Small Office No Problem

by Tony Hill

Small offices spaces do not need to feel cramped and overcrowded. All too often, small office owners fail to maintain a professional business image, especially when their office residence is located in their personal residence.

Instead of surrounding themselves with the possessions you'd expect to find in a small office space, many small office owners allow their office to be dominated by dated, dirty curtains and tacking furnishings recued from the '60s and '70s.

Although your clients may never see the inside of your small office space, you and your employees do. By creating a professional appearance through your working environment, you are effectively creating a daily reminder that you are a professional company that takes your business seriously. If you're not portraying this image through your working environment and practices, how can your clients and prospects maintain any trust in your work?

If you're struggling to make the most of your office space, and equally struggling to maintain a professional business image through your working environment, take a look at these office environment tips that will help you do just that.

Reduce disruptions: working within a dedicated office building helps to keep employees focussed on the task at hand. Most conversations and office resources are work-related and, consequently, disruptions are limited.

Although it proves more difficult to achieve stability in a small or home office, it is certainly achievable. Begin by locating your home office away from "high traffic" areas and establish strict rules that outline off-limit territories, such as watching TV and interacting with social networking, private emailing and instant messaging. If you're leasing a small office outside of you home residence and you can not afford a receptionist, don't be afraid to let the phone ring out to the automatic answering service if you are busy working on an important project.

Ultimately, establish firm boundaries and enforce them on a consistent basis.

Let the light in

An office needs to be well lit, and preferably with plenty of natural lighting. Many home offices are in cellars or tucked away in corners where there is not much lighting, but if possible try to maximise natural light. Depending on the time of your working hours and how much natural light is coming in, it may well be more comfortable with various types of lighting.

Establish comfort at minimal cost: it's likely that your small office budget doesn't allow for mass sums of cash to be invested in office furnishings. That's more than understandable. However, it's important to find the balance between breaking the bank and furnishing your office with non-functional furniture.

Commissioning the kitchen stool for use as you office chair may seem like a great money saving initiative. But if your productivity (and night's rest) is effected by a bad back, you haven't gained much.

Second hand office furniture will allow you to strike the balance between comfort and cost; ensuring productivity is kept at an optimum level and your nights rest will be trouble-free.

second hand office furniture and budget office furniture are currently being researched by Tony

Article submitted Thursday, January 26, 2012 & read 1 times.

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