We have a great team at Chrisbeon – each one playing a vital role in our continued success. Most have been with us for quite a while, but every now and then, we love to bring in bright young talent and watch as they grow and develop. A process that not only benefits them but also us as a company.

Today, in our latest behind-the-scenes blog, we would like to introduce Owen Davies. Owen, 22, lives in Shrewsbury and joined the company in June. He is working in our warehouse assembling furniture and then helping to deliver the items to our growing number of customers.

The story so far

We chatted to Owen about his experience so far:

He said: “I was a mechanic previously, so this is a whole new experience for me, but I am really enjoying the job, putting furniture together for businesses. Things like chairs, pedestals, desks, cupboards, all kinds of office equipment really, and then taking it out to them – helping to ensure everything runs smoothly.

“The job at Chrisbeon came about because I was looking for a new challenge. I’m young and thought it was a good time to try something different. I went to school with Tom Hughes, who works here and is a good friend, and I liked what he had to say about the company.

Valuable insight

“I think it helps when you are considering a change of job to have the insight of someone who works there, providing that reassurance and confidence to make the switch. It was great to know in advance that Chrisbeon is a good firm to work for.

“I’m looking forward to the new challenge, travelling around and helping our customers. Being a mechanic, I was always stuck in the same place. It will be great seeing all the different businesses we work with, how the Chrisbeon operation works and the difference we are making for our customers – enjoying the job as I go along.

“I had a little bit of customer-facing experience in my previous job, but I am really enjoying the interaction with that side of things in the short time I have been here.

A big operation

“It’s great working at Chrisbeon, everyone is so helpful and supportive, and the thing that has really surprised me is the amount of businesses we deliver to. I really had no idea of the number of people who get their office equipment from Chrisbeon. Many different types of businesses across a range of sectors.”

In his spare time, Owen enjoys playing football and video games and still keeps his hand in as a mechanic – helping his friend with his car. It is great having Owen on the team and we look forward to bringing him new challenges along the way!

This Summer, we worked with Telford College on their campus upgrade – by delivering dozens of new desks and chairs for the new academic year.

Classroom and computer suites

Around £800,000 has been spent on improving classroom and computer suites throughout the Telford College campus, including the creation of a new business and accounting suite for higher education students.

We have worked with the college for around 30 years as they seek to use local suppliers wherever possible, and we work with them to meet their needs.

Dave Candlin, the college’s director of estates, said: “We’re very proud of our university-standard facilities, but the world of education is changing fast.

“We’ve been busy upgrading and renovating the campus for what we’re sure will be another exciting year.

“We have a long and happy partnership with the team at Chrisbeon, who always provide a terrific service and know exactly what sort of products to recommend to meet our needs.”

The latest renovation has included the creation of a conference and meeting area for up to 50 people, to be used by students on the HNC and HND business, and level four accounting courses.

Educational seating options

For this latest project, we supplied the college with more than 130 chairs in various configurations, plus stools, soft seating areas, desks, office and conference tables, writing tablets and power modules.

We have previously provided furniture for the college’s Haybridge restaurant, Rendezvous, Orange Tree, Willow Tree Centre, and the construction and discovery centres at the Wellington campus.

Practical and durable furniture

Partner Craig Hughes said: “We’ve been working on concepts and designs with the college for the new suite since February and are really pleased with the results.

“When providing equipment for a task like this, you need a balance of practicality, durability, and modern inspirational designs.”

Chrisbeon regularly supplies furniture to schools, colleges and universities across the Midlands and beyond, as we have heavy-use options for classroom or common room settings.

If you are an Estates Director or Manager and are looking to improve your classrooms or campus please do get in touch with our team.

Millions of items of office furniture are bought every year….for offices, homes, schools, and colleges – almost every type of business has an administrative arm and, therefore, usually requires some sort of office furniture.

Meeting the needs of businesses

The needs of each business are different – from size and colour to style and use – and we have worked with hundreds of businesses to find the right office furniture, and stationery, for them.

Chrisbeon has two showrooms – one for new furniture and one for preloved furniture – allowing our customers to view a huge range of options when looking for furniture for their office or employee homes.

Trading the old for the new

We operate a trade-in facility on existing office furniture, which offsets the costs for those buying from us and means furniture no longer suitable for them can find a more appropriate home.

