What Is Office Benching? 

Benching is an excellent office design solution for collaborative workspaces. By replacing traditional cubicles with open workstations, benching creates a more flexible and interactive workspace, encouraging communication, teamwork, and a more diverse and inclusive work environment. This innovative design offers opportunities for employees to interact and collaborate in ways not possible with traditional office setups. To add a level of privacy, movable PET screens can be added to the workstations.  

Learn more about Guernsey’s office benching systems. 

Why Benching?

Incorporating an open environment into the workplace has several benefits. It allows workers to escape the claustrophobic feeling of cubicles and promotes an airy atmosphere. The sightlines of an open environment allow employees to view the entire room, making it seem more spacious, even if the workspace is small. Furthermore, an open environment provides more space, which can be a valuable advantage in small office buildings. It also allows more employees to be accommodated in the room without feeling boxed in. Here are some of the top reasons benching systems might be the right choice for your office design. 

Cost Effective

With benching systems, you can make the most of your square footage, fitting 2-4 employees in a space that, in a cubicle configuration, would only accommodate one. Fitting more employees in a smaller footprint means you can also consider downsizing your overall office space, saving you on costs. Bench systems tend to be more affordable than cubicles, as they feature a minimalistic design and provide shared desk space for multiple employees. With a range of price points, companies can find a solution that fits their budget. By selecting benching systems over cubicles, a company is more likely to keep costs low, especially since adding cubicles with new employees is more expensive. 

Increases collaboration  

Emphasis on collaboration and community is also important in an office setting. An open office and benching systems foster a sense of collaboration and help avoid the feeling of isolation. Being in close proximity to coworkers facilitates communication, leading to a more collaborative and innovative environment. Although data on whether open offices promote collaboration is mixed, benching systems have a more communal feel than cubicles. They provide a sense of community, which is crucial for companies that want to build team morale. 

Encourages productivity and creativity 

Overall, incorporating benching systems into an office space can have a positive impact on employee morale and productivity, as well as on a company’s budget. The flexibility and adaptability of benching systems make them a practical and affordable solution for businesses of all sizes. 

Greater Flexibility for Reconfiguration

Benching systems are modular, which means they can be configured and reconfigured with ease, thereby catering to ever-evolving office requirements. Cubicle systems, on the other hand, are cumbersome to move and more challenging to reconfigure. Benching systems provide versatile seating arrangements for up to four individuals at one workstation, and numerous workstations can be combined to create a diverse range of work surface space within a designated area. Additionally, accommodating more staff is a breeze – all you need to do is add more tables! Not to mention they are a lot easier to move and reconfigure into a new space should you decide to change office locations.  

Benching Design Options

We carry a number of benching design options that offer the kinds of exceptional quality and flexibility necessary to accommodate just about every workplace size and need.  

HON

GLOBAL BRIDGES II

OFS STAKS

Is Benching the Right Choice for Your Office?

Whether you choose office benching for your office design depends on a number of factors. Considering the following when deciding on whether to incorporate this type of setup into your workspace.  

1. Is your company expanding or contracting in terms of employees who are in the office at any given time?  

2. How large or small is your office footprint? Benching is particularly useful in small spaces.  

3. How do your employees work? Are they more focused on working independently from one another, or is it more of a collaborative group-effort atmosphere? If the latter, benching is an excellent choice, as it fosters collaboration and communication. If the former, benching might not be the best option because of the lack of privacy and quiet and likelihood of more distractions.  

4. In keeping with the above point, what’s your company culture? A benching system will encourage more interaction between employees. 

5. How does a noisy environment affect productivity? Inherent in its setup, benching is much more open to the elements. That means that if your employees need a quieter, more focused space, benching might not be ideal. Keep in mind – you CAN get partitions for benching, which helps minimize visual and audible distractions and provides a smidge more privacy.  

Overall, incorporating benching systems into an office space can have a positive impact on employee morale and productivity, as well as on a company’s budget. The flexibility and adaptability of benching systems make them a practical and affordable solution for businesses of all sizes.  

Looking to reconfigure your office space and want to know if benching is right for you? Reach out to our experts for a consultation! 

Start your office design journey with Guernsey today!