How To Maintain Your Office Building

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you’re running a business that involves an office setting, one of your considerations should be maintaining your office building. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Maintain Your Office Building.

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As a business owner, one of the most important things that you can do for both yourself and your employees is to maintain your office building. Even if you only rent the space and you don’t own the space outright, you need to make sure that it’s safe, comfortable, and a worthy environment in which to work. Would you want to see a broken, rundown office with no outdoor space to go to? Of course, you wouldn’t! A poorly maintained commercial building doesn’t offer much in the way of confidence about your business. This is especially true if you own the building itself. You want to be able to invest your time and efforts in your business, but you can only do that if you feel comfortable in the first place. You can’t expect your employees to feel comfortable if you don’t, either!

We are not just going to talk about how to maintain the actual office building in this article. We are going to talk about how you can maintain the grounds, too. Companies like McConnell and Associates are there to help you when it comes to ground surfacing and the ground work outside, and if you are looking to create an outdoor eating area or an outdoor social space, this is one of the best things that you could do for the morale of your employees. You want to make sure that they feel comfortable in every area of the office. Below, we’ve got some of the best tips that you need to maintain your office building and the surrounding area so customers, clients, employees and yourself want to be there.

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● Don’t wait around on office repairs. If you care about maintenance in your office building, then you should care about making sure that property damage is not a long-term thing. Even the smallest damaged area in your building can cause a range of problems, and your employees will never feel at ease inside a building that looks unsafe. Clients would also judge you on face value, and if you want to make a good impression, fix it up now.
● Keep an eye out for leaks. One of the best ways to maintain your office building is to ensure that there are no leaks in your plumbing. If you notice any leaking going on, you have to get it fixed as soon as you notice it. If everybody who works with you is trying to look out for these kinds of things, there are lots of issues that could be nipped in the bud before they become too big. Sure, you would call a plumber to come and actually fix things for you, but you should make sure that you are on top of these issues that happen as they occur.
● Hire the right people. When it comes to office maintenance, you don’t have to do it yourself. It is perfectly reasonable to outsource the maintenance and cleaning and care of your office. The building on the inside needs security, a janitor to maintain the flooring, a cleaner to maintain all the fixtures and fittings – there are many people that make up the team that will help you to maintain your office building. On the outside, you’ll need the right contractors and plumbers, electricians and carpenters on speed dial to come and make any changes or repairs as they are needed. Proper building maintenance ensures that your building doesn’t feel old and rundown too quickly. Let’s not forget this will be quite a lot of footfall traffic in and out of the building, so you want to make sure that the building looks great.
● Keep on top of upgrades. An office building that was bought 10 years ago, will need some upgrades to keep it looking as good as it did at the start. A dollar earned is a dollar saved or so they say, but it doesn’t hold true when it comes to property maintenance. You don’t want to cut too many corners here – your property relies on you to keep it going. Any foundation issues, cracks in the plaster of the walls, cracks in the car park outside because the ground has been used so much by different cars – all of these need to be looked into. Keep on top of the upgrades, and you create a comfortable working environment for all.

