Desk power is a relatively small part of an office fit out, but getting it wrong can create problems throughout the finished workspace.
Too few sockets, poorly positioned charging points, incorrect cable lengths or a lack of cable management can all turn an otherwise well planned workstation into something difficult to use and untidy underneath.
The easiest way to avoid these problems is to plan the complete desk power system alongside the furniture layout rather than choosing individual power units at the end of the project.
This guide takes you through the main decisions to make when planning desk power for a new office or workplace refurbishment.
1. Start with the final desk layout
Before choosing any power products, establish where the desks will actually be positioned.
You need to know:
- How many individual workstations are required
- Whether desks are arranged individually or in banks
- Where meeting and collaboration tables will sit
- Whether any desks are height adjustable
- Where building power enters the furniture
- Where floor boxes or wall sockets are positioned
This information affects almost every decision that follows.
A product that works perfectly for an individual workstation may not be the most practical choice for a six desk bench, while meeting tables can require power to be positioned very differently from normal desks.
2. Work out what equipment each workstation will use
The next step is to list the equipment expected at a typical desk.
This might include:
- One or two monitors
- A laptop docking station
- A desktop computer
- A laptop
- Phone charging
- A desk lamp
- Other workplace equipment
Do this before deciding how many sockets to install.
A dual monitor workstation with a docking station may already need three permanent mains connections underneath the desk before the employee connects anything themselves.
Our guide on how many power sockets an office desk needs looks at this in more detail.
3. Separate permanent connections from accessible power
One of the simplest ways to create a practical workstation is to separate equipment that stays connected from the connections the employee needs to reach.
Permanent equipment such as monitors and docking stations can usually be powered underneath the work surface.
An under desk power unit can keep those plugs concealed and organised.
Accessible power at desk level can then be reserved for:
- Laptops
- Phones and tablets
- Temporary chargers
- Visitors' equipment
- Devices that are regularly connected and removed
This avoids filling the desktop with plugs for equipment that never moves.
Our under desk power guide explains this arrangement in more detail.
4. Decide between on desk and in desk power
Once you know what users need to reach, decide where the accessible power should sit.
An on desk unit can be a good option where you want straightforward installation and easy access without creating a permanent opening in the work surface.
An in desk unit can provide a more integrated appearance where the furniture can be prepared with the appropriate opening.
Neither approach is automatically better.
The choice depends on the furniture, the appearance you want and how the workstation will be used.
You can compare the two approaches in our In Desk vs On Desk Power guide.
You can also browse our current desk power units to see the different installation styles available.
5. Decide how important USB-C laptop charging is
USB-C should be considered early rather than added as an afterthought.
The question is not simply whether the desk needs USB-C. You also need to decide what users are expected to charge from it.
If USB-C is mainly intended for phones, tablets and general charging, the requirement may be different from a hot desk where employees are expected to power their laptops directly from the furniture.
Within the Desktop Power range, current products include both 45W and higher output 90W USB-C charging options.
The appropriate choice depends on the equipment being connected rather than simply selecting the largest number available.
Our 45W vs 90W USB-C guide explains the difference.
6. Identify where mains power enters the desk
Every furniture power system ultimately needs an appropriate connection back to the building power supply.
For each desk or group of desks, establish:
- The nearest suitable wall or floor socket
- The route from that supply to the furniture
- Where the first power component will be positioned
- Whether the desk is fixed or movable
- Whether the cable needs to travel through floor or vertical cable management
Doing this before ordering helps avoid discovering during installation that a mains lead is too short or that the planned route crosses an unsuitable part of the furniture.
7. Plan GST18 connections and lead lengths
Many modular office furniture power products use GST18 connections.
This allows the power unit and mains cable to be selected separately rather than every product having a permanently attached UK plug and fixed length lead.
Desktop Power supplies GST18 mains leads, interconnecting cables and distribution components for modular desk power installations.
Before ordering, confirm:
- How many mains leads are required
- The required lead length for each desk
- Whether compatible components need to be interconnected
- Whether the power route needs to branch
- Whether a distribution unit is required
Our GST18 connection guide explains how these components fit together.
8. Do not automatically use the same cable length everywhere
Large projects can contain desks at very different distances from the nearest supply point.
Using one mains lead length for every workstation can result in some desks having large amounts of unnecessary cable underneath them while others barely reach the supply.
Where possible, group workstations by the cable length they actually require.
This makes the final installation easier to manage and reduces the amount of excess cable that needs to be stored underneath the furniture.
9. Plan cable management before installation
Power products create cables, and those cables need somewhere to go.
