You will often hear about desks and workstations and you might be confused about the differences between them.
The good news is that there is no major difference and you can often use the two types of furniture interchangeably. However, if you want to use them to the best of their ability, you should know about the differences and work with them as best you can.
To identify the differences, we need to look at each in turn.
What is an Office Desk?
This is quite obvious. Office desks are literally just desks, no special features per se; basically a flat piece of wood with four legs! Of course, you can purchase specific types of desks, such as stand height, curved, bench, or corner desks, and it’s really about what type of shape fits the space you have available.
Office desks fit every type of situation, be it someone sitting at a reception area, in a large open-plan office, even in a break out space. Desks are flexible and basically fit your specific needs.
What is an Office Workstation?
Office workstations are very similar to desks and they’re often confused. In general, although not always, workstations tend to be geared up to a specific type of task, e.g. typing, call centre work, etc. They often have sides or screens built-in, and they give a certain amount of privacy for the person sitting at them.
A workstation is a good choice in an open-plan office because it allows those working to concentrate without any distractions from those sitting around them. There is usually one computer terminal on a workstation and little else, although there may be space for small items, such as an in-tray, a pen pot, etc. A workstation is a great productivity tool for those who want privacy and a certain amount of solitude in order to do their work.
How Can You Choose Between The Two?
When it comes to choosing the specific type of furniture for your office, you need to think about the types of jobs that are going to be performed in that space. In order to do that you need to ask those involved, i.e. your employees, what they think would suit the space best.
If you’re starting from scratch, i.e. you’re creating an entirely new office space, then there may be a slight amount of trial and error in order to find the best productivity space overall. In this case, modular office furniture may be a good choice, because it can be moved around easily and stored away when not in use.
Office tables are ideal for brainstorming and other general tasks which involve a large number of people, and that also means that you need to think about seating. Mesh chairs are a good option in this case because they’re breathable and ideal for getting up and walking around when brainstorming.
If you are stuck between whether to opt for a workstation or a desk, you simply need to think about which option will fit into your office best. Workstations can sometimes be larger, but they can also be compact. Desks can be different shapes and sizes too, but it comes down to the types of tasks that are done the most.
If your employees require solitude in order to work, i.e. they’re working in a call centre setting or they need to really focus on tasks much fo the time then workstations may be best. However, if you have a large open-plan office which has an agile working focus, then regular desks are a better idea and can be adapted to the specific tasks which need to be completed on any specific day.
Take your time making your choice, but now you know the main, but subtle, differences between desks and workstations, you're in a better place to make a good choice for your business needs.