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● Make sure that you hire a good security team. A big part of maintaining your office building is going to be keeping it secure. From the security you’re going to need at the perimeter, to the security that you need at the front desk, you need to make sure that the access points to the building are secure. If you have a lot of employees, or clients going in and out of the building, it makes sense to have the right measures in place to keep intruders or people without an appointment away. It may feel like you’re going overboard from time to time, but knowing who is going in and out of the building is a safety issue. What if you have guests in the building and the fire alarm goes off? What if there are clients coming up the stairs, but there has been a security breach inside? Safety is important, and maintaining your office building is much easier when you know you have eyes on the ground while you’re busy running your business.
● Perform regular HVAC and boiler maintenance. Whether you have a boiler, an air conditioning system, a heating system or integrated elevators of your building, all of these things need to be maintained to keep your office building working well. It stands to reason that when you have a lot of people in the building you need that elevator working, and you need to make sure that people are at the right temperature. When you perform regular maintenance on these items, you can ensure optimal working conditions at all times. Nobody wants to work somewhere where the management of the building doesn’t care about comfort and safety. Not only will you make sure that there are no issues with your elevators or your HVAC, you’re not going to have to worry about your employees being disgruntled at the way you’re handling things.
● Get some good reviews on cleaners. Maintaining your office building includes the internal cleaning of the building. This means that you need to hear about the cleaning companies local to you and about their reputations. The people occupying the building don’t extend just to your employees. You have visitors and clients coming in and out, too. People leave rubbish behind and that’s unavoidable but it does mean that you need to address this every single day. The only appropriate and correct solution for this is to hire a good cleaning company who will be able to maintain a clean working environment for your building and given that we’ve just come through a pandemic – and are still going through it – you want to know that the building itself is somewhere clean and hygienic for people to work. An uncluttered and organized office space is somewhere that people will want to spend time, and while you can definitely offer a hybrid working environment, a good cleaning company will help.

Maintaining your office building helps you to maintain your reputation as a provider and business that cares about employees. Have a little pride – make sure that your workspace reflects your brand values!

How To Protect Your Health In The Office

Two focuses of my blog are Health/Wellness and Workplace Discussions. Depending upon the workplace, there can be hazards and dangers involved no matter how miniscule. Protecting your health is thus of the utmost importance. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Protect Your Health In The Office.

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Working in an office may seem like an easy option compared to jobs that involve lots of physical activity. However, sitting at a desk for hours every day and looking at a screen can be bad for your health and wellbeing. While physical jobs such as construction and working in a factory may present more of an immediate risk to health with an increased chance of injuries, office work brings its own risks; they are just in a more subtle form.

Protecting your health should always be a priority regardless of the industry you work in and the type of job you have. Good health is precious but often taken for granted, so actively looking for ways to take the best care of your health and wellbeing is essential, even when at work. Here are some of the ways you can help to protect your health when you work in a desk job:

Take Care of Your Eyes

Eye strain is a common problem experienced by people that spend much of their time looking at screens. Looking at a screen all day can take its toll on your eyes, leaving them feeling sore, tired, and itchy. Experiencing discomfort in your eyes can impact your productivity and may continue even when you are away from the office. Luckily, you can make office work easier on your eyes. Having your eyes checked regularly is crucial when you work in an office. An eye exam could help detect any underlying issues causing you discomfort, such as undiagnosed chronic uveitis or other eye conditions and ensure you receive treatment promptly.

You may find it helpful to adjust the brightness of your screen, as lowering the brightness level can help reduce eye strain.

Look After Your Posture

Sitting down all day can cause your posture to become hunched, which can be exacerbated if you feel tense and stressed. When at your desk for long periods, you may notice pain and stiffness in your neck and lower back.

Taking care of your posture and strengthening your core can help to alleviate some of the stiffness and discomfort associated with working at a desk throughout the day. Getting up and moving away from your desk frequently should help ease any pain caused by long periods of sitting. It is also helpful to adjust your desk set up to sit in a position that encourages good posture. Adjusting the height of your screen, keeping your mouse closer to you, and using a chair with back support can all help.

Make Time for Breaks

One of the most beneficial things you can do to protect your health in the office is to take regular breaks. Rest breaks are the best way to avoid the stiffness caused by sitting in one place for too long and will also ease the eye strain caused by looking at a screen for long periods. So, stepping outside and taking a lunch break doesn’t just break up the day; it also protects your health.

How To Weatherproof Your Office Space

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Workplace Discussions. If you have office space, you want to make sure that it’s safe and resilient in terms of the elements and seasons. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Weatherproof Your Office Space.

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The weather affects businesses in many ways ranging from employees, products, properties, and, more importantly, customers. Therefore, it is advisable to be prepared for adverse weather conditions, especially when 60% of small business owners admit to its negative effects on their operations. If you are serious about protecting your investment, it can be useful to consider these four best ways to weatherproof your small business.