Pre-loved showroom

Our preloved showroom, also on our Stafford Park 4 site, stocks a wide range of secondhand office furniture and continues to grow year after year. We recently unveiled a new entrance to the preloved showroom to allow customers to more easily explore all of the items we now have available, on two floors.

As well as office desks and computer chairs, the showroom has screens, storage, tables for breakout rooms and canteens, office sofas, and more.

We also offer a three-month warranty on all of our preloved items so that our customers can buy with confidence.

On-site warehouse facilities

We also have a wide range of furniture in our main showroom that allows customers to see furniture in situ and try out chairs and desks they may wish to buy – this also allows the furniture to be seen next to other furniture items and reduces the possibility of unsuitable furniture being returned.

And our on-site warehouse facilities mean we can store a large amount of stock on-site to allow larger businesses to have their needs immediately met and to work swiftly with employees or business owners just looking for one or two items to add to an existing office suite or homeworking area.

Here to help

Whether you are are looking to complete a full office refit and replace all of your existing on-site furniture or are looking for second-hand furniture that will meet the needs of homeworkers or complement your existing layout, the Chrisbeon team is on hand to help.

Please do pop into the showrooms on Stafford Park 4 and take a look around.

We are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

There’s nothing better for us than helping a good cause – unless it’s others joining us in rallying around to help a good cause!

The good people at INTune Radio Shropshire had a problem. They were looking for office premises and items to furnish it. Then, when it looked like everything was settled, the rug was pulled from under them, and it seemed like they were about to lose out.

But that wasn’t the end of the story, and in true soap opera style, the radio team received several offers of help to keep the dream alive – all willing to provide their assistance at no charge.

Setting the scene

INTune Radio Shropshire is a not-for-profit community radio station and is doing a magnificent job in serving the communities across Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin. The team from INTune Radio Shropshire take up the story:

“Not All Hero’s Wear Capes! This is a real community spirit!

“We had been looking for office premises for some time, free of charge and in exchange for services we could provide. We were offered a place of about 700 square feet. We were delighted and excited – but how were we going to furnish it? As a not-for-profit organisation, everything is tight for us.

“Anna Rose Bowler from A Good Thing stepped forward and alerted us to lots of used furniture destined for landfill – most of which we could use to furnish our space. We were delighted.

“As time for our move neared, we tried to arrange delivery but found it difficult until Richard Hughes from Chrisbeon came to our rescue. Richard and his excellent community-focused team helped us save about £5k’s worth of office furniture.

“Everything was scheduled to get the furniture from the company that donated it on the last day before it was due to go to landfill and have it delivered to our new office in Shrewsbury for FREE by Chrisbeon.

Out of the blue

“But our plans looked like they were being scuppered when we received a call to say the office had fallen through – just like that, a few hours away from the furniture being loaded and delivered. So what were we to do now?

“Having tried a few things we decided we’d have to admit defeat. We had nowhere for this amount of furniture to go, seemingly meaning the only choice was that it was going to landfill – such a waste!

“We then had a conversation with the most heart-warming Kaye Gunner who had learned of our plight, called a friend and then, two hours later, we had a storage facility for FREE, where we could keep the furniture until new offices could be found.

We couldn’t believe it – how cool!

“Chrisbeon team members loaded our furniture and delivered it to Storage Solutions Shrewsbury where owner Nicky Drew is now holding it for us and asking for NOTHING in return.

“People across Telford and Shrewsbury came together to help us, save a heap of usable furniture from landfill, and we are one step closer to finding a new home . . . a well furnished new home. Thank you to everyone involved – it’s real community spirit.”

There are many important questions when it comes to office furniture, and we are always delighted to help our customers by providing the right answers.

It really doesn’t matter how complex or how simple you think your query to be; it’s always best to seek the right advice in answering all those burning questions you may have . . . and the best advice is available right here at Chrisbeon.

There are many things we are asked, but today will look at four subjects which crop up frequently and have our customers scratching their heads:

What happens when employees lose their office furniture keys?

Here’s an interesting stat for you: A total of 99% of what we sell has locks! Each of those items comes with two keys as standard, but we are able to provide extra keys for staff if more people need access. However, it is important to remember that office furniture needs to be locked at all times to conform to GDPR.

So, for example, if a cupboard contains private data that needs to be accessed by four members of the HR department, we will ensure each of those permitted members has a key so that it can be locked all of the time.

