Category: Office Furniture

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Planning for office refurbishments

If you are looking into office refurbishments, you may have realised how much disruption they can cause. Not many businesses can afford to close their offices while work is carried out, but also do not want their employees to be working in a building site. The secret is in the planning of the office refurbishments, and then neither of these situations need apply and it can all run smoothly.

Discuss you plans with your workers

More and more business owners are realising the advantages of discussing any plans they have for their business with their workforce. Office refurbishments are no different. It is your employees that must work in the space on a daily basis, so their opinions and what they want, or need is important and should definitely be taken into consideration.

Let them know what your thoughts are on any changes, and make sure you listen to what they have to say. You may be surprised by the ideas they have, possibly ones that had never entered your head, and they could even save you some euros.

Together, you should make a list of the jobs that will need to be done, and what replacement furniture and fixtures and fittings will be needed. This will allow you to work out a much more accurate cost for your project. You will also be able to save money if you purchase any new furniture from us at Loco Office Supplies, as we are known as the home of high quality and affordable office products in Ireland.

Organise the work to cause the least disruption

The most disruptive part of an office refurbishment is often workmen decorating or laying new flooring. You can minimise the amount of productive time your workers lose by arranging for this work to be done over weekends, or by doing sections of the office at a time.

Your employees will know if they can manage with less working space for a short period while the work is carried out, the long-term benefit of being that in a more pleasant environment will be worth the short-term disruption.

Take the chance to become eco-friendly and save money at the same time

Office refurbishments are the perfect time to make your office eco-friendlier and save some money at the same time. Energy-saving lighting, such as LED lights are a good start, although as much natural light as possible is the best option. Old office equipment, such as fax machines, are costly to run and with today’s technology not really needed. Getting rid of these will save space and money on supplies, as there is very little that cannot be sent digitally.

Have recycling bins for the staff to use. They do not have to be huge but will encourage the workers to be more thoughtful about their waste, such as wrapping materials and old inks and toners.

Consider buying your office supplies in bulk. This will involve less wrapping materials and the price per item will generally be less. It is also a good idea to have a supply cupboard with someone responsible for making sure that it always has plenty of the items that will be needed in stock.

It could be a big problem if you run out of inks just as you need an important report printed in time for your meeting that is in less than an hour, and that is just one example of how important making sure you have an ample supply of office products could be.

Don’t forget the little things because they matter

It is easy once office refurbishments are planned or under way, to forget the little things that can make life so much simpler for your workers. They could well have beautiful new workstations but be missing simple things such as staplers, desk tidies, and many other items that will keep your office better organised. Supplying these will ensure all the little items in your office match.

It is now well established that happy workers are more productive. It’s important to remember that to achieve this you also need to make sure there is somewhere they can take their breaks. Having a restful place may not be your top priority, but it is one of the small things that can be vital to your workers well-being. Then you will find that after their lunch break, for instance, they return to their work rested and more alert.

You need storage for security

Even offices that say they are paperless have records they have to keep secure. We offer several types of filing cabinets and storage boxes to keep all your important information safe. Secure storage is something that is often overlooked with office refurbishments. Filing cabinets are a cheap and practical way of storing documents, and as many of them come with locks fitted, you can be sure your information is secure. Just make sure you do not make the mistake of forgetting you will need storage, even if you are a paperless office.

Loco Office Supplies to the rescue!

At Loco Office Supplies we offer a range of more than 22,000 products so it is highly likely we have exactly what you need. If you are unsure of what would be the best product for your needs, our friendly team are here to help you with your choice. With more than 30 years’ experience behind us, you can be certain that our team are dedicated to ensuring you receive top-quality customer service that ensures your office product needs are met.

We also offer next day delivery across the whole of Ireland, meaning that you will never be out of anything for very long.

Regardless of the size of your business and whether you are a new start up or well established, we are able to supply quality office products at prices that are hard to beat.

You have nothing to lose by chatting with us so give us a call on 01 685 2558 or email us at [email protected].

