Guide to Setting Up Office Work Stations

Create and stick with your budget

A budget will help you determine whether you should buy or lease furnishings and how much you can spend per station.

I recommend: Register to access free workstation planning tools, including a budget worksheet, and get a free estimate from maxonfurniture.com.

Consider lighting and electricity

Consider all of your layout logistics including electrical and lighting. One of your main concerns should be avoiding excessive lighting and glare on computer monitors, which can lead to eyestrain and headaches. Having adequate electrical outlets is essential to keep your business humming.

I recommend: Review lighting suggestions to reduce glare from the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Office Space Planners offers a free space planning checklist that includes tips on cabling and wiring.

Create your layout

With the rising costs of office space, workstations are getting squeezed into smaller areas. Map out your floor plan in advance to know how large your desks, storage cabinets, file cabinets and office machinery can be.

I recommend: Create a professional floor plan using drag-and-drop technology in SmartDraw software. Or design your own modern workstations with the Ikea Space Planner. Plan for every detail including common task workstations and storage by considering tips from officebydesign.com.

Go ergonomic

Make employees comfortable and avoid costly repetitive stress injuries by setting up workstations with ergonomics in mind.

I recommend: Check out OSHA recommendations and charts for basic computer workstation design elements you should consider as well as a purchasing guide checklist. Shop for adjustable height desks at Ergopro.com and complete ergonomic workstation supplies at ergostoreonline.com.

Choose cubicles or open spaces

"Dilbert" cartoons and the movie "Office Space" poked fun at cubicle workstations, but they do serve a purpose in offices that require a measure of noise control and privacy.

I recommend: Determine if cubicle workstations or an open floor plan work best for your company by taking a quiz at Builder.com. Shop for new and used affordable cubicle furniture at CubeSolutions.com.

Rely on professionals

Many office furniture manufacturers and dealers offer workstation space planning and project management so you can concentrate on running your business.

I recommend: Office Space Planners and My Office Planning Group offer full-service project planning for designing workstations.