For businesses, the office furniture market offers a staggering array of choices, ranging from affordable and imported furniture to high-end, top-of-the-line, and commercial-grade office furniture. The price difference between the two is considerable, with a standard task chair available from £80 and a high-spec ergonomic chair available from over £800. The costs can quickly mount up if the business is equipping an entire office, and the temptation to buy cheaper furniture is considerable.
However, making purchasing decisions based upon the initial outlay is a false economy and one that will, in the long term, be detrimental to the business. The costs of office furniture must be evaluated from several different standpoints, and the decision to buy cheaper furniture is based upon a number of predictable areas where cheaper furniture will inevitably fail and need to be replaced.
The Hidden Costs of Budget Furniture
Cheaper office furniture has several inherent and predictable failure points. The pneumatic cylinders in cheaper office chairs, for example, will inevitably fail within 18-24 months, losing pressure, whereas the equivalent component in a commercial-grade office chair will last 5-7 years. The fabric used in cheaper office furniture will show signs of wear and tear within the first year, whereas the equivalent material in a higher-spec office chair will maintain its appearance and condition for 7-10 years.
Desks and office furniture show similar patterns of failure, with cheaper office furniture using a particleboard and thin laminate that will quickly chip and delaminate. The result is that the furniture will look unsightly within 2-3 years, making the pressure to replace the furniture considerable, especially since the furniture itself is still in good condition. The equivalent component in a commercial-grade office desk will use a thicker laminate that is applied to a higher-density board, meaning that the furniture will look like new for 10+ years. The economics are simple: a £150 desk is replaced every 3 years equates to £500 over a 10-year period, whereas a £400 office desk will not only save the business money but also considerable organisational time.
Ergonomics and Productivity
The link between furniture quality and workers’ productivity is well established. Seating ergonomics play a crucial role in preventing musculoskeletal disorders that result in 8.9 million working days lost every year in the UK alone, according to data obtained from the UK’s Health and Safety Executive. Presenteeism arising from workers working in discomfort leads to a 15-20% loss in productivity.
Budget office chairs lack ergonomic support since they are not adjustable. A lack of lumbar support, non-adjustable armrests, and a simple recline mechanism do not allow for anthropometric variations in office workers. This leads to workers unconsciously making adjustments that result in discomfort over time.
Ergonomic office furniture allows for a range of adjustments: seat height and depth, lumbar support height, armrest height and width, back angle, and recline tension. This ensures that office workers are able to work in comfort since they are able to fit their ergonomic office chairs according to their anthropometric dimensions. Research conducted among office workers indicates that ergonomic office furniture leads to a 60-75% reduction in discomfort among office workers. Additionally, ergonomic office furniture leads to improved performance by 15-20%.
The rationale for investing in office furniture is further enhanced by the fact that improved office furniture leads to improved office workers’ productivity. For instance, improved office furniture leads to a 10% improvement in workers’ productivity in offices where workers’ time is a significant portion of office costs.
Durability Standards and Testing
Office furniture goes through rigorous testing according to set standards. For instance, office chairs in Europe are tested according to the EN 1335 standard. This standard requires office chairs to undergo rigorous testing that covers strength, durability, and stability requirements. Chairs that are able to withstand 100,000 cycles of usage are equivalent to eight years of office usage.
On the other hand, furniture from the budget category may not undergo these tests or may only pass them under less stringent conditions. This does not mean that the furniture will not function within a reasonable time but that there is no guarantee of how long it will last. For instance, manufacturers of furniture used in the commercial sector offer a guarantee of between 5 and 10 years because they have tested it. Desking systems that meet the requirements of the EN 527 standard can support loads without deformation. This is particularly important when it comes to sit-stand desks that must operate reliably when lifting and lowering working loads thousands of times without failure. Budget sit-stand desks have motors that are too small and fail within 2-3 years, while the same furniture used in the commercial sector lasts for a decade or more.
Environmental and Sustainability Considerations
Replacement of furniture results in a lot of waste. Office furniture contributes approximately 8-9 million tonnes of waste every year in the UK. This waste ends up in landfills despite containing materials that could be recycled. However, the cost of this waste does not appear on the invoice but affects the environment and sustainability.
