How to Plan Each Employee Spot in SL Series Open Plan Workstations
By Smart Buy Office Furniture | Austin, TX Office Furniture Store | Published: 2026-11-03
Category: ハウツーガイド
Plan each employee spot in SL Series open plan workstations with a step-by-step layout process, from measuring the 66 x 78 inch footprint to setting divider and storage clearances.
Quick answer
Plan one SL Series workstation per employee using the desk’s 66 x 78 inch footprint as your base module, then add clearances for the glass dividers, hutch, and full-length storage peds before you commit to a room layout.
Why the 66 x 78 inch footprint should drive your open office planning
The SL Series desk is not a small benching tile; its 66 x 78 inch footprint means each employee spot consumes a substantial rectangle before you add circulation space. Start your open plan desk layout by drawing that rectangle to scale, then place storage peds and hutch zones inside or beside it according to how the workstation is assembled.
Because the catalog does not list a panel height or an overall assembled depth, treat those as unknowns until you confirm them with the store. That missing specification matters: a hutch or divider that extends beyond the desk edge can change aisle widths and sightlines, so do not assume the desk footprint is the final occupied footprint.
Where SL Series workstations fit well, and where they do not
This workstation suits teams that need generous individual desk area plus full-length storage and a wide hutch in one package. The glass dividers and glass-and-laminate hutch doors suggest a balance between visual privacy and openness, which is useful in open plan workstations where employees still need focused work zones.
It is a weaker fit for very tight floor plates or hot-desking rooms where every inch is shared. If your plan depends on benching workstation setup with shared continuous surfaces, the SL Series’ per-employee desk and storage footprint may be too fixed; confirm whether the units can be ganged or re-oriented before designing around that assumption.
Step-by-step: plan each employee spot
- Measure the room and mark fixed obstructions: Record usable floor dimensions, column faces, door swings, window sills, and outlet locations on a scaled plan. Common mistake: measuring only wall-to-wall and forgetting that columns and radiators reduce the usable rectangle. Your usable area is smaller than the room’s nominal dimensions; plan to that smaller number.
- Draw one 66 x 78 inch desk module per employee: Place each SL Series desk footprint on the plan at the orientation you intend. Check that the 66-inch hutch side and the 78-inch side match the way employees will sit and reach storage. Common mistake: rotating the desk without checking whether the hutch and peds still fit the intended wall or divider line. Confirm the assembled orientation with the store before locking the layout.
- Add divider and hutch clearances: Leave space around glass dividers for cleaning and for the hutch doors to open. Because the catalog does not state divider height or hutch depth, ask for those dimensions and add them to the plan. Common mistake: treating the desk rectangle as the full occupied footprint. If dimensions are unavailable, plan a conservative buffer rather than a tight fit.
- Position storage peds for daily access: Place full-length storage peds so drawers or doors open without blocking an aisle or a neighbor’s chair. Common mistake: putting storage behind a seated employee where it becomes a trip hazard when accessed. Walk the plan as if you were each employee; if you cannot open the ped freely, move it.
- Set aisle and chair clearances between spots: Use your local code and ergonomic guidance for primary and secondary aisles, and check that each chair can roll back without entering a neighbor’s zone. Common mistake: sizing aisles from the desk edge instead of from the chair’s pulled-out position. Measure the worst-case chair position, not the tucked-in position.
- Check power and data reach per workstation: Mark outlet and data locations and confirm each employee spot can reach them without trailing cables across aisles. Common mistake: assuming a power strip solves every location; long runs still create trip risks. If an outlet is too far, adjust the desk position before adding extension cables.
- Pilot one workstation before ordering the full floor: Assemble one SL Series unit in the actual room, then test the hutch reach, divider sightline, and ped access with a real chair. Common mistake: ordering the full count from a paper plan without a physical check. Use the pilot to confirm the assembled footprint and clearance assumptions before scaling up.
Product facts that affect your plan
- SL Series Office Open Office Plan (Each Employee): Each SL Series workstation includes a 66 x 78 inch desk, a 66-inch wide hutch, glass dividers, and full-length storage peds. These elements define the minimum planning rectangle per employee, so measure the assembled unit rather than the desk top alone.
SL Series Office Open Office Plan (Each Employee)