If a company orders 10 drawer cabinets, we can have the same lock on each one so that all of the keys are suited. We can also provide master keys – override keys – which can be very useful for lockers in workplaces, meaning each staff member has a key, but there is also a master key available that can override them should the need arise.

Reassuringly, we also offer a spare locks and keys service for office furniture, and this doesn’t just apply to furniture bought from Chrisbeon. As long as you can provide us with the serial number, then we can help. Most items carry a partial serial number that we are able to work with.

Can chairs be re-gassed?

Yes! We can do that. We can obviously replace chairs if needed, but often having a chair re-gassed is a more popular and viable option, and we stock a range of different size replacement gas cylinders. If a chair keeps going down, many people think it needs changing but this is not necessarily the case.

Re-gassing your chair can often be done while you wait or, failing that, the next day. It is more sustainable to have the chair re-gassed as it is not discarded as waste – all it requires is the ordering of the necessary part to solve the problem.

What category is office furniture in accounting?

We are often asked what type of asset office furniture is – and if you can claim office furniture on tax.

Furniture and fixtures such as bookcases, chairs, desks and tables are larger items of moveable equipment used to furnish an office and, when it comes to accounting, are categorised as a long-term assets.

You can take a look back at our blog office furniture, depreciation and tax information for both furniture and stationery to find out more.

What are the trends and popular colour schemes in office furniture?

Each year you can find reports and information on what trends are surfacing and how offices are incorporating them.

In January 2023, the leading trends highlighted were:

For us here at Chrisbeon we look to our customer needs to work out what trends we may see – and often, what we are already working on gives us an insight. The resimercial trend – described as making work look more homelike – has been one we have seen impact on requests and designs.

Remote and hybrid working is here to stay – and offices across the UK are transforming work sites and employee homes to ensure a productive and efficient new way of working to suit their teams.

So where do you start?

The place to begin is your workforce. You need to assess their needs and requirements and how they integrate with your business’s needs and requirements.

Technical

To effectively integrate new practices, your technology will need to support how you are working, and key systems will be needed to ensure productivity in both a home office and an office workplace setting.

Physical

You will need to consider the physical environment that is being used. Home offices should provide your employees with the appropriate space, tools, equipment, and facilities to support them.

When we work with customers, we aim to optimise ergonomics, comfort and wellbeing, as well as consult with our DSE assessors to ensure legal requirements are met.

The office space also needs to be adapted to a new hybrid work culture with areas for flexible working and options for collaboration.

Challenges

Employers that have already made a move to hybrid or home working may have already come across some of the challenges it poses – feelings of isolation among employees, a lack of motivation and the blurring of the work/life balance.

You will need to create a supportive workplace culture that is inclusive to the whole team, wherever they are working, and have policies in place that ensure people continue to be supported and connected.

Success

Creating a successful work environment while incorporating homeworking and hybrid working depends on communication, support, environment and collaboration.

We have worked with a number of employers already embracing the change and recognising the potential benefits that new working conditions can bring – and our team continues to work with those taking that step in 2023.

If you are looking to adapt your workplace to better support your new way of working, please do get in touch with the team at sales@chrisbeon.co.uk, 01952 292606 or pop into our Showrooms on Stafford Park 4 to see some of the potential set-ups and furniture options on offer.

Chrisbeon is sponsoring two Shropshire youth rugby teams by kitting them out for their off-the-pitch teamwork.

We have sponsored the Under 13s and Under 14s Oswestry Rugby Club Junior teams and supplied them with Polos designed to be worn post-match and at events such as award presentations and Cup and Festival events.

Partner Craig Hughes said: “I am a big rugby fan and have long supported Oswestry Rugby Club, which provides opportunities for children as young as five.

“It is a real pleasure to be able to support them, and we are proud to see the polo shirts, which can be worn by the team to awards presentations and festival events.

“It has been a great season for both age groups; the U13s finished 2nd overall in their end-of-season Festival, U14s have progressed well, and 9 players have been chosen for the Midlands DPP Academy.”

Two of the Coaches, U13s Terry Bennett, and U14s Stewart Johnson wore their polo shirts to an RFU event at Twickenham, home of English Rugby, celebrating the work they have done on the Club Grounds.

Terry Bennett, U13s Coach at Oswestry Rugby Club, said: “We are a community club and truly value the support of local businesses and organisations.

