Flexible Workstations for a Healthy Office Environment

For many years, business growth, staff performance, and workflow efficiency in offices was top priority and comfort took the back seat. There was a generalised one-size-fits-all approach when it came to creating commercial office spaces.

In recent years, Companies have come to realise that physical comfort  aided in a worker’s productivity, efficiency, and overall performance.
With this new shift in mindset, office ergonomics was thrust into the spotlight and flexible workstations became a necessary upgrade to out-dated office setups.

Since the birth of Elevar, adjustable standing desks have increased in popularity and commercial office furniture has continued to evolve to meet requirements and demands. 

In 2020 we have found more and more employers and companies in Australia have opted to go with flexible office spaces, paired with portable, flexible office furniture – reducing costs, increasing adaptability and being ready for whatever life brings.

No matter your business needs, or how often they may change – Elevar’s range of workstations will make it possible for you to reconfigure your office to support your people, meet your changing needs and flexible working requirements. 

Improving Workplace Ergonomics with Quality Workstations

Flexible workspaces have always had the goal of fitting as many people into an area without sacrificing work efficiency and comfort. Elevar offers a range of workstations that fit in seamlessly with a flexible commercial office setup. All Elevar workstations come with a 10-year warranty on frames and components, so you never have to compromise on quality. 

• EON Workstation System – This workstation features a customisable number of fixed, sit-to-stand work desks connected to one or more brackets. They can be fitted with CPU holders, adjustable single and double monitor arms, and comes with a telescopic tray for the cables.
• Vision Three Motor Electric Adjustable Workstation – You can have the option of 2 or 3 legs for this sit-to-stand automatic workstation. The middle leg is adjustable to 90°, 120°, and 180° with the latter available only for the 3-leg design. It has 4 different height settings adjustable via electric lift.

• EON Crank+ Manual Desk – This workstation features a manually adjustable frame from a mere 3.9 feet to a high 6.5 feet. The legs and desks adjust noticeably faster than similar models from other brands, so you can work at whatever height you’re comfortable with, without having to work for it too hard.

The rising need for ergonomically designed office desks, chairs, furniture, and other fittings is revolutionising the way people work. Flexible workstations are quickly becoming the standard, and there is a reason why many Fortune 500 companies use them. The many benefits of having a flexible office with ergonomics in mind can definitely outweigh any drawbacks, and this applies to startups and older companies too.

Ergonomic Office Furniture and Flexible Workspace Trends

Flexible office workspaces are set to increase by at least 13% by 2030.

Here are the top 3 reasons why we will see more commercial office fit-outs using flexible open office plans:

1. Not just for city-based office spaces. More and more of the younger generation are moving out of the crowded cities and start living in suburban locations, so we can expect suburban offices to shift to flexible workspaces. This inevitably will increase the demand for portable, adaptable office equipment for co-share and work-from-home office setups.  
2. Focus on employee wellness. Companies are focusing on staff comfort and wellness now more than ever. Green spaces, ergonomic workstations, natural lighting, mental-health awareness, lunch break yoga/workouts and healthier food options are more thoroughly incorporated into Corporate work environments – ensuring that staff are supported and have the ability to perform at their best.
3. Easy to adapt and pivot. Flexible office fit-outs and even some real estate decisions are outsourced instead of being tackled in-house, giving companies more time and resources to focus on business operations.

The Benefits of a Flexible Office Workspace

The popularity of this working style is becoming more apparent, and companies are more open to adopting this method when remodelling their commercial offices, leasing shared workspaces and/or selecting their office furniture.

Here are just a few benefits to companies when evolving towards a flexible office workspace:

Increased Comfort and Flexibility

A comfortable workplace is a haven. People who work for companies that provide them with comfortable workstations find it more difficult to leave, and are known to have higher job satisfaction.

The flexibility of an open workspace and ergonomic workstations provides for better productivity and collaboration.

Sense of Community

There are certain benefits to physical, face-to-face interactions and these benefits play a hugely positive role in an open office setup

Flexible workspaces provide commercial offices with the ability to encourage more productivity and collaboration, whilst also offering privacy where needed.

With these benefits in mind, there are a few types of flexible workspaces available.

The Different Types of Flexible Office Workspace Setups

Hot desks

Offices with hot desks (desk spaces on a rotation based system, rather than having an allocated desk space) offer unprecedented flexibility when it comes to employees choosing where, how, and who to work with each day.

These hot desks could be fitted with an employee’s basic working needs, such as computers, cables, outlets, and boards. Some hot desks could also be configured as standing workstations. Hot desks or ‘office cookie jars’ aren’t usually personalised, and employees may come and go and use these shared desks as they like. The question is.. Will hot desking & activity-based work environments withstand 2020?

Coworking Offices

Another trend on the rise is Co-Share workspaces. Coworking environments  refer to office spaces that are rented and shared with other businesses. This is a great entry point for people working independently, in teams, in different projects, or even from different companies that have low startup capital. If you’re looking to rent a shared office, consider Elevar’s adaptable, portable and flexible workstation setups.

Open offices

Open offices came about as early as the 1950’s. It’s based on an open floor plan where employees work alongside each other; usually in big, long desks. Most startup companies and businesses tend to make use of the open office work environment because it promotes teamwork and transparency, while costing less than traditional cubicle workspaces.

Things to Consider About Flexible Office Workspaces

Not all people are sold on the idea of flexible office workspaces. Whilst a lot of larger Australian companies have embraced this new style of commercial office fitout, there can still be some resistance from companies or their employees due to lack of customisation and privacy.

Here are a few reasons why some people may be holding resistance to this change.

Increased Noise

Whilst it’s great to collaborate with others in an open space, it can be hard to prevent noise when too many people are working beside each other. It could damage the efficiency of employees who like to keep to themselves too. When creating an open spaced commercial office fitout, it’s highly encouraged to incorporate privacy pods and meeting rooms for when those quiet moments are needed. 

Lack of Privacy

Employees who are used to having their own private space at work (such as their own dedicated office or cubicle), tend to feel more unease when being asked to transition into an open office setting. Privacy of employees and client data is important, so company policies must ensure that the right security policies are in place. This can be through personal employee lockers, secure laptop policies and packing up all valuable business and staff belongings at the end of each day. 

The flexible working trends in offices have been evolving, and Elevar has helped businesses every step of the way with our range of workstations and accessories. With the significant changes around the world in 2020, and the way this is impacting the way businesses operate and where their people work – the need for flexible workstations to support these changes has become increasingly important. 

If you’re ready to improve your commercial office furniture and have been looking for adjustable standing desks or flexible workstations for a healthy office environment for your business or clients, get in touch with our team of experts today to help find the right solution for you.