| Workplace feature | Challenge | “Band-Aid” |
| Transient work style / hot desking | Lack of ownership | Concealed cables under or behind work surfaces |
| Height adjustable work surface | Cables cannot adjust with workspace height and are openly visible in sightlines | Zip ties or braided cables |
| Modular pods | Cable concealment in between workstations and flexible pod layouts | Running cabling through the floor or ceiling and metal conduits, creating a “power plant” aesthetic |
| Mobile devices | Plug-in accessibility | Foregoing convenience and using the nearest outlet, or running clunky power strips to the worksurface |
Integrating Design Thinking into Workplace Cable Management Provides Solutions as Versatile as your Employee’s Needs
No cable management system is entirely perfect, however, considering the needs of your office in the design phase can help to provide convenient, aesthetically pleasing solutions that can grow with your business.
Here are some ways that you can meet modern challenges with modern solutions:
| Workplace Feature | Challenge | Modern Solution |
| Transient work style / hot desking | Lack of ownership | An office benching system creates a power trough that provides every user with a plug-in point and provides a natural storage solution |
| Height adjustable work surface | Cables cannot adjust with workspace height and are openly visible in sightlines | An energy chain works well in highly adjustable situations |
| Modular pods | Cable concealment in between workstations and flexible pod layouts | A raceway is a versatile solution designed for modularity in open plan work environments |
| Mobile devices | Plug-in accessibility | Convenient work surface outlets |
The above solutions to cable management are both logical and convenient, making it easier to manage cables than to not manage them. Working with a furniture solutions expert during the design stage will ensure that the cable management solutions partner with with your office furniture needs.
Watson’s Smarter Solutions for Open Office Cable Management
Predicting how and where your staff will need to use cable and power is essential. Good design, planning and functional furniture allows your office space to become productive, flexible and beautiful.
Designed with aesthetic and function in mind, Watson furnishings are created to your specifications. This in turn minimizes visual disruption of cables and cords, letting your business grow and change with your needs.
Watson designers will look at your office plans and ask the following questions:
- How does this workspace need to function in connection to the office as a whole?
- How can we provide the necessary power, voice and data to this workspace, while only having one cord emerge on the user side?
- How can we ensure every user of the workspace has a clean, functional space?
The goal is to create a customized workspace that when completed, looks like the rendered design, with no exposed cables.
Watson Cable Management Products
Bahn Rail
Bahn Rail was released at NeoCon in 2017 and is the most refined, versatile, current solution to cable management. It’s only six inches wide, and allows any sort of storage or desk to be pushed up against it without introducing additional workstation creep.
Bahn Rail allows for different modular applications, depending upon the needs of the end user. It can go from very basic, bringing power, voice and data to a series of users at the desk, to more versatile applications. The more extensive applications include cord management solutions such as installing cabling into rail, and then connecting it to other cable managers and energy chains. This provides an accessible, concealed system of cords that connect all workspaces in the office.
To gain even more function out of your Bahn Rail, you can add enhanced bio-management features like privacy panels that block sightlines and reduce audio interference, in an open office setting. Users love the Bahn Rail it as it has many hidden features allowing for concealment of cables and a highly intuitive versatile design.
Watson Media Fast
Give technology a seat at the table. Small teams will find Media Fast a convenient addition for collaborative work. Attach Media Fast to most Watson tables or work surfaces and use its cable management clamp to cleanly route data and power beneath the table.
Bahn Office
The newest Watson product, Ready Office, combines the cable management of the versatile Bahn Rail, while redefining companion workspace pieces. Its an all-in-one approach curated to fit individual workstation needs, while maintaining the integrity of open office and shared office spaces. Ready Office will be launching at NeoCon 2018. Subscribe to our newsletter below to keep up with the latest developments.
Make Your Open Office WORK with Sleek, Quality Cable Management
This day and age, open office design requires integration of staff needs with a clean aesthetic and fluid layout. The challenge of cable management in the open office setting may seem totally insurmountable. However, the solution is simple. By combining Watson’s knowledgeable design team, smart furniture design, excellent layout planning and skilled installation, you can have your open office looking good and increasing productivity in no time.