Choose settings before counting desks
Separate focused work, short conversations, scheduled meetings and breaks. A headcount alone does not reveal how many desks or meeting seats are needed. Record attendance patterns, assigned versus shared desks and equipment used at each setting. For example, a team with shared desks may need individual lockers, while a team handling paper records may need secure storage next to assigned workstations.
Coordinate furniture with technology
Confirm monitor arrangements, desktop equipment, sockets and cable routes before approving workstation drawings. Check how service teams will reach cables after installation, and whether modesty panels or drawers obstruct that access. Furniture drawings should identify cutouts and cable trays; electrical installation and any specialist acoustic requirements belong with the qualified project advisers responsible for those systems.
Assess the sample as a working station
Review a chair and desk together, using the equipment that will actually be installed. Check adjustment controls, leg clearance, drawer access and the space needed to pull the chair back. Examine the selected finish under the office lighting. Ask how worn glides, handles and upholstery can be replaced, and keep an approved sample reference so later orders have a clear comparison point.
Plan delivery by occupied area
A refurbishment may need floor-by-floor delivery so people can continue working. Assign every item a location code and agree where cartons will be received, held and assembled. A useful illustrative package groups workstations and their matching storage by floor rather than by factory. Record who accepts deliveries, removes packaging and reports missing parts before the first shipment leaves China.
Project checklist
Before requesting a quotation
- Work settings, quantities and assigned or shared use
- Approved layouts with access and cable requirements
- Chair and workstation sample review
- Floor codes, delivery phases and assembly responsibilities
A useful question
Should every employee receive the same chair?
A common model can simplify purchasing, but one configuration may not suit every user or task. Review adjustment needs and any individual requirements with the workplace team before fixing the chair schedule.