10 Essential Items You Should Keep in Your Office
A good office is a product of many components, each of them vital. Your premises, workers, and culture will all need to make the grade if you’re going to realise the potential of your business.
But we should also consider the various small items that no office should be without. There are a few of them, and some are easily overlooked. Let’s, therefore, run through a quick checklist.
Furniture
Without the right furniture, your office workers are going to be less productive. It needs to be robust, space-efficient, and ergonomic. If you’re having to stretch for your mouse, then you’re asking for shoulder trouble. Review your current furniture and ask how you might improve the situation.
Stationary
A well-stocked stationary cupboard is a very useful thing, even in the age of paperless accounting and inter-office memos. Keep supplies of everything you know you need. Don’t let your business grind to a halt because of a lack of highlighter pens.
Internet connection
The quality and reliability of your internet connection should be beyond question. This goes particularly if your office has made a transition toward remote working. Monitor the quality of the connection, keep records, and don’t be afraid to switch providers.
Paper
You might file this under ‘stationary’, but the truth is that A4 printer paper deserves its own special mention. Make sure that your paper is of the appropriate standard. The cheap paper reflects poorly on the business.
Spare chargers and batteries
You can never have too many spare batteries or chargers. Keep a drawer full of standard battery sizes. They’re used in everything from phones to wireless mice. This is something that will get easier, in theory, as devices converge on the USB-C standard.
Telephone system
A modern office should come with a modern telephone system. This should not only allow you to answer calls but to hold and direct them with minimal stress.
Copier and printer
Every office needs a quality copier and printer. In many cases, these might be the same device. Look at the type of printing you’re doing, and the quantity, and then make the appropriate investment.
Software
You’ll need a reliable Operating System, and a suite of standard office programs to match. You might also need specialised programs, depending on the kind of business you’re in.
Backup drive
One of the reasons that so many businesses have made the transition to offsite cloud-based storage is redundancy. Backups are handled under the hood, meaning that you don’t have to worry about investing in dedicated storage space. However, there are some things that you might want to keep a copy of yourself. This is where backup drives come in extremely handy.
Surge protector
If your entire office is protected against power surges, then you’ll be at a greatly reduced risk of losing data and time. This is something you can invest in once and then forget.