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5 Reasons Great Office Furniture Increases Productivity

Great office furniture is one of the first steps in boosting your office’s productivity, read these 5 reasons how you can achieve this:

  1. Organisation

For an office to work effectively it needs to be well designed and well organised.  It needs great office furniture to house and organise all the various office supplies, devices and materials, as well as providing ample work stations for each employee.

A productive office needs furniture to provide the right amount of shelving units, filing systems, desks, lockers, chairs, for efficient work stations.  Office storage that can empower employees to organise and access all their office supplies and materials in a clear and efficient way.

In addition, a productive office needs the great office furniture arranged in an optimum way that the layout allows clear movement throughout the office.  Allowing ample space for each employee to be able to work at their work stations and fully concentrate on their work to be as productive as possible.

Office organisation is a clear winner when it comes to boosting and promoting employee productivity, and great office furniture is an easy way to achieve this.

 

  1. Comfort

Comfort is another essential step in creating a productive office space.  Having great office furniture automatically means that it is ergonomically designed with optimum comfort in mind.  First of all, chairs will need to be designed with the person in mind, with a balance of soft cushion, strong support, adjustable height, and a built in back support that allows the greatest amount of comfort throughout long hours of sitting in such a well designed chair.

Likewise, desks need to be the right height and dimensions to allow a comfortable working environment both ergonomically and having enough room to do work productively.  Having all the office furniture designed with the person’s comfort in mind, ensures that people can work better and more efficiently for longer, increasing productivity and boosting company profits.

As well as the physical furniture being very comfortable, the office environment needs to be very clean and hygienic for employees to have a great degree of comfort in their working environment.  The more work comfort, the greater chance of creating an optimum and sustainable environment for productivity.

 

  1. Visual Design

People can be very inspired about the visual aesthetics of any environment.  This is especially so when they need to be efficient and productive.  Having a visually attractive environment which is well designed is key.  Where there is a strong sense of style and visual design can really increase people’s motivation and inspiration for getting work done.

A sense of pride of place and attractive visual design in the office layout can be achieved by great office furniture.  In addition to great office furniture that is visually well designed, it is a great benefit to productivity if the office has attractive wall art and complimentary colour tones.  Having a nice visual environment can create the right atmosphere for greater inspiration, motivation and by default greater productivity.

 

  1. Ambiance

Once the level of organisation, comfort and visual design is achieved it can build the foundational requirements for a productive environment.  The next step is building the right office ambiance to best promote a good work mood.

Apart from the right physical space, lighting can greatly add to the atmosphere created.  The office should be clearly visible and optimum to work in, while also avoiding tones of light that are garish or harsh.  Getting the right balance of light is key

For a positive work ambiance, the most important factor is the right emotional and social environment that encourages a fun and positive work space.  Empowering people to feel free to express themselves, sharing their ideas and generally work in a positive work space is key for producitivity.

Having management set the right tone and mood of the office is crucial for people to have the best emotional space to contribute their best.  Stress stifles creativity and slows the thought process down, so try to avoid a debilitating environment that crushes creativity and innovation as your business will suffer and staff turnover can be higher.

Instead provide a very welcoming open, honest and supportive environment that helps empower each employee to contribute their very best and give 110%.  The right ambiance will incredibly provide the right environment for optimum productivity, once employees physical space is comfortable and efficient to work in.

 

  1. Social space

Along with the right ambiance, there needs to be a strong collaborative and social space for the most productive ideas and work to come from.  Where each employee can collaborate the best of themselves for the overall benefit of the company will greatly improve your companies innovation and competitive advantage.

In order to achieve the right social space for building team work you need to get great office furniture that enables employees to comfortably work together for sustained periods with the right level of table room, collaborative writing space to map ideas out, comfortable chairs and a generally inspiring space to create the right mood to generate the right level of productivity and ideas needed to drive your business to the next level.

Look at all the best companies in the World that provide empowering and creative social spaces for optimum team work and idea generation and development.  A good social space can provide the optimum team dynamic to best strategize the direction and development of the work that your employees do, which in turn determines your company’s performance and success.