1. Get insured

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Insurance is useful for protecting your small business. A study has shown that one in every three businesses suffer hazards every year, although most businesses are underinsured or have none at all. By protecting from harm caused by flooding, fires, or damages due to a natural disaster, business insurance is necessary for securing your investment. There are different insurance and covers, so it would be best if you talked to your broker about the right insurance plan for your business. It is also worth noting that insurance prices can be higher depending on the risk factors in your business location.

2. Install roller shutters

Roller shutters can play a significant role in weatherproofing your business against extreme conditions. From fires to storms and tornadoes, having a robust guard can keep your goods and working teams safe and protected from devastating weather outside. For instance, strong winds can carry flying objects towards your windows, which is one of the common causes of property damage during extreme conditions. It is important to find shutters made from high-quality materials, designed with weather in mind to protect your small business. Fortunately, you can get tailored plantation and outdoor shutters for your particular business needs.

3. Earthquake proofing

According to Govcon, earthquakes cost the US approximately $4.4 billion each year. Therefore, it would be best to consider ways to protect your business against earthquakes. While an insurance cover is one of the easiest ways to protect against earthquake damages, you can call in the construction company to review your building structure, including its foundations, walls and upgrade with new tech to make your structure safe again. You may also prepare and communicate a response plan and secure your documents and files to guard against any ruins an earthquake will pose to your business.

4. Install lighting rods

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Most businesses depend on electronics to run their operations. Although protecting your business against floods, burglary, and fire outbreaks is good, you cannot ignore other risks such as lightning strikes. It can be unfortunate to get to your workplace only to realize that your computers, communication systems, and other equipment are down after a storm. Consider installing lightning rods to disperse both direct and indirect strikes, use efficient surge protectors or arresters, or purchase a UPS system to keep your workplace gadgets safe. Likewise, it can also be useful to have a recovery plan if the worst happens.

It is essential to be proactive rather than reactive to secure your investment. The harsh weather can expose your small business to several risks and losses, so it will be best if you consider these tips to protect your small business.

How Future-Proofing Your Office Can Save Your Business Money

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. If you’re using an office to conduct your business and operations, you may want to consider future-proofing your office to ensure its continued operations. The following contributed post is entitled, How Future-Proofing Your Office Can Save Your Business Money.

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If you run your business from an office, you’ll likely also employ many staff to take care of the daily running of things. As you can appreciate, today’s modern offices require a lot of equipment and technology to operate at optimum efficiency.

The trouble is, some business leaders don’t invest much time or money into modernizing their working areas. As a result, it takes longer to do things due to outdated or faulty systems. And that ultimately means a lower annual turnover and reduced profit.

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The good news is that all is not lost. You can take several steps to future-proof your office and ensure that your business is a market leader. Here’s what you can do to bring your company into the 21st century:

Install fiber optic cabling

One of the first things you need to look at is how your business interacts with the outside world internally. All modern business offices have network cabling that allows computers and electronic devices to communicate internally and across the Internet.

But, if you have a large office or your business is spread across several different offices, you could easily face the limitations of CAT5 and CAT6 network cabling. To overcome those challenges, it makes sense to use fiber optic cabling for trunk communications.

You might need fiber optic cable installers to install the cabling for you. But, any person competent in IT communications can install and set up fiber equipment such as switches and routers to utilize fiber optic cabling.

Upgrade to high-speed Internet access

You should also upgrade your office’s Internet access to complement your new fiber optic cabling. The shocking truth about many business locations is they only have basic broadband speeds – completely inadequate for the needs of today’s modern business.

Did you know that fiber optic Internet access is very affordable these days, even for small businesses? It makes sense to upgrade to such Internet connection technology. Plus, as your business grows, you can upgrade to higher speeds in the future with ease.

Upgrade to a unified communications model

It goes without saying that all businesses need telephone systems, whether they are landline-based or mobile. But, one of the challenges that face all companies is tying together the various communication methods they use each day.

