Modular office furniture: The essential guide

You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘modular office furniture’ before, but what does it mean, what are its benefits and how do you design a modular office?

Workplaces are becoming more flexible than ever before, with changes to working patterns, remote working and styles of working ll having an impact on the modern office. This increased flexibility isn’t just changing what people want from an employer, it is also changing the design of offices across the world. 

More workplaces than ever before are utilising modular office furniture to create an adaptable space that can grow with a company and workforce. Gone are the days of cookie-cutter office spaces that all look the same, are made up of cubicles and don’t seem to change over time. Instead, modular office furniture is becoming the go-to choice. 

So what exactly do we mean when we say ‘modular office furniture’? We’ll take you through exactly what it is, it’s pros and cons and how it could benefit your workplace in our helpful guide.

What is modular office furniture?

Essentially, modular office furniture is used to describe office furniture that can easily be moved around and adapted quickly and easily. Furniture is designed to work together and within a space, providing a functional option that adds up to an office that can suit your current and future needs. 

Modular office furniture could encompass desks that can be set up individually or together to create a collaborative workspace. It can mean units can quickly be added onto existing desks to add to your workspaces as required – such as when you are growing your team. 

This style of office furniture is light and mobile, allowing full flexibility. However, perhaps most importantly, it is also high-quality. This means that you can move it around without worrying about damage and that you can make the most of it for years, even if you move to new premises. Overall, modular office is cost-effective, adaptable and tailored to meet your space and needs. 

What are the benefits of modular office furniture?

Flexible offices

The main benefit of modular office furniture is that you’ll be able to easily rearrange your office, whatever the reason. Whether you’re presenting to clients, organising a recruitment day, growing your team or refreshing your office, the lightweight manoeuvrability of your furniture makes moving it around incredibly easy. This means it is easier than ever to keep your company agile and to react to any changes in your business or upcoming events. 

Attractive furniture

Another big benefit of modular office furniture is that it looks the part. This type of furniture features sleek, clean designs that are suitable for various office spaces, allowing you to keep using the same furniture no matter how many times your office gets redesigned. 

The lightweight nature of modular furniture means it is relatively simple, modern and stylish, with everything from desks to storage to meeting tables working together to create a cohesive look. Our modular furniture – such as our R8 Lite range – also comes in a large range of colours and finishes, so you can easily match your furniture to your branding or highlight different teams through the design of your furniture.

Enhanced comfort

Modular offices tend to be incredibly comfortable places to work, with furniture designed to be attractive and functional. Because modular furniture is lightweight and adaptable, it doesn’t come with loads of unnecessary bells and whistles that can affect functionality and comfort. It’s clean, ergonomic design promotes comfort and overall wellbeing. 

On top of this, the adaptability of the furniture enables you to allow staff to work in a way that suits them. They may thrive in a collaborative environment or they might enjoy being able to work somewhere quiet. Either way, you are able to create an office that suits their needs and so ensures they are comfortable. 

Long-lasting and cost-effective

Quality is always an important point when buying any furniture, but when your furniture is designed to be adaptable and easily moveable, quality is even more important. In general, modular office is made to be of great quality so it can withstand commercial use, regular rearranging and be suitable for years. 

While we can’t comment on the quality of other modular furniture items on the market, all of our office furniture is built to last. We provide guarantees of up to 10 years on all of our furniture, which is also manufactured in our Yorkshire factory ti exceptionally high standards (we have the certifications to prove it). 

This means that you can be sure that all of our modular office furniture will be suitable for years of use and that you have the support at the ready in the unlikely event that something does go wrong. 

How do you design a modular workspace?

Being able to move your modular office furniture around means that you should leave room for change when designing your workspace. It’s also important to make your employees a priority, as their health and wellbeing are vital. 

You should avoid blocking natural light with your furniture, as natural light and the ability to see out of windows has been found to improve productivity and overall happiness in a workspace. 

Open-plan is the best option for modular office furniture, as it allows space for employees to move around and work collaboratively but you’ll also have room to rearrange your furniture as and when you need to. Creating small, closed-off areas will make this much harder and will result in a workplace that feels cramped. 

While an open-plan office is a great option, you also need to consider the needs of your workers. Some may be happy working with a lot of other people around them, while others may need a quieter space. As well as your desk areas, it is a good idea to consider creating small meeting areas for one or two people so you can accommodate different ways of working. 

You should also bear in mind the social side of your office. Turn a section of the space into a breakout area that can be used for work purposes but also as a relaxed area for people to take a break. You can add fun features like games to this area, just remember to keep it away from desks so those working aren’t distracted. 

If you do want to segment your office a bit, you can utilise modular screens. These can provide noise protection and added privacy but can also be stored away when they aren’t needed. 

The most important thing to remember is to get creative and don’t be afraid to try different layouts. Modular furniture allows you a lot of flexibility so if one layout isn’t working, mix it up.