Investment in great office furniture that is well organised, comfortable, attractive, supports work ambiance and team collaboration, can really help boost employee productivity sustainably.

To find out more about great office furniture or indeed great office supplies that will help boost your office productivity, you can see our full catalogue here and contact us here if you need any assistance.

 

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Buying Office Furniture: 5 Top Tips For A Great Office Space

For entrepreneurs, starting a new business or the prospect of relocation can be incredibly exciting, and bring with it a sense of a new beginning. Whether you’re leasing a new office, jumping ship or rejuvenating your home office, buying office furniture is just as important as choosing your office space.

Check out our five top tips to creating a great office space.

1. Craft a plan, and stick to it.

Don’t rush out and buy the first office desk, chair or filing cabinet you can get your hands on. Instead, set aside some time to carefully design a sustainable plan that you stick to. Evaluate all the office furniture pieces you need to buy and ask your employees for suggestions and feedback. Pay careful consideration to how much space you have at your disposal, and factor in any plans to add to your staff.

2. A comfortable employee is a happy employee.

You and your colleagues will be sitting and working for long periods of time, so comfort is paramount when it comes to maintaining productivity and staff morale. Ergonomic office chairs and desks are the way to go if you’re looking to avoid any unnecessary workplace injuries. Chairs in particular need to be fit for purpose, so be sure to ask for guidance from your supplier.

3. Keep your sanity intact with adequate storage.

Plenty of storage will allow you stay on top of clutter and maintain a sense of organisation to your workflow. Consider what you need to store and where best to store it. You will need central storage for some items such as stationery, as well as employee-specific storage to keep all their desktop accessories close to hand. Remember to factor in clothing and personal belongings, as well any specialist office supplies that need protection between uses.

4. First impressions count.

In the world of business, first impressions set the tone for any business relationship, so make sure you present the right one to your clients. Give due consideration to the design and style of the furniture you’d like to buy for your office. Our advice is not to over-complicate things. Ensuring that your newer pieces compliment your existing interior will help to mould a consistent look for your office space.

5. Shop around for the best deals.

Now that you know exactly what you need, you can begin shopping around different office furniture companies to get a feel for what’s on offer. The difference in pricing may come as a surprise to you, so compare carefully. If buying office furniture online, be careful with who you decide to do business with. Some business owners tend to ignore the fine print before checking out.

Don’t let buying office furniture become a tedious task. Do your research in plenty of time, plan meticulously for what you need, and be ruthless when it comes to comparing prices and quality!

Need more help? Give Loco Office Supplies a call on (01) 685 2558 or check out our office furniture collection to get started.

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Filing Cabinets: A Must in Every Office

When the stack of supplier invoices or company documentation gets to the stage where it has tipped over more than once in any given week, then you know right well it’s time to invest in some filing cabinets for your office.

Filing cabinets are one of those office products that every office must purchase at some point. Once you get one, they seem to breed or multiply by themselves. But that could just be the organisational buzz that some companies get from filing paperwork correctly!

Why filing cabinets are your key to an efficient office

Filing cabinets have moved on somewhat and are no longer those unattractive, cold metal objects that sit in the darkest corner of the office. They have come a long way, with the quality available improving all the time. You can choose from both metal and wood variations from leading suppliers such as Bisley, Sonix, Pierre Henry, Phoenix and Trexus. Filing cabinets come in all sorts of colours, from black to blue, silver to grey, and even white. These cabinets come with as many drawers as you may like, with a huge range of different heights, widths and depths.

We admit that, here at Loco Office Supplies, we tend to get a little ‘crazy’ about office supplies. But when it comes to our filing cabinets, why wouldn’t you be crazy about them? These pieces of office storage will create a sense of efficiency and organisation that your office has never known. You may even end up talking to it on occasions, complementing it on how easy it now is to find those one off documents like your tax clearance cert. The filing cabinet may even become your best friend…

What to consider when buying filing cabinets online

So take some time to browse through our filing cabinets category and consider all these options in the following order.

