4 Essential Features of a 21st Century Boardroom

From job interviews, to client pitches, to employee discussions, your boardroom is where a lot of important events take place, so it’s crucial that it’s kept looking its best. If your meeting space is beginning to look a little old-fashioned, it’s time to do something about it. In this blog, we take a look at four of the essential features of a 21st century boardroom and what you can do to bring this area of your office up-to-date.   1. Fresh furnishings   No boardroom is complete without the appropriate furniture, but if your table and chairs are starting to look outdated, it might be time to find replacements. Upgrading your furniture can help change the look and feel of the area in an instant. From mesh-backed chairs to trapezoidal-shaped tables, there are a plethora of cool and contemporary designs for you to choose from. For a truly modern vibe, why not go for seating models covered with coloured fabric?   If your firm is a traditional, family-run business, you might be wary of introducing 21st century inspired furnishings into your space. However, there are a number of stylish yet classic pieces you could go for. For example, at Furniture at Work™, we stock a selection of traditional-looking boardroom tables, such as our Grafton and Canning designs, which could be the perfect fit in this type of setting.   2. State-of-the-art technology   Technology is vital in any boardroom, but if you’re keen to take your set-up to the next level, it pays to invest in the latest gadgets and gizmos. If your current arrangement consists of nothing more than a laptop and a whiteboard, it’s time for a serious upgrade.   There are a whole host of innovative and useful pieces of tech that could help bring your space up to date. For example, you could hook up a video conferencing system to connect with your clients on a face-to-face level, or you could install an interactive whiteboard to get the most out of your meetings. Stepping up your tech game in the boardroom will not only make life easier for you and your colleagues, but you’re bound to impress clients with your state-of-the-art electronic choices.   3. Improved lighting levels   There’s nothing inspiring about a poorly lit meeting space, so if you’re guilty of ignoring the lighting levels in your boardroom, you might want to think about making improvements. A lack of light can be enough to leave your clients feeling less than impressed, and it may also be causing your employees to lose concentration during meetings. By making a few small changes, you could help pull your personnel out of the dark and into the present.   Simply swapping your overhead fixtures for more up-to-date models is the best place to start. To get this spot on, you might find it useful to go for illuminations that can be easily adjusted so you can alter the lighting levels to suit the situation, whether you’re conducting a PowerPoint presentation or holding a quickfire brainstorming session. Make sure you fully utilise your windows too as natural light can help keep attention levels up.   4. Personalisation perfection   When it comes to 21st century office design, it’s all about personalisation. You can’t expect to leave a lasting impression if your work spaces aren’t decorated in a way that’s befitting of your brand - and your boardroom is no exception. So, if your current meeting set-up is looking a little plain, you might want to think about giving it a customised makeover.   For example, you could have your company’s name and logo embossed on your boardroom door or you could fix framed posters to the walls that show off your business’ mission statement and vision. You could even position awards and certificates you have achieved in a display cabinet, or simply paint the walls in your company’s colours. To really show off your image, you could strategically place branded accessories, such as pens and mug coasters, on the boardroom table.