If you are setting up your office for the first time or you're on a tight budget, your first concern when purchasing office furniture may be the price. However, it is important to not automatically purchase the cheapest furniture. Instead, you should look at the long-term benefits of more expensive, well-featured furniture and determine whether they justify the additional cost. Your office furniture should be considered a long-term investment that can save you money in many areas of your business if you choose the right furniture. Below are three benefits that may offset a higher cost, making more expensive office furniture a better option for your company. 

Fewer Health Problems and Worker's Compensation Claims 

Companies who implement a thorough ergonomic program in their office, including workplace assessment, ergonomic design, and employee education have saved up to $16 in worker's compensation claims for every dollar they have invested in their ergonomic program. This means that investing in high-quality, ergonomic furniture can be more cost effective than purchasing furniture that does not meet your employees' ergonomic needs. 

In an office setting, you need to be aware of desk height, chair height, and lumbar support. Providing standing desks or convertible desks can also reduce the physical strain caused by sitting throughout the workday. You may even consider fully reclining chairs, which will allow your employees to take a short, restive break at their work station. 

Higher Productivity 

Many aspects of your office furniture can affect employee productivity. Furniture should promote healthy working positions to reduce stress and allow your employees to concentrate on their work tasks.

Workstations should feature designs that eliminate clutter such as cables and wires and excess paper that your employee may use. Something as simple as purchasing a desk unit that has a hook for employees to hang their purse or laptop bag can reduce visual clutter and allow your employees to concentrate on their work. Similarly, purchasing a desk with a filing cabinet can keep important files at your employees' fingertips. Just how much can you increase employee productivity by giving them adequate organizational space? A study has shown that employees spend about a week each year looking for misplaced items in the office, which is time that can be spent working in a well-organized office. 

However, productivity goes beyond the individual workstation. Mobile furniture that your employees can reorganize to create a collaborative work space may be more expensive than stationary options, but it can help your employees communicate with each other effectively.

Better Employee Retention 

Finding and training new employees can be an expensive task. Besides the obvious cost of advertising and interviewing for the position, there are the hidden costs of low productivity during the new employee's training period and lost engagement in other employees, which ends up costing about 20% of the annual salary for mid-range positions. It has been found that 32% of staff turnover is related to discomfort in the workplace. High-quality office furniture can help increase employee satisfaction, especially if you take the time to understand what type of design and furniture your employees want. Employees that are satisfied with their office environment are less likely to leave the company. 

You do not necessarily have to purchase the most expensive furniture for your office. However, it is important to realize that your office furniture is more than just a tool for working. It is an investment in your company. Making the right choices about high-quality furniture that meets your specific needs can save you money in sick days and worker's compensation claims, increase employee productivity, and help you retain talented employees. For more information, contact office furniture companies.