  • How many drawers do you need? Think of expansion. The most popular is the 4 drawer filing cabinet. You can pick one up on our website for only €99 ex VAT.
  • You may be limited by space, so consider the dimensions which will allow you to choose the amount of drawers.
  • Think of the finish. Wooden filing cabinet or steel filing cabinet? What will blend in best with the rest of your office furniture?
  • Also consider the fire proof filing cabinet. Just how important are the documents inside your cabinet?
  • Finally, consider the price. Wooden filing cabinets are more expensive than the traditional steel filing cabinet, but fire proof filing cabinets are far more expensive than either steel or wooden. They are also a lot heavier, but don’t let the expense have the final decision because this is an item that you will own for a long, long time.

Need some help? Call us on 01 6852558 and we will help you find the right filing cabinets for your needs.

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3 Office Furniture Must-Haves for Any Profession

Today’s office no longer remains confined to an office. Many of us now work from home, on the road and from just about anywhere you can get a half-decent WiFi connection. You may have even worked while sitting atop a mountain or lounging beside a pool in a foreign holiday resort (you party animal you!).

Your work can fit in a mobile device, but chances are, your comfort and productivity will not compare to that of your office workspace. No matter how mobile your work becomes, you will always need good office furniture, such as office desks, office tables and pedestals for all your files. You want this office furniture to be the best quality it can be, for your own comfort when you return from the mobile working environment to the comfort of your office, wherever it is.

Our top 3 office furniture picks that you simply can’t be without, regardless of your profession.

Office Desks
The basis of any office is the reliable office desk. It’s where you sit to gather your thoughts, formulate your strategies and set your goals. Office desks say a lot about the person who sits behind them. Sleek glass and chrome desks probably belong to the business person who values new innovations and is the first to adopt the latest technology. A slim, tidy wooden desk might be home to someone who values order and simplicity. Large, executive desks belong to those in charge (or at least those who think they are!).

Office Tables
What’s an office without a few tables? Coffee tables, board room tables, folding tables, stacking tables are all staples of any office space. The office table is one of the most versatile pieces of office furniture because it is useful in so many capacities. You can use it as a desk, organisational platform, eating surface or meeting location. Even if you’re on the road a lot or work out of the office most of the time, you will need tables to hold your materials and to confer with clients.

Pedestals
Perhaps the most important piece of office furniture anyone could ever have is the pedestal. Even if you go without a desk or table, you can’t be without a sturdy pedestal to keep your important files and documents. Pedestals ensure that your office space stays organised, removes clutter from desks and tables and stores all of your accessories so they are within close reach. Despite what the experts will have you believe, there is simply no ‘paperless’ office. Plus, your pedestal can double as a desk or a table — even a bed stand — in a pinch.

No matter how much or how little time you spend in a physical office space, you need high quality office furniture to form the foundation of your workspace. Let Loco Office Supplies be your one-stop shop for all office furniture needs.

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Where to buy Office Furniture and Office Supplies Ireland

Whether you are brand new to exploring the world of office supplies Ireland, or you have already spent many years and euros shopping for office products online, here at Loco.ie, we believe we can all agree one thing – everyone loves a bargain. We understand the importance of getting the best bang for your buck.

It’s fair to say that we all need to shop smarter these days. Every cent counts as we struggle through what seems to be a never-ending recession. And it should be no different when searching for office supplies Ireland, be it an Ink cartridge, a pencil, a new corner desk, office chairs, office desks or 4 drawer filing cabinets.

Here’s a fun fact: most company employees cost on average €250 per year on basic office supplies such as pens, A4 paper, post-it notes, paper clips and so on. So if you have 10 employees, that’s a €2500 a year spend on office supplies. If you’re a business owner, you know that these are simply costs you can’t avoid. Office supplies are an important part of your office, but they can become rather expensive very quickly if you’re not careful. This is why at Loco.ie we have always been conscious of keeping costs down as much as possible for our customers. We do this by keeping our own costs at a minimum; hence we are an online business.