Thankfully, it’s now possible to upgrade to a unified communications model in your business. What does that mean exactly? In layman’s terms, you can unify your telephone, voicemail, fax, and email systems into one single setup.

For example, you can receive voicemail messages and faxes in your email inbox. And you can easily divert your phone number to any location around the world, making it easy to work from home or abroad.

Final thoughts

The above is just a few of many ways that you can future-proof your office – and your business. In an extremely competitive market, it makes sense to do everything in your power to stay ahead of the competition.

Future-proofing your office is one of the biggest ways to achieve that goal, yet it’s also one of the least thought of methods.

Keeping Your Business’ Office Intact

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Organizational and Management Discussions. When you’re a business owner, one of the things you have to consider is keeping your business’ office intact. Keeping everything safe and secure will ensure its operations. The following contributed post is entitled, Keeping Your Business’ Office Intact.

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If you have a business to run, its office is always going to be one of the most important things that you need to keep an eye on. As long as the office is running smoothly and being looked after, you can be sure that the business itself is going to be moving in the right direction, so that is something that you are going to want to think about. But what do you need to do in order to ensure that you are keeping your business’ office intact? In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the essentials that you will need to consider on that front.

Health & Safety Rules

For one thing, if you have health and safety rules in place, you are going to find that this leads to safer behaviour from everyone, and that means that the people are safer – but also that the office itself is less likely to become damaged at all. That’s great news for the future of your office and your business, so it’s something to think about. Make those rules as clear as possible and ensure that you are actually enforcing them in order to make sure that people follow them as well as possible. If you do that, you are going to find that your office is in a much better state at all times.

Fix Problems As They Arise

There are always going to be all sorts of problems that arise when you are running an office. Many of these are unavoidable, such as issues with electrics and heating and so on. The important thing here is that you are fixing these problems as they arise, rather than letting them continue for a long time first. The first port of call should be somewhere like Top Craft Market, to find a tradesperson or craftsman who can help you to get things back in order. Then you can ensure the longevity of your office much more easily, and that is going to be beneficial for the business and the people who work for you too.

Clean Regularly

Cleaning is not just vital for the sake of keeping people healthy and safe, it also actually makes a difference to the office itself. The maintenance of your office relies on its being as clean as possible – even something like an excess of dust can cause damage in the long run. Then you have other issues that can arise such as mold and other damp problems, and that can be a real issue for the structure of the building too if you are not careful. So call in someone to clean the office regularly, and make sure that you keep this up no matter what. It really is essential for the future of the office.

If you can do all that, your office is going to be in a much better position, so it’s something that you are going to have to think about.

5 Things To Consider Before Renovating The Exterior Of Your Office

A key focus of my blog is Organizational and Management Discussions. There may come a time when you will either want to or need to renovate your office. There are a couple of things to consider before doing so. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Things To Consider Before Renovating The Exterior Of Your Office.

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If you’re thinking of renovating the exterior of your office but you don’t know where to begin then don’t worry, you have definitely come to the right place. Whether you’re looking to completely switch things up or you need to make a few small changes, you need to be sure you’re doing all that you can to make the process run smoothly. Luckily, there are lots of questions you can ask yourself to ensure exactly that. From setting yourself a budget to deciding whether or not you need to hire contractors, the more questions you’re asking the better. With that in mind, here are 5 things to consider before renovating the exterior of your office:

How Much Will It Cost?

One of the first things you need to consider when it comes to renovating the exterior of your office is how much it’s going to cost, as you need to ensure you’re not spending more than you can afford. Although it may take some time, this means you need to think about the cost of each individual aspect of the renovation individually. Once you have the cost of everything roughly calculated, you can work out your overall cost. For tips and tricks when it comes to creating a home budget, you can visit this site here.

What Changes Need To Be Made?

Once you know how much you have to spend, it’s time to start thinking about the changes you’re going to make. Whether you’re getting rid of the overgrown trees or you’re redoing the pavement, you need to have a list of everything you want to do before you start your planning. If you’re looking for information when it comes to asphalt paving, you can visit this site here.

