There’s a point in many workplace projects when the list starts growing. You need new workstations, better chairs, updated meeting rooms, more privacy, new finishes, different collaborative areas, and the list goes on.

Suddenly, what started as “We should probably update the office” can feel like a very big project, but it doesn’t have to.

One piece of advice our COE design team wants clients to know is simple: it’s okay to work through a workplace update in phases.

You don’t necessarily have to change everything at once. What matters is understanding your priorities, protecting the things that are most important, and making decisions that contribute to the workplace you ultimately want to create.

Start With the Problem, Not the Product

When people begin thinking about new workplace furniture, it’s tempting to jump immediately into products.

Which desk?

Which chair?

Which finish?

Which lounge collection?

But before making those decisions, start somewhere else: What are we trying to improve?

Maybe employees need more comfortable workstations, or the current environment doesn’t offer enough options for different types of work. Maybe certain areas simply aren’t serving the organization the way they need to anymore, or you know it’s time for a refresh but aren’t entirely sure what that should look like yet.

The good news is, you don’t need a furniture list to start the process. You only need an understanding of what’s most important to you and your team.

It’s Okay to Work in Phases

Refurnishing an entire workplace can feel intimidating, particularly if selecting commercial furniture isn’t something you do every day. Our design team’s advice? Give yourself permission to prioritize.

Determine which aspects of the workplace matter most and work from there. A phased approach can make a larger project more manageable while keeping the bigger picture in view. Budget will naturally be part of those conversations, but price shouldn’t be considered in isolation.

Making sacrifices on the things you’ve identified as most important can create a different problem: ending up unhappy with the result and spending more later to redo something that didn’t meet the need in the first place. So the goal isn’t necessarily to find the least expensive way to change everything. It’s to make thoughtful decisions about what should come first.

Know Where You Don’t Want to Compromise

One area that comes up repeatedly with our design team is ergonomics.

Styles will always change and finishes evolve, but furniture that supports the people using it is one area that will always matter.

That’s especially true of the task chair.

Think about how much of the workday someone may spend sitting in it. Our team compares investing in a good task chair to investing in a good mattress: when you spend that much time using something, comfort and support deserve consideration.

Adjustability matters, too. People don’t all have the same bodies, so providing furniture that can adapt to the person using it can make ergonomics a more meaningful part of the everyday workplace experience.

For an organization trying to determine where to begin, the furniture employees interact with throughout the day may deserve a place near the top of the priority list.

You Don’t Have to Be a Furniture Expert

There’s another reason workplace projects can feel overwhelming: Most of our clients don’t do this every day.

We do.

You shouldn’t have to walk into a workplace project already knowing which chair, workstation, material, or product is right for you. In fact, part of the value of working with an experienced sales and design team is having people who can ask questions you may not have considered yet.

Our team may notice a need you hadn’t identified. They may know about an option you didn’t realize existed. Or they may be able to help you determine where an investment will make the biggest difference, and where you can wait.

Asking for advice isn’t a sign that you aren’t prepared for the project. It’s simply part of the process.

Good Design Starts With Good Questions

Instead of arriving with every answer, start with what you know.

What’s working?

What’s frustrating?

What do you want your workplace to do better?

What’s most important to your organization?

What’s your budget?

What needs to happen now, and what could be part of a future phase?

Those conversations give us somewhere meaningful to begin. From there, we can help prioritize needs, explore possibilities, and build a plan that makes sense for your workplace.

Remember, you don’t have to redesign everything tomorrow. And you don’t need to have the entire project figured out before you call. Tell us where you are today and where you’d like to go.

We’ll help you figure out what comes next.

Connect with our team to get started.