We price compare daily 2500 commonly bought office supplies Ireland products against our competitors and we are consistently cheaper on all of them. If our competition drops prices, we follow suit by demanding better prices from our office suppliers, office furniture suppliers and in turn passing these savings onto you, the consumer. We constantly look for better pricing from suppliers, not to improve our own bottom line, but to become the best priced company for office supplies Ireland.

Great products are nothing without great service. At Loco.ie, our dedicated team has a passion for providing excellent customer service, helping us to be a leading Irish supplier of office products. With over 30 years experience under our belt, you are only every a call away from an expert in office supplies and making a great business decision.

Whether you are a sole trader operating from home, a start-up business on a tight budget or a large multi-national corporate, we can help cater you with all the office supplies your business needs, with quality products at affordable prices.

Buying office supplies doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. There is one easy way you can save money on your Office Supplies Ireland shopping sprees, and that’s by shopping with Loco.ie! So if its Office Supplies Ireland or Office Furniture Ireland you are looking for then give our online store a whirl – you won’t be disappointed!

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So you think cheap office chairs are ok?

You sit on your sofa for a couple of hours a night; you sit on your office chair for a minimum of 8 hours a day…yet you are willing to spend thousands on a sofa and bark at a chair that costs more than €50.00…

We came across this story online… http://alturl.com/wqje6 it explains how a 14 year old boy was killed because the gas action in the office chair exploded and killed the poor young boy….

This, in itself, should be motivation enough for you to invest in quality office chairs. In all walks of life, we come across cheap alternatives that are poor quality and the office furniture and office chairs market in Ireland is no different.

Did you know that all office seats have a gas cylinder in them? Yes you are sitting on a gas cylinder every time you go to work. The gas action allows the chair to go up and down when you fiddle with the lever under the chair. The cylinder is full of nitrogen…..yes you sit on a canister of nitrogen every time you go to work.

Obviously, accidents and explosions of office chairs in Ireland are very rare. However, with the race of main stream office furniture manufacturers to supply the cheapest chair possible, it is evitable that corners will be cut and accidents may happen as a result of poor manufacturing.

So our advice is simple. If you value your staff, if you want higher productivity and if you want to comply with health & safety regulations than you should not consider buying an office chair for less than €100. Better again, you should not buy an operators chair that has not gone through the rigorous BS testing procedures.

Incidentally, when you are disposing of old office chairs you should be very careful where you put them. The gas cylinder needs to be disposed of in an safe and environmentally friendly manner.

That’s the lecture for today over. Trust me…spend the extra few bob on a decent office chair or executive office chair and you will not regret it.

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Stacking Chairs Ireland

Stacking chairs are one of our most popular categories of products. Plastic chairs  are used in a variety of organisations. Primarily we see them used in Community Centres, Church Halls, School Halls and Colleges. Many companies also use stacking chairs for canteen areas and large meeting spaces when alot of seats are required.

Stackable chairs are an economical solution for meetings and get togethers, so whether it is school exams or an AGM for a golf club, traditional plastic chairs can solve a multitude of seating issues. Although stacking chairs are not the most attractive piece of office furniture, they are improving in design. The traditional old type school plastic chair is no longer as ugly and uncomfortable as we all remember. We can all remember doing those exams and coming out with a numb bum. We don’t like to refer to any of our office chairs as cheap chairs, but the fact of the matter is that stackable chairs in Ireland are very affordable. Many resellers will sell their plastics chairs at a starting price of €17.00 or so.

Stacking chairs for sale in Ireland are generally one of two colours, blue and black……so if you are choosing some church chairs why not add a splash of colour. Red, Green, Purple and even pink stacking chairs are now available from most suppliers. All be it, there may be a lead time but if you can wait you should always add a splash of colour.

Many people ask us about the durability of stackable plastic chairs. The key to the durability are the legs. If the legs are manufactured to a high standard they will last forever. The plastic part of the stacking chair, will be, by nature extremely durable and will stand up to alot of abuse. The legs on the other hand will buckle if they are made from cheap steel or moulded plastic.

