5 Things to Consider When Buying A Conference Table

July 31st, 2019 | Office Furniture Blog

When choosing the right conference table, it’s a given that it needs to look professional. The conference room is often the place where you invite new clients and sign deals, etc. It may not be a big deal to some, but choosing a conference table goes beyond aesthetics. Did you know that a conference table has an impact on the overall productivity of the employees? Believe it or not, even the shape of the table has a psychological effect on meeting attendees.

So, if you’re in the market for a new conference table, here are five things to consider.

1. The Perfect Size

This one sounds like a pretty obvious aspect to consider. But this factor ensures all guests are seated comfortably with ample space to work at, and also a good clearance space around the table so they can go to and exit their seats without bumping the others.

Measure your conference space, determine how many people you need to seat, 35 inches of space per person is ideally comfortable for a boardroom setting. For meetings where all guests have laptops and notebooks, we increase the space to 40 inches. But again, be mindful of the room space.

2. The Right Shape

Rounded tables are the top pick of executives since this shape promotes collaboration instead of hierarchy. Circular tables are ideal for team meetings, strategic planning, where everyone’s ideas are important and no one is an obvious boss. One downside though is that the seats are limited, unless it’s a really big round table in a big conference room.

Long rectangular tables can be problematic, since they separate the big group into smaller groups which talk about different things. This isn’t ideal for planning sessions, but rather an ideal solution may be to have a long table with curved edges. This way, you’re able to seat more people. Plus, it’s a very flexible table – you can hold meetings and place a hierarchical position when needed, and you can host collaboration meetings where everyone feels they have an equal position at the table.

3. Flexibility

Do you have one conference room for many different purposes?  If that’s the case, a standard conference table may not be the perfect fit.  Modular conference tables can be used to create individual work stations for workshops, put together to create a large conventional conference table or situated to create a more circular design. Many of these types of tables can be folded up and put away when not in use.

4. Power, Data Ports and Wire Management

Most meetings nowadays require attendees to have laptops. Especially when each one has something to present. A tabletop power/data center provides convenient access for individual users, technical presentations or video conferencing all at the tabletop. These come in many types of finishes that will definitely go well with your conference table. If you don’t opt to have data ports, grommets and wire management are of equal importance, especially for laptop charging, cables used for projectors, etc.

5. Affordability

There are absolutely reasons to buy luxurious and expensive custom conference tables.  They scream success and professionalism.  But not every business needs one and some businesses have multiple conference rooms that may be just for employees rather than for clients.  In these cases, there are many great and affordable conference table options that do the same job as a more expensive options, but don’t break the bank.  Consider your budget, the purpose and what you need from a conference table before you commit.

Conclusion

If you’re looking into updating your conference room, or if you are building a new office space, don’t hesitate to contact us at Arenson Office Furniture. We give free consultations and free evaluation and planning of your office space. This will definitely help you save time and money instead of going back and forth to other furniture stores. We are a one stop shop! From evaluation to strategy to execution, we’re here for you!