Conferences are vital for the growth and expansion of a business and therefore hold great significance to the success of the business. Many times, the company’s image starts in a conference room. Very important decisions are made over meeting tables. Dignitaries from other firms may hand shake or finalize on prospective deals. Considerations should be given to the features and facilities of a business’s conference room.
Location
Where should the conference room be located so that it easily accessible to the people who need to use it most? Should the conference room be isolated from other work environments to eliminate distractions?
Purpose and Use
What is the Conference Room’s main purpose? Is it used for learning, brainstorming, video conferencing, or strictly for collaborative purposes? Will employees have social gatherings?
Size and Capacity
What size does the conference room need to be to hold the capacity of employees, members or business partners of the corporation? What is the capacity of a certain size conference room? A good rule of thumb to follow when it comes to placing a conference table in an area is to allow a minimum of a 3-foot walkway all the way around the table. Also, a table can usually seat the same number of people that it is feet long. For example, a 6-foot table seats six.
Storage
What storage does a conference room need? Will there be supplies on hand, such as visual boards, dry erase markers, pens, and paper? Will employees need to carry food to the room for gatherings or long meetings? Should there need to be storage for audio/visual equipment? Carts for toting supplies can be made to match conference room furniture.
Traffic
Is the furniture durable enough for the traffic that will be using it? Does the furniture need to be moved in certain situations? Castors can be placed on furniture discretely so that they are not a design distraction.
Lighting and Environment
Is there natural light coming into the room. Does the window treatments provide enough shade from bright light? Check that there is quality airflow for heavy traffic. Is the overhead lighting adjustable and dimmable for projectors?
Design and Functionality
Should there be easy access to equipment controls for everyone in the room? Do tables need to be equipped with speakerphones and mobile charging stations? Are attendees comfortable enough to stay for long periods? Has the ergonomics of the chair been evaluated? Some mandatory features are adjustability, the seat height range, backrest, seat depth, and a five-point base for stability.
The Budget
Making a conference room a multi-purpose space may be the answer to budget constraints. Implement mobility and flexibility by investing in multipurpose furniture, which will increase the efficiency of the layout of a small space. Consider items like white dry erase boards or glass dry erase boards that can double as a projection screen when space is limited.
