Benching: How to Add Seats Without Rebuilding the Office
Benching makes it easier to grow in a more organized way: new workstations can be added along the same structure instead of purchasing complete individual stations and reorganizing the entire space. It is a good option when a team grows gradually and the existing layout still works.
In this article, we cover the criteria for deciding whether benching is right for your operation, which of the two lines is the best fit for your bench run, and how to prioritize the investment when the budget is limited.
When Montiac-Linamar merged three departments into a single space in 2024, the challenge was not simply fitting more people into the same footprint. It was reorganizing the workspace without construction. The project used modular office furniture to create collaborative workstations and make better use of the existing space.
The difference is being able to adapt the workspace as the team changes without having to replace all the furniture or reorganize the entire layout.
That is the question this article answers: when benching is the right choice and what needs to be considered for it to work. Because the decision that is often left too late is not the worktop finish, but which of the two benching lines is better suited for the growth ahead.
Gebesa has been manufacturing office furniture for more than 50 years. In many projects, benching is initially selected based on cost per workstation. The real challenge comes later, when the team grows and the installed system does not allow additional positions to be added as easily.
What a bench run solves that individual desks do not
A bench is a continuous structure that supports multiple workstations. The difference from simply placing individual desks side by side is that the structure, power distribution and data pathways are shared across the entire run.
That matters because space per person continues to shrink. CBRE reports that 69% of organizations have more than 40% of their population sharing desks.
Translated into a purchasing decision: when a team grows gradually and the existing layout still works, benching makes it possible to add positions without rethinking the entire space from scratch.
Growth that builds on what is already installed
This is where the real advantage becomes clear: when it is time to add more workstations. In a bench run, adding positions means extending the structure and adding worktops rather than purchasing complete individual stations or reorganizing the entire floor.
Evek shows another benefit of this type of system. In that project, G-Bench and G-Connect were specified with configurations selected according to the functions of each team, rather than repeating the same workstation throughout the space.
That flexibility matters in a workplace where space is being used more intensively. CBRE reports global occupancy of 111% and says that 69% of its clients have more than 40% of their population sharing desks.
For a growing team, benching helps make better use of the structure already in place while allowing the layout to respond to different ways of working.
Seating is not where the savings come from
This is where the real advantage becomes clear: when it is time to add more workstations. In a bench run, adding positions means extending the structure and adding worktops rather than purchasing complete individual stations or reorganizing the entire floor.
Evek shows another benefit of this type of system. In that project, G-Bench and G-Connect were specified with configurations selected according to the functions of each team, rather than repeating the same workstation throughout the space.
That flexibility matters in a workplace where space is being used more intensively. CBRE reports global occupancy of 111% and says that 69% of its clients have more than 40% of their population sharing desks.
For a growing team, benching helps make better use of the structure already in place while allowing the layout to respond to different ways of working.
Which of the two benching lines belongs in your run
Gebesa offers two benching lines, and they do not solve the same problem. The main difference is not the finish or the price per workstation. It is whether the positions need to adjust in height or remain fixed. That is the first question to answer before requesting a quote, because it determines the structure of the benching system.
G-Bench
G-Bench makes it possible to add positions along the same work line without rethinking the entire layout. Cable management is concealed within the structure and can be easily accessed through its piano-hinged doors, keeping the work surface clean and organized.
It can also incorporate glass screens mounted above the worktop with an aluminum rail. This creates a continuous visual division between workstations without blocking light or making the space feel closed off.
G-Bench is a good fit when the space needs to grow in number of positions while maintaining visual order and making better use of the same work line. It works especially well for assigned workstations, fixed-height desks and projects where every position matters within the layout.
Ascend Benching
Ascend Benching is a height-adjustable desk system designed for shared workstations. Each user can raise or lower their desk independently without affecting the stations beside it. It also includes anti-collision technology, quiet operation and integrated solutions for voice, data and power. It meets ANSI/BIFMA standards and comes with a warranty of up to 10 years.
The CBRE figure cited above helps put this scenario into perspective: 69% of its clients report that more than 40% of their population shares desks. When the same workstation is used by different people, a fixed height does not work equally well for every user. With Ascend, each person can adjust the workstation to their preferred working position and save their settings using the four-memory control. It can also be operated through the Gebesa IA App with a Bluetooth adapter sold separately.
If a workstation has a single user and the workday takes place at a fixed height, G-Bench can meet that need while leaving more of the budget available for seating. If the workstation rotates between people or shifts, height adjustment stops being an extra and becomes a key selection criterion.
Where to spend first when the budget falls short
Few projects start with enough budget for everything. When something has to be reduced, this is the order we recommend, from what is hardest to change later to what can be adjusted more easily.
- Seating. It is the part of the workstation that directly supports the user throughout the day, so it should not be the first place to cut.
- Bench structure and power distribution. This determines whether the system can grow later. Changing it means dismantling the entire run.
- Acoustic absorption. It can be added later, but usually at a higher cost. If it needs to be deferred, plan in advance where the panels will go.
- Worktops and finishes. These are highly visible, but also among the easiest elements to change later, making them a more flexible area for budget adjustments.
- Storage. In operations that use little paper, storage can often be added in phases as needs grow.
A common mistake is to prioritize the worktop finish because it is the most visible part of the project, while reducing the investment in seating. In practice, it makes more sense to protect the elements that have the greatest impact on daily use and are more difficult to replace later.
Plan your benching for growth
If you already have a floor plan, the next step is straightforward: mark how many positions you need today and how many you may need in two years, identify which workstations require more privacy or receive visitors frequently, and review the orientation of the bench runs in relation to windows and circulation.
With that information, a benching quote becomes more than a price per workstation. It becomes a decision about how the space can grow.
You can review line specifications and finish options in the Gebesa catalogs. Once the positions are marked on the plan, find a dealer or find a rep in your territory to work through the configuration.
