Office Lockers: All You Need to Know

A Brief History of Lockers

Office lockers is the term used to describe the lockers that have been configured and designed to meet the requirements of a corporate office. In a similar fashion to school lockers, their main purpose is to give the employees a safe space to keep their belongings in a locked compartment that random people can’t access. They typically contain multiple compartments.

Depending on the type of office and the requirements of the employees, the lock configurations can be upgraded and the sizes of the compartments altered.

What Are the Different Types of Lockers?

The wide range of lockers in the market might surprise you. What started off as a simple wooden storage solution has evolved with time and technological advancements. Lockers can be categorised into different groups depending on their material, purpose, configuration, and so much more. Here’s a list of the different types of lockers:

Based on Materials:

• Wood Lockers

Wooden lockers offer your locker room a vintage, classy, elegant touch. These lockers have been in use for centuries and are still widely used. Owing to their high maintenance cost and susceptibility to damage from harsh weather conditions, wooden lockers no longer rank high on the list of lockers.

• Metal Lockers

In a similar fashion to wooden lockers, metal lockers also had their time in the limelight. These lockers have been the standard for high schools and offices for generations. Made from cold-rolled steel, they are easy to paint, strong and reliable, but over time, the rust, dents and scratches make metal lockers a costly choice. Eventually, their maintenance cost surpasses the cost of the lockers.

• Phenolic Lockers

Phenolic lockers are made of a melamine sheet and several layers of resin-impregnated kraft paper pressed together. They provide better durability than metal and wooden lockers. Phenolic lockers are waterproof and moisture-repellent but are susceptible to mould growth in the long run. If the interior is compromised, the replacement is quite expensive.

• HDPE Plastic Lockers

HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) lockers are made from solid plastic, and are comparatively the most durable material on the list. These lockers boast a number of features such as resistance to impacts, scratches, dents, graffiti, and corrosion. Owing to their solid plastic construction, they are resistant to mould growth. Among all the lockers, HDPE ones are the most sustainable alternative due to their longevity and low-maintenance costs.

Based on Construction:

• Single Tier Standard Lockers: Single Tier lockers host a single large compartment that is available in different heights and widths.

• Double-Tier Standard Lockers: They are the same size as the single-tier lockers but have two locker units instead of one. The units are shorter and stacked one upon the other.

• Box Style Office Lockers: The Box style office lockers come with smaller locker units that provide storage space for smaller valuables like mobile phones without consuming too much space.

Based on the Lock Configuration:

• Key Lock

• Provision for Padlock / Latch lock

• Mechanical Combination Lock

• Digital Combination Lock

• RFID Lock / Smart Card Lock

• Coin Locks

• Hardwired Locking Solutions

What Are the Benefits of Lockers?

Lockers might initially appear to burn through your budget, but they are a very worthwhile investment in the long run. The benefits of getting lockers installed on your premises certainly outweigh the cost. While many things can impact a person’s time at work, lockers are one of the things that can help improve the overall working environment.

Here are a few ways that purchasing an office locker can help your employees:

• Better Use of Space:

Optimising the limited space available for setting up the office is crucial to creating a clutter-free workspace. Lockers help create personal spaces to better organise personal and official belongings. Keeping important documents and files in lockers ensures they are not lost or misplaced and can be easily retrieved when needed.

• Enhanced Security:

Depending on the needs of your employees and organisations, you can opt for a different type of locking system for your lockers. Even something as simple as a padlock lock or a combination lock system gives the employees a sense of security. You can invest in smart lockers if the items stored by the employees are highly sensitive, dangerous, or important.

• Employees Have Control Over Items:

Nobody would wish for another person to access their belongings. All your employees have complete control over their items with lockers in place.

• Makes Office Space Look Better:

Designing lockers to complement your existing storage cabinets helps your employees not only keep their desks clean and tidy for a more professional looking office space. You can opt for a design and colour palette that complements your interiors, enhancing the visual appeal of the entire office space.

• Personalisation:

Locker doors can be personalised with the company colour scheme to reinforce the company’s brand and culture. You can also personalise each employee’s lockers with their pictures to help them feel valued.

• Creates a Sense of Belonging:

While it is the responsibility of the company to ensure all workspaces are well maintained, the inside of a locker is completely under the employee’s control. Employees can pin pictures of their families or add artwork to accentuate their personal space. With a safe space inside the company for their personal items, employees can feel relaxed, knowing that their valuables are well protected. This safe space and security help create a sense of belonging for employees.

• Increases Efficiency:

Cleaner environments and tidier workspaces boost your employees’ efficiency. Furthermore, the habit of keeping all their belongings organised makes far less likely they will lose anything. Having defined spaces for all important things, your employees will never be without what they need, which again boosts their productivity.

