IBA editorial team Hybrid working, new space concepts and growing demands for ergonomics and sustainability are increasing the pressure on planning and procurement in the office. The Quality Office quality label promises orientation—it defines verifiable criteria for products and services as well as for certified consultants. In this interview with the IBA Forum, Volker Weßels, who is responsible for Quality Office certification at the German Interior Business Association (IBA), explains why this is relevant and what specific benefits it provides for companies.
Mr Weßels, what is Quality Office and why is it needed?
Quality Office is a quality label for “Good working in offices”. It combines clear, verifiable criteria for products and services relating to office workplaces, ranging from safety and function to ergonomics, durability and environmental compatibility. It’s based on the L‑Q 2022 guideline “Quality criteria for office workplaces”, which is jointly issued by DIN, DGUV, IBA, DNB and HBS. In this way, we provide orientation for planning, procurement and use and make quality reliably recognizable.
DIN: Deutsches Institut für Normung (German Institute for Standardization)
Responsible for the development and specification of standards in Germany.
DGUV: Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (German Statutory Accident Insurance)
Germany’s statutory accident insurance system covers prevention, rehabilitation and compensation at the workplace.
IBA: Industrieverband Büro und Arbeitswelt (German Interior Business Association)
The industry association for manufacturers of office and facility furniture. It promotes holistic working environments.
DNB: Deutsches Netzwerk Büro (German Office Network)
Network for the promotion of healthy and modern office work as part of the “New Quality of Work” initiative.
HBS: Office and Writing Culture Trade Association
Represents the interests of the specialized trade for office supplies and stationery in Germany.
Exactly how can I recognize the quality of office furniture?
For the Quality Office product certification, we test safety, ergonomics, functionality, flexibility, durability and environmental compatibility, among other things. This is deliberately intended to be comprehensive. A good product should provide ergonomic support, last a long time, adapt to new use scenarios and conserve resources.
The “Quality Office” website mentions two certificates. What are they?
In addition to the product seal, we certify two stakeholder groups. Firstly, the Quality Office Consultants—qualified consultants with verifiable training, examinations and mandatory further training in topics such as ergonomics, standards and office planning. Secondly, the Quality Office Products, which must fulfil the requirements of the guideline. Only certified products and consultants may use the Quality Office logo. This creates transparency in the market.
What distinguishes Quality Office from other labels?
The system view. We look not only at the individual office furnishings but also at consulting and implementation. The basis is a common guideline from central institutions. As a result, the label has broad professional support and is always up to date. For buyers this means simple comparability instead of pedantic technical specifications.
How time-consuming is the certification process for consultants?
It requires professional experience and formal proof of competence, i.e. recognized training or an examination, plus continuous further training. This ensures that our advice on ergonomics, standards and space utilization remains up to date—on everything from individual workstations to open-plan offices.
Und was bringt das den beschaffenden Unternehmen?
Planning and procurement become safer and faster. A Quality Office product fulfils defined criteria; a certified consultant ensures that objectives, standards and use are properly aligned. This reduces misunderstandings and avoids expensive reworking.
Many people are currently talking about hybrid work, AI and the role of the office. Is the Quality Office certification relevant for these times?
That is precisely why it is important. The guideline addresses flexibility and quality of use. Certified consultants apply this to zoning, acoustics, ergonomics and technology integration, i.e. to what modern offices have to achieve today. Quality Office is therefore a reliable guideline in turbulent times. This was also demonstrated at the Quality Office Consultants Day in Braunschweig in June this year. There, the focus very practically focussed on AI-supported planning and consulting on topics ranging from data classification and layout variants to 3D reconstruction, room acoustics and standards, social learning and collaboration as well as the role of the office as a cultural and communication hub. Our aim for the Quality Office Consultants Day is to keep quality criteria up to date and to enable consultants to translate these issues into projects in a measurable and verifiable way.
What were the most important findings of the Quality Office Consultants Day?
Firstly, quality remains measurable by means of clear target values, simulations and verification measurements so that office spaces reliably support both concentrated work and dialogue. Secondly, AI is a copilot, not an end in itself. It makes sense where it accelerates and deepens consulting without losing sight of data protection and responsibility. Thirdly, good working environments result from the interplay of acoustics, ergonomics, zoning and utilization culture. Quality Office consulting combines these levels into a viable solution.
Mr Weßels, thank you for talking with us.
Volker Weßels has been a consultant at the German Interior Business Association (IBA) in Wiesbaden since 2014. He heads the areas Sustainability, Standardization and Quality Office. He is responsible for the Quality Office certification for products and consultants, which is supported by five institutions in the industry, and is active as an expert in the Office subcommittee of German Statutory Accident Insurance (DGUV). Further information is available at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/volker-weßels-655107b6/ and https://quality-office.org.
Cover photo: Wilkhahn
