Workplace Design: Power to the Furniture (Literally)

Earlier this month we got word that Fareham Innovation Centre, a serviced office and workspace provider in the UK, had installed wireless mobile charging pads in all desks in their Daedalus, Lee-on-the-Solent location.

A few weeks ago, with the help of Woodhouse Workspace, we published an article on the structure, function, and practicality of workspace design. One thing that was noted on the article was the need for workers to have access to electricity at all times, regardless of the area or workstation they are using.

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Fareham Innovation Centre offers one example of how operators can deliver this ‘electrical need’ to members. Though the pads they installed only work to charge phones, they free-up more electrical outlets around the workspace; which means more laptops can be charged at the same time and (even better) less cables to de-tangle and deal with.

Power is vital — most workers depend on power to be able to get their job done, especially those that work from flexible workspaces, as they tend to be the ones that depend the most on WiFi and their laptops to turn in projects, assignments, and any other type of work.

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So our question is: Why do operators continue to place plug sockets on the floor or on hard to reach walls so workers have to kneel down and crawl in the dust in order to ‘juice up’ their electronics?

We know that it’s a complicated issue…electrical outlets are set during the early stages of construction and layout of any building or location. Moving them around is no easy task, and no one expects you to tear down all walls to put sockets in more convenient places…at least not while there’s an easier solution out there.

Just look at Fareham Innovation Centre — the solution might very well be your desks or even your chairs.

Nowadays, it’s not hard to find workspace furniture that comes with outlets or USB ports integrated into them. Investing in this type of furniture will not only address flexible workspace member needs, but it will also contribute to your space’s general environment.

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Tangled cables on the floor and on desktops are not only distracting but also dust magnets. Plus, they give an impression of clutter and mesiness, which could potentially affect the way visitors and potential members view your space.

Facilitating access to power supplies is beneficial to your members and to you as a workspace operator. By having less cables lying on the floor, you will create an atmosphere that is visually more appealing, but also you will inspire a sense of organization and productivity.

The less clutter there is around, the less cluttered you members’ minds will feel.

However, leaving the aesthetics behind, workplace design is moving towards functionality and it is now user-centric. Much like websites, workplaces need to look good, but also function smoothly; this means creating the right atmosphere, the right environment, and providing the right set of tools (in this case furniture) for users to feel their best and do their best.