In KI’s archives of Business Operating Management magazine, we found an article about how facility managers can find furniture that is the best fit for their company. The author, Karen Kroll, interviewed all the big names in the office furniture industry for this piece. So we thought we’d see what they have to say that’s relevant to our products. Here are some of the points we found particularly insightful:

• Jan Johnson, vice president of market development with Allsteel, notes that “furniture should be able to serve more than one function”. Our desktop mounted privacy panels can be fitted to desks, benches, conference tables, and many other surfaces making them extraordinarily versatile.
• John Lubbinge, director of product marketing for systems with Herman Miller, advises “evaluating a furniture system’s flexibility. You should review just how complicated it is to assemble and disassemble the pieces when an employee moves” (since this increases costs). Our products install in 5 minutes or less with no disassembly of the workstation required.
• Jonathan Webb, vice president of business markets with KI, says this about environmentally conscious choices, “As we go down the road of green furniture, the more they get used, the narrower the price gap.” That day is already here with our products. We use recycled and recyclable materials without a steep price tag.
• Jim Cahill, vice president of systems, storage and education with HON Company, says most office furniture is used (by its first owners) for 10-15 years. We aim to increase that useful lifespan by giving workstations a facelift with our panels.
• Mona Hoffman of Kimball Office has a knack for stating the obvious, “When you give people the right tools, they’re more productive.” She recommends auditing how employees actually work and providing tools they will really use. Hoffman also suggests letting workers try new office furniture and offer feedback. We love that idea! Why not buy a few panel extenders and let your employees give them a test drive?