Moving your business into an office for the first time can be very exciting. Perhaps you were working out of your spare room for the first year or so. But now you have hired people, and things are starting to pick up a little, you may well feel the need to move into some official premises. This can be a pretty exciting move in your business career, and will no doubt do wonders for the productivity of your team. There are various typical things to sort out imminently for your new workplace – the obvious things such as desktop computers, lighting, heating, and security systems. But once these office essentials are out the way, you may want to consider some of the other additions to your business that make your office truly workable.
A printer/scanner/photocopier
In days gone by, the majority of offices would have had all three of these things included as staple items. Now, having an individual scanner, printer and photocopier are almost unheard of – most offices are much more likely to have a multifunction printer. Having all these functions in one wastes much less electricity and makes employees lives much easier. Plus, you will also save money by buying just one item and taking out just one warranty, rather than doing this process three times over.
A tea/coffee station
Workers need fuel – and although your office is not designed to be a home from home as such, it can be beneficial for your staff to have a few home comforts to get them through the day. Even something as simple as providing tea and coffee can go a long way regarding employee happiness, so set up a little station somewhere central to your workspace. Even if you have an office kitchen, it can still be worthwhile putting other refreshments closer to the office desks, as this way your staff will be less tempted to spend time gossiping in this area!
A bulletin board
Great organization is often the key to a successful business – as is good communication. Keep your employees in the loop by making use of a bulletin board. Either place this somewhere near the office entrance, so they can look at it first thing as they come in. Or, position it somewhere they can see it from their desks. Whether you treat it as something strict to abide by, or something more casual (where you write on employee’s birthdays, etc.), it can highlight anything you deem important at work.
These boards will make sure nothing important ever gets left out in your office. Companies are often reaching out to services that specialize in custom sticky note printing so they’d have branded items for their bulletin boards. These are not only great for organizing your workflow, but also to remind everyone of their company values.
Storage facilities
There are so many things that your office will end up accumulating that you won’t even think about initially. Documents that end up creating leaning towers on your desk, office cleaning supplies, cups, and mugs… the list can sometimes feel endless! A cluttered office can be particularly uninspiring for workers, so invest in some viable storage options. Filing cabinets are a great way for you to organize important paper documents, and clearly label any cupboards you have in your workspace, so people know where everything is.
