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Build a Better Training Room

Training rooms are central locations for education and innovation. They can look like conference rooms, but their key differences make them an integral part of a workplace's ecosystem. Create a flexible and functional training space with the right furniture and tech to empower every employee.

High-Tech Training

These sessions have become fairly high-tech in recent years—just like the jobs accompanying the training. Ensure that your training room is outfitted with the right technology, including projectors, video cameras, screens, and tablets to supplement learning. Provide plenty of access to power to keep your tech fully charged and ready to go.

A Movable Place

From size to scope to configuration and everywhere in between, it's possible that no 2 training sessions will look the same. Choose movable, mobile tables and chairs to ensure that the room's configuration can be changed and scaled to fit the program.

Supply Storage

Whether it's protecting the aforementioned tech or keeping office supplies tidy, a storage cabinet or simple credenza provides concealed compartments to make sure the environment is clean and uncluttered while in use.

Out-of-the-Way Options

When your training room needs added floor space or not every table is filled, use nesting flip-top tables and coordinating nesting chairs to store overflow furniture without taking up too much real estate.

Teacher Tools

Ensure session leaders aren't left out to dry by providing a podium, desk, or cart to store instructors' supplies. These can be static fixtures or mobile options that are tech-ready for use with screens or speakers.

Trainee Amenities

Attendees may come with extra materials or personal belongings that need to be stored somewhere. If your space isn't near a coat closet, choose chairs with under-seat storage or add hooks beneath training tabletops to hold purses or backpacks.

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More From NBF

A Safe Return: Training Rooms

Whether it's a group of new hires eager to learn their new jobs, seasoned employees pursuing continuing education, onsite training for students, or any other learning opportunity-- a training room is a place designed for engaging discourse and the pursuit of knowledge.

Making these places safe and sound relies on reducing occupancy while providing even and proportional space between every person. Reducing numbers while retaining amenities is key. While these spaces take a lot of inspiration from the new conference room, these instructor-led environments deal with larger waves of people with their own unique needs.

How to Set Up a Productive Training Room

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.

The Complete Guide to Training Room Furniture

How do I set up a training room that’s functional and beautiful? Although different offices will have specific needs for their training rooms, every training space should include certain elements. 

Tables

Training room tables are the staple of any good training room, but the type of table used will vary from one room to the next.

Folding tables are ideal for training spaces that accommodate meetings of various sizes. Extra folding tables can be easily stored in a nearby closet and brought out only when needed.

Flip-top tables have a tabletop that flips up, allowing multiple tables to nest together. This type of table usually has casters so you can roll multiple tables into and out of storage at a time.

Adjustable height training tables are great options for several reasons. First, users may stand at them, which can fend off some of the negative side effects of sitting all day. Second, adjustable height training tables can be set up in a stadium-style configuration so that the second row is taller than the first row and the third row is taller than the second. This ensures that everyone in the room can see the presenter.

Chairs

Training room chairs should complement the type of tables you have in the space.

Nesting chairs, like flip-top nesting tables, have a seat that flips up against the back of the chair. This way, multiple chairs can be nested for easy transport and storage.

Stacking chairs are often used in a training setting because they can be stacked on top of one another in the corner of a room and pulled out as needed.

Instructor Needs

Training room desks are not entirely needed in a training room setting, but they may be helpful for presenters who need a little extra work surface to get the job done. Training desks are usually simple and feature a basic work surface without storage. Some training rooms may use a laptop cart instead.

Lecterns are necessary in most training rooms because they provide a space for the lecturer to stand while providing a place for paperwork and other supplies. Podiums may be as simple as a small paper holder placed on top of a table or as complicated as a large unit with tons of storage.

AV carts are mobile audiovisual stands that house equipment like projectors, laptops, and televisions. Due to the technical nature of sharing information in a group setting, your training room will likely need at least 1 AV cart.

Whiteboards and projectors are almost always used in training room settings. The size of your whiteboard will depend on the size of your training room, but your presenters will want something to write on and project on to relay information to the group.

Aesthetics

Accessories and décor will help bring the space to life. You will probably want to add a wall clock to the back of the room so the speaker can tell how much time is left. In addition, décor and accessories such as wall art, waste receptacles, storage carts, and chair and table dollies will all serve a purpose in your training room.

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