out, memory foam seat and free float mechanisms that follow the user’s dynamic movement. We also supply chairs to suit heavier users upto 31 stone. Please get in touch and we can recommend a chair to suit your needs.
We are pleased to introduce this robust & sturdy electric sit stand desk, easy to operate and quick to alternate between sitting and standing. The desk is equipped with a simple to use controller with programmable memory & LED display. The power ful dual motors make changing between sitting & standing fast and easy and the user can set reminders to change between sitting and standing to reduce lond periods of sitting. The desk frame is telescopic allowing it to support desktop widths from 1100mm – 2200mm to suit your requirements. For a tidy work space a cable management tray is included. there are a choice of attractive desk top colours and the sturdy frame may be specified in silver or white. For pricing information, please click here.