What Do You Need To Buy?

After you have planned what you need to do, you need to think about the materials and tools you need to buy. If you’re on a strict budget, you may find that you’re able to hire some of these instead. For tips and tricks when it comes to hiring tools, you can visit this site here.

How Long Is It Going To Take?

Another important thing to consider is how long it’s going to take, as you need to ensure it’s not going to be interfering with your business.

Do You Need To Work With Contractors?

Finally, you need to decide whether or not you need to work with any contractors. They can be expensive, but it’s a great way to ensure the job is being done professionally. Not only that, but it also means you don’t have to take time away from work to make changes.

With lots of great questions to be asking yourself before you renovate the exterior of your office, you can be sure you’re as prepared as you can possibly be. What else do you need to consider? Did we miss anything off of the list? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.

The Unusual (But Healthy) Relationship Between Combat Sports and Office Work

Three focuses of my blog are Athletics/Sports, Career Discussions and Health/Wellness. There are a number of health drawbacks to office work where you’re sitting most of the day, staring a computer screens and enduring the potential stress from working with other people. A potential way to balance this out is combat sports. The following contributed post is entitled, The Unusual (But Healthy) Relationship Between Combat Sports and Office Work.

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Office workers tend to have a very mundane weekday. They get into the office, sit down for most of the day and work on stressful things from start to finish. While many people have gotten used to this kind of lifestyle, others are still struggling to cope with the boring schedule and tiring work. As such, it’s a good idea to have a hobby that you can look forward to when you get home.

Ideally, it should be able to relieve stress, help you stay active and also train you in other skills. Some people like to play video games, others like to go for a jog and some enjoy cooking. However, of all the hobbies that you could pick up, combat sports are an unusual but surprisingly good pairing for your average office worker.

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Combat sports come with health benefits to counteract office work

While most sports can help you counter the effects of sitting down all day, combat sports can go a step further and actually train you to become more flexible, to lose weight and also improve your muscles. In addition, learning a combat sport can teach you about self-discipline and controlling your emotions, and the techniques you learn can be used to defend yourself. While you should never learn a combat sport for the sake of hurting someone else, it’s perfectly acceptable to use the knowledge to defend you and your loved ones.

It’s also convenient to purchase training equipment. With websites like The Fight Factory, you can easily get your hands on training gear, apparel and even punching bags to keep at home. These at-home workouts are a great way to release some stress and train your body at home without needing to sign up for a gym membership. This means you can get into combat sports and reap the health benefits even if you work at home.

Combat sports can help with mental health concerns

Office environments can quickly wear down your mental health. Even thinking about being stuck in a small cubicle every day can make some people shiver in fear. On top of that, you also have to deal with snide co-workers and a pushy manager. It’s definitely not the kind of environment you want to be in for 7 hours a day. Unfortunately, many of us don’t have a choice and we force ourselves to stay with the job.

As a result of this, our mental health can quickly decline if we don’t find a hobby to anchor ourselves. This is where something like combat sports can actually help out. There’s a strong link between good mental health and combat sports. This is caused by several different factors, such as the feel-good hormone (endorphins) that you release when exercising. This isn’t a short-term impact either, but something that helps lower depression and anxiety over a long period of time. There’s also immediate stress that you can release with explosive physical activity, such as punching a training bag or lifting weights.

Updating Your Office Space: A Guide For Business Owners

“If you run an office space as a business owner, you’ll know that keeping your space safe, stylish and up to date is a challenge.”

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Organizational/Management Discussions. Office space in any business or organization is critical. One of the keys to your business is optimizing and updating your office space. The following contributed post is entitled, Updating Your Office Space: A Guide For Business Owners.

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If you run an office space as a business owner, you’ll know that keeping your space safe, stylish and up to date is a challenge. Not only are updates to your space costly, but they are time consuming, and often create a disruption to the workflow of the office. But of course, with great power comes great responsibility, and if you want to be a responsible business owner, keeping your space user-friendly and up to date is essential.