Long-lasting quality furniture that meets the requirements of the furniture industry inherently has a reduced environmental impact because it lasts longer. For instance, manufacturers of furniture used in the commercial sector are increasingly designing their products for disassembly. This way, they can replace parts of the furniture instead of replacing the entire piece. For instance, a chair that has a faulty gas cylinder can be repaired for £30-40 if it was designed for disassembly. This contrasts with furniture from the budget sector that requires the entire piece to be replaced.
Circular economy concepts are becoming increasingly popular when it comes to furniture procurement. For instance, some manufacturers of furniture used in the commercial sector now offer take-back schemes whereby they refurbish and recertify furniture that has been returned. This extends the life of the furniture while also providing cost-effective alternatives for organisations that operate on a tight budget. Furniture from the budget sector does not meet these requirements because it does not have the structural integrity to withstand the refurbishment process.
Total Cost of Ownership Analysis
The financial analysis of the procurement of furniture should be carried out through the total cost of ownership methodology rather than just the cost of the product itself. The factors to be considered are:
- Acquisition costs – the cost of the product, delivery, and installation
- Operating costs – maintenance, repairs, and adjustments
- Disposal costs – removal, recycling, and dumping fees
- Productivity – the impact on the productivity and welfare of the employees
- Replacement frequency – the replacement costs of the product itself
When these factors are analysed, it is found that quality commercial furniture is 30-40% cheaper in the long term, as calculated over a 10-year period, even though it is more expensive to procure in the first place. This margin is widened when the productivity factors are also monetised.
Organisations that have formal procurement processes are increasingly insisting that the TCO analysis be carried out before making large purchases, especially when it comes to the procurement of furniture.
The Specification Sweet Spot
The fact that budget furniture is not as cost-effective as quality commercial furniture doesn’t mean that the organisation needs to have the most expensive furniture available in the market. There is a large middle ground between the cheap, imported furniture and the ultra-high-end, designer pieces that are available in the market.
Commercial-grade furniture, which is available from reputable manufacturers and is positioned in the mid-range of the price spectrum, is the most cost-effective solution for most businesses. While it doesn’t have the style and sophistication of the designer pieces, it has the advantage of being backed by the manufacturer, being available in a range of materials that are known to withstand the rigors of commercial environments and being available at a reasonable price.
The organisation should concentrate on specifying the most cost-effective solution based on:
- Usage intensity – areas that are subject to high usage, such as areas where employees spend 8 or more hours per day, should be specified at the highest level, while areas that are subject to lower usage can be specified at a lower level
- Expected lifespan: The lifespan of the furniture in permanent installations can justify more investment in the furniture
- Ergonomic requirements: The ergonomic requirements of task seating for full-time workers must not be compromised, irrespective of the cost factor
- Brand reputation: Commercial furniture manufacturers have more reliable products with better warranty support compared to unknown manufacturers
Making Informed Decisions
To make informed decisions regarding the purchase of office furniture, one must consider the quality of the office furniture. The quality of the office furniture is determined not only by the price or the appearance of the office furniture but also by other factors. The key considerations for determining the quality of office furniture include the following:
The office furniture must have the necessary certification under the relevant standards, such as the EN standards or BIFMA ratings
The office furniture must have the relevant warranty period, ranging between 5 to 10 years for commercial office furniture and 1 to 2 years for budget office furniture
The office furniture must have the required materials, with the absence of plastic components in commercial office furniture
The office furniture must come from manufacturers with a reputation in the UK, as opposed to unknown manufacturers in other countries
The office furniture must have the required spares for replacement, or else the entire office furniture must be discarded
The Long-Term Perspective
The decisions made regarding office furniture have long-term effects on the business. The use of cheap office furniture will have the following effects: the office furniture will have a short lifespan, the office furniture will not provide the required comfort for the workers, the office furniture will have to be replaced frequently, and the total cost of ownership will be more for the business.
The use of commercial office furniture will have the following effects: the office furniture will have a long lifespan, the office furniture will provide the required comfort for the workers, the office furniture will not have to be replaced frequently, and the total cost of ownership will be less for the business.
The best financial decision is not the one that selects the cheapest or the costliest office furniture; the best financial decision is the one that selects the office furniture that meets the requirements for the intended use of the office furniture. Once the business changes its point of view regarding the office furniture from the purchase price to the total cost of ownership, the commercial office furniture will always prove to be the more cost-effective solution for the business.
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