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Training Rooms

How to Set Up a Productive Training Room

Whether your training room is small or large, the proper furniture layout can make all the difference in the productivity of everyone using the space. There are several common training room layouts, and the one that you choose for your business should depend on how many people you need to accommodate and what style of learning will be taking place. 

Remember, the seating arrangement you choose should make it easy for everyone in the room to clearly see and hear the instructor and allow for easy discussion between individuals and the instructor. Ensure everyone in the room can leave their seat anytime without disturbing the rest of the class. Space out furniture so that individuals and their chairs aren’t touching any furniture or people around them. However, seat individuals close enough to feel a sense of togetherness that allows them to feel comfortable asking their neighbors questions. The 2 most common training room layouts address all these needs. 

Classroom-Style

In this style, training tables and chairs are set up in rows facing the front of the room where the speaker will be presenting. This layout is ideal for training sessions that need to house a large number of people for lecture-based learning. 

Be sure to space rows of tables about 3 feet apart. This arrangement allows comfortable traffic flow when the class is dismissed, and fire code requires that walkways be at least 3 feet wide for safety purposes in an emergency. NBF Commercial Interiors Support Division Manager Amy Buck-Conrad recommends incorporating a center aisle rather than two side aisles. This allows for a large aisle and saves space in a small training room. Amy also recommends leaving at least 5 feet of space in the front of the room so the presenter has plenty of room to work in.

Conference-Style

The second most common type of training room layout is the conference style, which can be circular, square, or rectangular. In this arrangement, all training session participants face the open center of the “circle.” 

While the classroom-style arrangement is best for lecture-based classes, the conference style works better for classes that are highly based on group discussion. The collaborative design allows participants to see and hear one another easily, making the flow of conversation more effortless.

Flexibility of Design

Of course, if your training room uses a mixture of lectures and group discussions, you can still get the best of both worlds. At National Business Furniture, we offer a huge selection of mobile and modular training room chairs and tables that make rearranging your space in either of these configurations a breeze. Nesting furniture is even easier to work with since it allows you to relocate multiple tables and chairs together.
Training Room

More From NBF

How to Style a Conference Table

Does your conference table look a bit bland and empty? If so, we’ve got a few tips to help you elevate your boardroom style, whether you’re hosting stockholders or just having a team brainstorming session. 

Find the Right Chairs

Conference chairs are available in a wide range of sizes and styles. Your choice will be sure to impact the feel and tone of your room, so be sure to consider the best match for your table and what you want the overall feel of your room to be. 

Center In

A centerpiece is a great way to add more pizazz to a conference room. This can be something functional, like a pitcher and a set of glasses, or purely decorative, like an artificial plant. Just be sure that it ties the look together without going overboard.

Keep it Simple

While you don’t want a blank table, which can come off as cold and unfriendly, you also don’t want to overdo it. Ensure that the centerpiece isn’t too tall or too busy – you don’t want your meeting attendees to be distracted or unable to see each other.

Incorporate Technology 

Another aspect to consider when it comes to conference table styling is how technology is used in the room and how seamlessly your furniture supports that. Having built-in data ports and/or grommet holes can make it easy to use various forms of technology while cutting back on clutter and chaos.

Need more help furnishing your conference room? Consult our How to Set up a Conference Room buying guide for helpful, relevant tips on all things conference room.

Game of Conference Rooms

Game of Conference Rooms

According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, the conference room is no longer just a place to hold meetings and take conference calls—it’s a battleground.

Why? A lack of space. With private office space continuously dwindling, meeting rooms are now being utilized more than ever by more individuals. Many meetings used to take place in private offices, which isn’t an option in most modern-day workplaces where private offices are a thing of the past. 

Instead, the conference room takes the place of the private office. With more individuals using these conference rooms, conflicts come in the form of double booking conference rooms, going over your meeting time slot, and having to boot coworkers and superiors who go over time out of the space. This results in unneeded tensions in the office and confusion—both distractions from work that needs to be done.

So how do we solve the battle over the conference rooms? 

Clearly Define Conference Room Rules and Etiquette

A code of conduct for conference room usage can go a long way to dispel unneeded tensions and distractions. It may feel stilted, especially in a company with a more laid-back culture, but it’s an effective method nonetheless. 

Ensure that everyone knows the constraints and how they are expected to act. You can share this information as a company-wide email or a quick meeting detailing the issues and the new rules established to solve them. For example, making it clear that meetings should not go over the reserved time can help people avoid clashes and force more productive meetings. Constraints can be powerful motivators—knowing they only have a half hour to get everything done can keep people focused during meetings.

Create More Space for Meetings

The most obvious way to solve this problem is to add more conference rooms. In some instances, this may be all that is needed. Perhaps there is an unused office that you can easily convert into a meeting space by adding the appropriate furniture items. 

However, we understand that adding another conference room is not a simple prospect for most businesses. Space comes at a premium, and most of it is probably in use. If that’s the case, it’s time to think creatively about how you can use the space you currently have.

Think About the Office Building Beyond Your Floor 

Some office buildings have general conference rooms available for use. Some even offer these spaces free of charge—you simply have to sign up. Consider if this is an option for your company. 

Many furniture options allow you to create separate office spaces. Using dividers and partitions allows you to section off a designated meeting space that teams can use when the other conference rooms are booked. Dividers don’t have to be boring; LOFTwall creates incredibly stylish ways to divide and section off spaces.

Add Collaborative Functionality to the Breakroom

In most companies, the breakroom is occupied for only a few hours each day. This means it stands almost completely empty for most of the day. Outfitting your breakroom with multipurpose furniture will allow teams to use it as a meeting space without disturbing anyone. Consider multifunctional furniture that includes couches and adjustable height tables. With such products, employees can choose how to best use the furniture to suit their needs, whether collaborating or resting.

 

The Standing Conference Room

Adding a standing desk to your workspace can do wonders for your long-term health, but it doesn’t have to stop there! You can also extend the benefits throughout your entire office space by adding standing meeting tables to conference rooms, boardrooms, training rooms, and other collaborative areas. 

Worried you’ll force people to stand even when they would prefer to sit? These adjustable tables and standing-height tables offer much more flexibility and versatility than the standard height options. They can be lowered or raised, depending on the needs and wants of the group. When paired with adjustable stools or chairs, users can easily adjust both furniture items to ensure personalized support and comfort.

These Trendway tables feature a manual lift in the form of a hand crank. This allows you to easily lower and raise the work surface, depending on the needs of your meeting. These tables offer great value and great flexibility for any meeting space.

Simply lift this Meridian Electric Height-Adjustable Table with a touch of a button! You can easily and seamlessly incorporate all forms of technology with the built-in wire management system. Best of all, the thermally-fused laminate promises long-lasting beauty as it keeps stains and scratches at bay.

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