How Often Should The Space Be Updated?

If your original office space was well-built and well-designed, you should not need to update it often. With proper maintenance, cleaning and care, the building may only need refurbishments every fifteen to twenty years. This also depends on the business. If you run a café or restaurant with a lot of footfall, these refurbishments should happen more frequently, as the general wear and tear of the place will increase.

What Should Be Prioritized?

As with most things, safety should be the number one priority. If you feel your space needs multiple changes to be made, take it one step at a time. The core safety of the building, its structure and safety exits should come first. Installing fire-safe MCM panels on the outside of your building and ensuring that fire exits are safe and well-signposted are essentials for your building.

After safety is taken care of, the next priority should be your office’s usability for its employees. Offices should be spaces that encourage collaboration, concentration and productivity. This means that the layout of the office should be designed for employees to have both peace and quiet, and spaces to collaborate.

Finally, there are the finishing touches. To make your office a standout space which your employees love to spend time in, add colour, nature and a few easy perks. These are simple additions which transform your office from a mundane place of work to a chic locale.

Some ideas for these design finishing touches are:

Houseplants. These are fantastic additions to any room with natural light. They are inexpensive and beautiful, and amazingly, they help purify the air in your office.
A good quality coffee machine. Seriously. Although a coffee machine is a slightly expensive addition, your employees will be thrilled with this addition. Coffee goes a long way, particularly in stressful times when extra energy reserves are needed.
Chill-out spaces. If your office is not in a city centre, and is not surrounded by cool hangouts for your employees to kick back in on their breaks, create one in your own space. This can be as simple as a few bean bag chairs and a Playstation for everyone to enjoy their downtime.

Outsourcing Your Updates

If you are concerned about updating your office space, contact a contractor who can talk you through the process and ensure the work is being done safely and legally. If you need help with design, contact an office designer for a quote, or use the internet for office design inspiration!

Don’t Overlook Safety

Upgrading your office is not just about aesthetics; it’s also about creating a safer environment for everyone. Ensure that exits are clear, cords are secured, and emergency plans are visible. Small updates, such as improved lighting in stairwells and the addition of anti-slip mats, can help prevent accidents. Fire safety should be a top priority as well. Make sure your space has functioning alarms and accessible fire extinguishers. These simple steps can help protect your employees and equipment in case of an emergency.

The Importance of the Home Office as a Business Owner

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Regardless of the type of business you own, having a home office can provide a tremendous advantage and be an asset as well. Don’t underestimate its importance. The following contributed post is entitled, The Importance of the Home Office as a Business Owner.

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When you run a business from home, your office space is so important. It’s a place you need to feel relaxed yet productive, and so creating something that works for you is key. There are lots of different things you need to be keeping tabs on when you’re running a company, from data to documents and much more, so you’ll want to make sure everything stays organised and you can work comfortably. Here are a few ways you can go about it.

Choose the right computer for you
Your computer will play a major role when you work from home– most of your work will be done from this device. So you absolutely need the right machine that will be fast, reliable and perform all of the tasks you need. If you’re planning on using an old, outdated PC or laptop then you could be putting your venture at risk. Invest in something that’s going to perform well and is suited to you, don’t choose the first thing you see and read lots of reviews. Your best bet would be to go to different computer stores to check out different models and be recommended something by an expert which suits your venture and what you’ll be doing on the machine.

Focus on the desk and chair
Go for the largest desk you can fit in your space, since you’ll be more comfortable and have enough room to complete all of your daily tasks. Something solid and sturdy will stand the test of time, and you can always install shelves above it if you need the extra storage space. Don’t overlook the chair too, you’ll be sitting here for long periods so something comfortable and supportive is absolutely essential.