• Enforces Uniformity in the Workplace:

When all employees, from the executives to the new starters, use the same kind of lockers, it creates a sense of uniformity within the workplace. Using lockers also enable the desks to be clutter-free, and to look organised and uniform whenever someone steps into your offices.

• Fosters Good Discipline:

Keeping desks and lockers clean and organised is a positive habit for employees to build. Doing away with all unnecessary devices and items can help your employees focus better on their work. Staff are more likely to become more mindful of what they carry to their desks, and how they work most effectively.

• Perfect for Hot-Desking and Remote Working:

In the post-covid era, remote working and hot-desking is very popular, making lockers ideal for corporate offices that host freelancers or hybrid work employees. All employees can be at ease knowing that their personal belongings are safe and secure in their locker.​​​​​​​

Are Plastic Lockers Worth It?

Most people might picture wooden or metal lockers when they hear the word ‘lockers.’ While those types of lockers were certainly popular a few decades ago, HDPE lockers have been the hot favourites of several organisations in more recent times. Read on to find out why.

Here’s a list of features of OzLoka® lockers:

• Resistant to Damage From Knocks and Bumps

• Resistant to Damage From Cleaning Solvents

• Resistant to Mould Growth

• Tamper-Proof

• UV-Stable

• Corrosion Resistant

• Weather Resistant

• Lightweight

• Stackable

• Quieter in Operation

• Easy to Clean

HDPE lockers are relatively inexpensive, have lower maintenance costs and can withstand rough conditions. All of it roughly translates to a smaller dent in the organisation’s overall budget.

How to Choose the Right Colour for Office Lockers?

When purchasing a locker, getting the right colour shade can make a huge difference. Although we may not be conscious of it, colours significantly impact our minds and mood. For example, a bright, vibrant-coloured room will lift your spirits. On the other hand, walking into a dull, dark-coloured room can bring your morale down.

Here’s a list of advantages that come with opting for bright-coloured lockers:

• Brightens up the spaces

• Exudes positive energy

• Positive influences on thoughts and mood

• Enhances creative thinking

• Complements most of the corporate colour schemes

Choosing the right colour can make or break the aesthetics of your office spaces which is why it is important to take your time in making up your mind.

Here’s a small guideline on the effect a few colours can have that will make it easier for you to finalise a colour for your office locker:

• Orange Coloured Lockers:

The colour orange is a warm colour that really pops out compared to blue and greenish tones. It’s an attention-grabbing colour that’s often associated with optimism and energy. Orange colours are often found in places that inspire liveliness, like schools and sports clubs. If you wish to make your workplace a lively place, you should consider purchasing orange-coloured lockers.

• Blue Coloured Lockers

All shades of blue bring emotional stability and a sense of calmness. Blue represents the sky and the sea and is associated with open spaces, freedom, inspiration, and sensitivity. Blue-coloured lockers are preferred in libraries, offices, leisure centres, and healthcare facilities where you would want the occupants to feel motivated and experience confidence and stability.

• Jade Coloured Lockers

According to Chinese folklore, Jade has been associated with prosperity, success, good luck and immortality for ages. The greenish shade of Jade is also often viewed as the colour of nature. It’s pleasant to look at and has a soothing effect.

• Standard Colours for Lockers:

  While colours can create these interesting psychological effects, many corporate spaces prefer to use more neutral tones within the workspace. Here’s a list of the standard colours you can choose if you are seeking a more formal or neutral locker room:

  • Silver Grey Colored Lockers

  If you want something more professional and formal, the silver-grey colour might be the right choice. Silver brings a sense of elegance to a space and works well in corporate settings that prefer a minimalistic approach.

  • White Coloured Lockers

  Often viewed as a symbol of purity and comfort, white-coloured lockers are frequently used in places that demand calmness. Although white lockers create a clean and simple finish, keeping them clean and in pristine condition can prove to be challenging.

Colour comes in infinite shades, and finding the right one for your corporate setting might not always be as easy as you imagined. With the colour of your locker playing such a vital role in dictating your office spaces’ energies and aesthetics, you need to choose your colours carefully. The right coloured lockers will not only beautifully blend in with your interior decor, but will create an environment that reinforces your company values.

Purchasing a colourful and durable office locker might be the perfect start for you if you wish to upgrade your workplace. OZ LOKA®  hosts a wide range of fully customisable workplace lockers that are available in over 25 different colours. These lockers help you make the most of your office space while also giving it a fresh look.

Are you unable to finalise your office lockers? Get in touch with industry experts to determine the best lockers for your corporate setting. At OZ LOKA®, we offer fully customised lockers that can be personalised to suit your specific needs. For more information, call us today at 1300 847 901.