A typical workstation might require horizontal cable management underneath the work surface as well as a vertical route between the desk and floor.
Depending on the furniture, this could include:
- A wire basket beneath the desk
- A cable spine between desk and floor
- A cable wrap
- A solution designed for height adjustable furniture
Our desk cable management range includes options for both fixed and height adjustable workstations.
For a complete overview, see our Desk Cable Management Guide.
10. Give height adjustable desks special attention
Sit stand desks create a different cable management problem because the furniture moves while the building power supply remains fixed.
The complete cable route needs to work at both the lowest and highest desk positions.
Check:
- The full travel of the desk
- The location of motors and control boxes
- The position of the under desk power unit
- The mains lead length
- The vertical cable management
- That no connection becomes tight when the desk rises
- That excess cable cannot become trapped when the desk lowers
Testing the complete movement before the installation is signed off can identify problems that are not obvious when the desk remains at one height.
11. Meeting rooms need a different approach
A meeting table does not normally work in the same way as an individual workstation.
Users may sit in different positions and frequently connect temporary equipment.
Power may therefore need to be distributed across the table rather than concentrated at one end.
Consider:
- How many people normally use the room
- Where users sit
- Whether visitors need access to power
- Whether USB-C laptop charging is required
- Whether data or AV connectivity is needed
- Whether connections should remain visible or concealed when not in use
An integrated in desk power solution can work particularly well in meeting and boardroom furniture.
12. Think about future equipment changes
Office equipment changes much faster than furniture.
A desk installed today may still be in use years after laptops, monitors and charging requirements have changed.
It is sensible to allow some flexibility without simply filling every desk with unnecessary sockets.
Consider whether:
- Employees may move from desktop computers to laptops
- Single monitor desks may become dual monitor workstations
- USB-C charging will become more important
- The office may move towards hot desking
- Furniture may be reconfigured in future
A modular power system can make future changes easier to plan.
13. Consider BS 6396 as part of the complete system
Where electrical power, USB charging, data or telecommunications systems are incorporated into office furniture, BS 6396:2022 may be relevant to the installation.
The important point is that the standard relates to the complete furniture electrical system rather than a single desk power product in isolation.
The wider installation can include:
- The incoming supply
- Protection
- Socket provision
- USB charging
- Power leads and connections
- Cable routing
- Furniture power components
- Inspection and testing
For more detail, see our BS 6396:2022 guide and our article on BS 6396 and office fit outs.
14. Create a workstation schedule before ordering
For anything larger than a small office, it can be useful to create a simple schedule of workstation requirements.
| Item | Example information to record |
|---|---|
| Desk type | Fixed, bench, meeting table or height adjustable |
| Quantity | Number of identical workstations |
| Accessible power | Required mains sockets and USB-C |
| Under desk power | Permanent equipment connections |
| Mains lead | GST18 lead length required |
| Cable management | Basket, spine, wrap or other solution |
| Special requirements | Data, AV, sit stand movement or other considerations |
If the office contains several different desk types, create a separate line for each configuration.
This makes quantities much easier to check before the order is placed.
15. Do not forget the small components
The visible power unit is often the first product selected, but a complete installation may also require:
- Mains power leads
- GST18 interconnecting cables
- Distribution units
- Under desk power
- Wire baskets
- Cable spines
- Other cable management
Missing one inexpensive connection cable can prevent an otherwise complete desk from being commissioned.
Checking the full bill of materials before installation is therefore worthwhile.
A simple office fit out planning checklist
Before placing the desk power order, confirm:
- The final desk layout
- The number and type of workstations
- The equipment used at each desk
- The number of permanent power connections required
- The accessible mains sockets required
- The USB-C charging requirement
- Whether power will be on desk or in desk
- The location of building power supplies
- The GST18 mains lead lengths
- Any interconnecting or distribution requirements
- The horizontal cable route
- The vertical cable route
- Any height adjustable desks
- Meeting room and shared workspace requirements
- Relevant BS 6396 considerations
Plan the complete workstation, not just the power unit
The biggest improvement you can make when planning desk power is to stop thinking about the visible power module as an isolated product.
The workstation is a system.
The accessible power unit, under desk distribution, USB-C charging, GST18 mains lead and cable management all need to work together around the furniture and the people using it.
Planning those parts at the same time usually creates a cleaner installation and reduces problems when the furniture reaches site.
Important: This article provides general guidance for workplace power planning. Electrical furniture systems should be specified and installed appropriately for the intended equipment, electrical supply and applicable standards. Refer to the current BS 6396 standard and seek appropriate professional advice where required.