Workstation selection is usually presented as an aesthetic choice. In practice it is a planning decision with aesthetic consequences, and the planning constraints should be resolved first.
Start with the floor plate, not the catalogue
The building determines more than the furniture does. Column positions, core location, window line, ceiling height and the position of floor boxes decide what configurations are practical before any product is considered.
- Column grid and core position — constrains bench run lengths
- Floor box or raised-floor positions — constrains cluster geometry
- Window line — determines whether desks can face or must back onto glazing
- Ceiling height and services — affects screen height and storage above desk
- Circulation and escape requirements — sets minimum aisle widths
Bench, cluster or cubicle
| Configuration | Best suited to |
|---|---|
| Linear bench run | High-density floors, phased growth, simple cable strategy, collaborative teams |
| Back-to-back cluster | Balanced density with more visual separation, mixed team sizes |
| 120-degree cluster | Smaller teams and organic groupings, less efficient on regular grids |
| Cubicle / high-screen | Confidential or focused work, higher acoustic separation, lower density |
Screen height is an acoustic decision
Screen height is the single most consequential specification choice on an open floor. Low screens preserve sightlines and daylight but do nothing for speech privacy; high screens reduce noise but close the space in.
Common heights are 400 mm, 600 mm, 750 mm, 900 mm and 1200 mm. For open-plan floors in dense office environments, 1200 mm screens with acoustic infill are a frequent compromise between visual openness and noise control. Above that, the space begins to behave like a cubicle farm.
Cable management and power
Cable strategy is where projects either save money or lose it. A workstation system with an integrated spine and vertical cable riser priced as part of the desk will cost more on the quotation and less on the project, because it removes site labour and ad-hoc cable routing.
- Where do floor boxes land relative to desk positions?
- Is power delivered through the desk, the screen, or a floor grommet?
- How many power and data outlets per workstation — and for what equipment?
- Is there provision for monitor arms, and are the worktops suitable for them?
- How will cables be re-routed when the layout changes?
Density, and being honest about it
Workstation count per floor is a commercial decision, not only a design one. A configuration that fits 220 staff in the same area as another that fits 180 looks more efficient on paper, and will be criticised later if circulation, storage and meeting capacity were not increased to match.
Height-adjustable desking
Sit-stand desking is increasingly specified on new corporate projects. It adds cost at the frame and mechanism, and it affects the cable strategy — a moving desk needs slack and a defined cable route. Where only part of the floor is adjustable, agree which roles get it rather than allocating randomly.
Decide these five things before you ask for a price
- Configuration: bench, cluster or cubicle
- Worktop size and material, with screen height and material
- Cable and power strategy, including socket standards
- Storage strategy — personal pedestal, shared, or locker
- Density target and phased delivery requirement
With those five decisions made, a quotation is a real number. Without them, it is an estimate that will change after award.