Keep it clean, unfussy and organised
There’s a lot going on in the home office, to keep it organised it’s crucial that you’re regularly cleaning and decluttering. Regularly remove dust and debris since computers and other electronics tend to attract it- a good electronic contact cleaner can make the job easier. In terms of decor, keeping it minimal can help with productivity- it doesnt need to look cold and corporate, but avoid too much personal clutter. Paint the walls a light, neutral colour, add in some plants to decorate since they add colour and texture without looking fussy and research shows they actually boost productivity while you’re working. Finally, in terms of data and documents, move what you can to the cloud as you won’t need to mess around with paper files and hard discs, you can store it online and access it from any other computer without compromising your security. It frees up space in your home office too and makes it feel less crowded and cluttered. You’ll find that you’re much happier and more productive in an organised space.

Making Sure Your Office Space Is the Best It Can Be

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. A key to the success of your business is it’s office space. It needs to be as efficient as possible and allow your staff to accomplish what they need to accomplish. The following contributed post is entitled, Making Sure Your Office Space Is the Best It Can Be.

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When you first start running a small business, you will generally work alone and from home, calling in help from freelancers to complete any tasks that you can’t complete yourself. But as things begin to grow and expand, and as you begin to experience success, chances are you’ll begin to take on some employees and will need to provide them with a space to work in. This is where most businesses will make a move into an office. This is a major step for any startup. After all, it shows success and it also shows commitment and dedication to continue, as you’ll have to sign a contract for the space. Of course, you’re going to want your office to be the best space possible. There are various reasons for this. First, you need the space to be comfortable and functional for staff to complete their roles within, boosting productivity and maximising your business’ profits. Secondly, you want to establish yourself as a serious competitor in your field. You want visitors and clients to see a professional working environment when they check in for meetings or presentations. So, what can you do to achieve all of this? Here are a few simple steps!

Make Sure There’s Plenty of Natural Light

Every office space should have as much natural light as possible. This is essential for your workers’ wellbeing and for their productivity. Natural light regulates the body’s circadian rhythms and lets us know when we should perk up and be awake, or when we should begin to wind down to go to sleep. If your workspace is dim, your workers’ bodies will automatically begin to wind down and they won’t work as hard! So, avoid dim or blue artificial lighting and focus on natural light within the professional space!

Keep On Top of the Plumbing

When we think of plumbing, we tend to think of homes. But offices will require plumbing too! Largely for the toilets and for the shared kitchen space. It’s absolutely essential that you keep on top of the plumbing in your office – whether that’s implementing preventative methods such as Back Flow Prevention or whether it’s calling a plumber at the first sign of a problem. Faulty plumbing can see you having to send staff home (if there isn’t a toilet or water available), spend money on further and worse repairs from ignored problems, or major repair costs for flooding or other major issues.

Invest in Ergonomic Furniture and Equipment

Staff spend a lot of time at their desks. This can be bad for their posture and, consequently, can be pretty bad for their health in the long run if you don’t have the right support for them. This is why every employer should invest in ergonomic furniture and equipment for their staff. This is specially designed to support staff in the right way and increase their wellbeing. It can also prevent you from being faced with a compensation case, which staff could create if they experienced injury or strain from unsupportive office furniture. Consider ergonomic desks, chairs, footrest, back supports, keyboards, mice and more. They may cost more than other, standard furniture and equipment at the outset, but in the long run, they could really make all the difference in regards to your employees’ wellbeing. They’re well worth the investment!

Have a Staff Kitchen

Nobody wants to be stuck behind their desk day in and day out. It’s bad for morale. Instead, make sure that there’s some sort of office kitchen where staff can retreat on their breaks. A good space will have a sofa or other seating for your employees to make use of. It will also have a table and chairs for those who want to eat properly away from their desk. A kettle or coffee machine is ideal for tea breaks and some sort of fridge is good for keeping staff’s food fresh until lunchtime. This communal space can also prove positive for staff bonding – creating a stronger team who will work better together!

These are just a few pieces of advice that you might like to bear in mind when it comes to making sure that your office space is all it should be. This is an area of your business that you could greatly benefit from focusing on and improving. So, get started as soon as possible to reap the rewards sooner!