When starting your own business, it can be hard to know what equipment your office should have. We have compiled a list below to help get you started.
Furniture
- Desk – An essential and obvious piece of furniture to have in an office. You want your office space to look professional but also be practical for your staff, consider investing in some standing desks. Standing desks are good for posture and have health benefits such as improving blood circulation, lowering blood sugar levels, reducing back and neck pain and lowering the risk of heart disease. Have a good mix of standing and sitting desks to accommodate all employees needs.
- Ergonomic chairs – When selecting your chairs, think about investing in some ergonomic chairs. Although they can be a little pricey, they are well worth the extra spending as they reduce the stress of joints, bones and muscles, support posture and encourage physical movement.
- Shelves – Consider putting up some shelves in your office to display books, awards or ornaments. Having a few shelves on walls can bring the space together or get creative with freestanding shelves, by using them as partitions.
- Filing Cabinet – When working in an office, you will acquire a lot of paperwork, get yourself some handy filing cabinets to store all your confidential files in.
Technology
- Computers – You don’t have to buy the latest computers on the market. However, they should be well equipped with the latest software and programs. Ensure your computers have tools such as Word, PowerPoint, spreadsheet and a good email network. It is also wise to have anti-virus and back-up software installed on all computers to help protect your business.
- Phones – Having a good phone system in place will allow your company to run smoothly when dealing with customers. There are so many variations of phone systems out there, choose one that is good for your business size but is easily expanded for when your business grows. When looking for a phone system, keep in mind the quality of vocals and whether your employees will be able to use it with ease.
- Internet – In any office you need the internet to be able to run your business. It can be frustrating when your internet is slow or keeps freezing, which is why you should do your research on internet providers before signing up. Find an internet provider that can assist in areas such as 24-hour support, high network speed, hosting and protecting your data, M247 are an excellent example of providing this.
Equipment and Supplies
- Stationery – Pens, notepads, calculators, pencils, erasers, rulers, diaries etc.
- Photocopier/printer – To save space, get a printer that can copy and scan also.
- Shredder – To discard sensitive information efficiently and effectively.
- Kitchen – Whether you have a fully kitted kitchen or a designated tea area, ensure it is fully stocked for your employees to use.
- Sanitizer – In a Covid world, we now have a different set of rules, make sure you have sanitizer and cleaning stations set up throughout your office – we would also recommend keeping such stations post covid.
- DISCLOSURE – This post has been written by an outside source