“The smart Polo shirts allow us to promote the team spirit at our matches, award presentations and festival events, and we are hugely grateful to Chrisbeon for their support.”

Keeping sensitive documents safe and secure in the workplace has always been a top priority for any business, and this has become even more important since the advent of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

We know that much of this data and information is now stored within IT systems, but there are still many occasions when paper documents, some equipment and other items, such as personal possessions, need to be locked away securely in the working environment.

We have the answer

The obvious answer to these problems is to install cabinets, cupboards and desks with locks and here at Chrisbeon we have an extensive range to suit every office requirement. Lockable furniture needs keys, of course, and we know just how easy it can be to misplace those!

When allocating keys to staff, it is important to set a few ground rules, which may include:

How can we help?

A total of 99% of what we sell has locks and come with two keys. We do provide extra keys for staff if more people need access, but it must be remembered that cupboards, cabinets and drawers need to be locked at all times due to GDPR.

So, for example, if a cupboard containing private data needs to be accessed by four members of the HR department, we will ensure each of those permitted members has a key so that it can be locked all of the time. And if a company orders ten drawer cabinets, we can have the same lock on each one so that all of the keys issued are compatible.

We also provide master keys and override keys, which can be very useful for lockers in workplaces. Each staff member has their key, but there is an additional master key that can override them should the need arise.

It may also be reassuring to know that we provide a spare lock and key service for office furniture – and are not restricted to furniture bought from us. All we need is a key number – most carry a partial number, and that is enough for us to work with. This is yet another way in which Chisbeon can come to your aid!

Things have changed significantly in the workplace since Covid. Remote working was something forced upon us all during those difficult times but out of necessity came flexibility and a new approach to the way many employers chose to run their business.

We have talked in previous blogs about how we at Chrisbeon kept going through the pandemic – keeping companies and their workforce operating at peak efficiency through the supply of equipment and stationery to home workers.

A new future

Homes across the world were being transformed to varying degrees into the new workplace and this philosophy has continued since with many businesses and their staff sticking with the policy of remote or hybrid working – to the point where many firms have now introduced an annual working from home budget!

It’s a novel idea but one that is also proving to be immensely practical. Whereas HR would usually have checked in with team members, asking if they needed anything new or expected people to speak up if they needed a new chair, desk, cabinet or whatever, employees are now being given an annual allocated budget to spend on anything which would improve their home working. What a great idea!

Requests can range from a standing desk to a pen pot – any equipment that may be needed to better the home working experience rather than just providing the basics and letting them get on with it.

Improving working standards

Having that budget in place can only improve the conditions for remote and hybrid working, which in turn leads to happier, healthy staff, better morale and an improvement in their general wellbeing and productivity.

It is a win-win situation all around, and what benefits your employees is almost certainly going to have a knock-on positive effect for your business, and that is always good news – particularly during what are really challenging financial times at the moment.

DSE Regulations

Employers have a responsibility to protect workers from health and safety risks from working on a computer or laptop (display screen equipment) at home.

As an employer, you should check to see if the DSE regulations apply to your workers and, where they do apply, have a DSE assessment carried out.

A certified DSE assessor is required to carry out an assessment, and office furniture suppliers – such as ourselves – can supply one.

Helping you thrive and succeed

Whatever changes are taking place in the workplace, the one thing you can always rely on is the constant that Chrisbeon is here to help guide you through it. Something we will have been doing for 50 years come 2024!

Our philosophy and work ethic is the same now as it has always been since 1974, and we are extremely proud of our reputation as a family-run firm totally committed to helping businesses of all sizes thrive and succeed.

So whether you are looking for a move to new premises, a renovation of your existing offices or the supply of the best quality office equipment, supplies and stationery, we are ready, willing and able to meet all your requirements. Get in touch.

Staff wellbeing is a vital part of the workplace in 2023 with employers understanding the benefits a happy and healthy workforce can bring to a successful business.

Stressed-out workers racing to meet impossible deadlines are not conducive to the required high levels of efficiency and productivity a company is looking for – particularly when this kind of working environment can lead to low staff morale, discontent and an increase in absence through sickness.

The right thing to do

Much better, then, to have employees who actually enjoy turning up for work in an atmosphere that enhances their talents while promoting good health and wellbeing . . . a real win, win all around!