So in short, if you need to put a large number of bums on seats, a selection of plastic chairs will do the trick. One small tip. If you really want spruce up your office, church hall or community centre why not go for a mixture of colours. Buy some blue, red and yellow stacking chairs. They splash of colour will certainly raise the spirits of all those who sit in them.

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Your messy office desk may help you think more clearly!

As you’d expect from an office supplies company, here at Loco (http://www.Loco.ie) we’ve always been proponents of clean, de-cluttered office desks and workstations. After all, we stock thousands upon thousands of office products which are designed to organise your desktop stationery and paper supplies so you can work more effectively. However, new research indicates that messy office desks could in fact help employees to think more clearly!

Scientists from the University of Groningen in Germany found that people who worked on messy office desks (as well as from messy shop fronts), thought more clearly than those with organised, mess-free work areas. It is thought that working among chaos makes the brain seek order and therefore organise thoughts in a clear and concise way.

The researchers behind the study say, “Messy desks may not be as detrimental as they appear to be, as the problem-solving approaches they seem to cause can boost work efficiency or enhance employees’ creativity in problem solving. Business and government managers often promote ‘clean desk’ policies to avoid disorganised offices and messy desks, for the purpose of boosting work efficiency and productivity. This practice is based on the conventional wisdom that a disorganised and messy environment can clutter one’s mind and complicate one’s judgements. However, not all evidence supports this conventional link between a messy environment and a messy mind.”

Those who still believe that tidy office desks lead to tidy minds can take comfort in the fact that the study revealed that not all people found their mind was ordered if their desks were not, however. Strangely, while conservatives among the study group did think more clearly when using messy office desks, political liberals weren’t particularly concerned about the state of their desk to begin with and so it had little effect on their thinking or productivity.

So why not use this new research to explain to your boss why your desk is piled high with files, old, opened envelopes and various office products – you’re not being messy, you’re being productive!

For those of you who can’t stand the thought of working in chaos, however, take a look through all of our office products which will help you de-clutter your desk at http://www.Loco.ie

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Some office furniture items that you might not have thought of…

You might think that you already know the story when it comes to office furniture. Chairs are there to support your back, and should be comfortable enough to sit on for several hours at a time. Desks need to be able to accommodate a PC, scanner, printer and photocopier and should be at an ergonomically advantageous height. Lockers come in different sizes, and so on. It’s all very predictable…or so some Loco (http://www.loco.ie) customers might initially think.

After all, office furniture items like computer desks are all there to make those long days in the office just that bit more bearable, which has led to all manner of companies creating variations on the usual formulas in their quest for maximum convenience and pleasure. You might think, for example, that anything other than a standard rectangular desk would be silly, but it’s not so.

There are plenty of specialist reception desks available, for example, that hide away all of those cluttered business supplies and project the most professional image of your company. Or what about executive desks, with their refined style and classy finishes like Cherry Marbella and Dark Walnut? Your office may have an awkward corner that perfectly suits a wave or radial desk, or your practical needs may be best served by a portable and lightweight folding table.

Do you have a bad back from all of those times when you’ve had to stretch to find an awkwardly filed item in the cabinet, or do you have assistants that need to transport their filing from their workstation to your office? If you can answer with a “yes” to questions like that, then you would likely appreciate a wheelable office trolley or two. We also have a section for all of those miscellaneous but often invaluable office furniture items like door mats and packing benches.

Office chairs are also a vital part of the typical Irish office, but customers ignore the many variations at their peril. After all, if you’re organising a conference, you wouldn’t want to put all of your delegates in spinning computer chairs, while reception chairs can range from small comfy chairs to mass visitor seating for big conference rooms. Some chairs are cheap, cheerful and stackable for those that need maximum seating capacity but lack budget and space, and there are also stools available for more informal use.

Such a vast selection of furniture items is complemented by a similarly wide range of those vital, but all too easily forgotten accessories that really help to keep an office together, including desk clamps and desktop feet for desktop screens, not to mention bookends, shelf brackets, chair trolleys and more. It all helps to make Loco (http://www.loco.ie) a true ‘one stop’ source for the best quality, best priced office furniture in Ireland.