A workplace wellbeing room is the in thing right now! It will ideally be in a quieter location away from the hustle and bustle of the main office and will be decked out in an appropriately soothing colour scheme – creating that tranquil setting for any time-out period. But if you intend to set a room aside in the office to further these objectives, you will need to plan it out and decide what you are going to put in it.

Here are some ideas:

Talk to us

If you would like to incorporate a wellbeing room within your offices or have the space ready but need support to create the right atmosphere, then do pop us an email on sales@chrisbeon.co.uk

For those of us of a certain age, colleges and universities conjure up thoughts of rows of desks and chairs packed tightly together in stuffy, verging-on clinical classroom settings, drenched in formality and areas to be avoided at all costs other than to comply with the regimented learning process.

The need to learn is still there, of course, but the settings are quite different.

They are now brighter, airier places with due thought and consideration being given by those in authority to better encourage students while creating a more compatible learning experience.

A better option

Nowhere has this been seen more than in the choice of furniture – whether that is in classrooms, lecture areas, restaurants and cafeterias, communal areas, breakout rooms, student accommodation or ‘chill-out’ areas. Furniture requirements are changing to better meet practical needs and be more suited to what students are looking for.

Another thing that is different today is the importance colleges, and universities are placing on mental health and wellbeing, with many having adopted drop-ins for mental health support and pastoral care. The choice of furniture for these areas is often very different to that chosen for other parts of the campus.

Universities are also carefully selecting chairs, desks and bespoke storage for student accommodation to better reflect the times we are living in and provide a more homely feel for those young people who are almost certainly experiencing life away from their families for the first time.

The right move

This accommodation furniture needs to be hard-wearing and practical but also needs a softer feel where students can feel comfortable in surroundings where they will be spending a lot of their time.

When looking at communal areas and lobby spaces, we are finding that our sofas, seating stools and tables are really hitting the right spot – blending contemporary styling with timeless practicality.

Here at Chrisbeon we are heavily involved with supplying the furniture needs of schools, colleges and universities and offer the ideal solution to meet every demand.

We can help you choose the right colour and item to fit in with what you are looking for while being popular with students.

Ticking all the boxes

Well-designed, attractive and comfortable furniture aimed at assisting the academic mind at one of the most life-defining times for a young person – whether that be height-adjustable chairs and desks, tilted surfaces, different sizes of furniture to meet group and individual needs, tables or storage units.

Whatever your furniture requirements, Chrisbeon is here to help. Give us a call on 01952 292606 or call in and see us at our showroom on Stafford Park, Telford.

We love a good show . . . and we love it even more when we are involved!

Shropshire County Show

Shropshire County Show is one of the biggest events in the region and will take place this year on Saturday, May 27, at the West Mid Showground in Shrewsbury. It attracts thousands of visitors, and always produces a great day’s entertainment – with something to suit all ages and tastes – and this year we have signed up to support the show as an Area Sponsor!

It’s something we are delighted to be a part of as we are always keen to support all things Shropshire whenever we can, and the showground has faced quite the few years with the COVID lockdowns and repeated flooding. As part of our sponsorship, we will be rolling up at the showground ahead of the one-day event to provide some appropriate furniture to give the Members’ Area a more comfortable feel.

And we will also be unveiling some agricultural-themed office furniture – keep your eye out on show day for our bespoke desk and chair…..

Tickets go on sale

Tickets are now on sale for the show – which will this year welcome back the freestyle biking group that reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent, the exciting Bolddog Lings motorcycle display team.

Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society CEO Ian Bebbington and his team are working hard on the programme, which once again promises to be packed with excitement and things to see and do – and this year sees the added attraction of youngsters aged 15 or under getting in FREE of charge.

Chrisbeon Partner Richard Hughes said: “We recently worked with the West Midlands Agricultural Society to revamp and upgrade their Society offices at the West Mid Showground and it was great to learn more about the charity and the causes it supports in our rural county and an experience to see first-hand how everyone comes together after the site experiences flooding.

“When they issued a call for sponsors for this year’s event we were really pleased to step up to support the annual Shropshire County Show, hosted by the society, and are looking forward to being part of the event in May.”

Support the show

For more information about the show, buying tickets, booking a trade stand pitch and sponsorship opportunities, visit https://www.shropshirecountyshow.com/