Home office setup essentials

Working from home has never been more popular.

Whether you’re setting up your own business or working away from the office – it pays to invest some time planning your space.

By considering a few key points, you can ensure your new workspace will work hard for you.

Location, Location, Location!

Think about the best place in your home to designate as a work space.

• If clients will come to your home, one of the rooms at the front of the house may be best. And save them from trooping past a messy kitchen or children’s play area.

• A room that is further away from the kitchen and high traffic areas will reduce distractions.

• Calculate how many power points you’ll need for electrical equipment.

• Do you need a door or window? You may need to separate yourself physically from work and distractions. Sometimes the best way – is by closing the door.

Equipment

What furniture and devices will you need for your new office space?

• For a comfortable workspace, you’ll definitely need an ergonomic chair and desk. Once these are in place, it’s up to you to fill them with the utilities to effectively run your business.

• Are you going to be using a traditional PC or laptop? Will you be using wireless devices such as a smart phone or tablet?

• How many phones will you need and what type of functions do you expect them to perform?

• Will you be setting up a fax machine and if so, how often will it be used?

Once you have an idea of these key elements for your office, it’s time to consider how they will work together.

Communications & connectivity

• The most important thing when setting up an office’s telecommunication system is the location of wall ports. These will need to be in a location close to where your modem is located, to ensure optimal speed and performance.

• If you don’t have any ports, you will need to find a registered electrician to have some installed.

• Are you going to run your main computer via Ethernet cable plugged directly into the router, or is it Wi-Fi enabled?

• How many devices do you have that will require a wireless connection? If the answer is more than 5, then your next step is to get what’s known as a “central splitter” installed in your internal wiring. This is where your electrician becomes useful again.

The right online connections for your work needs

• What will you use the internet for? For example, if you’re a photographer, you’ll be uploading a lot of images- therefore you will need a faster upload speed.

• If you’re a business that receives a lot of orders via email or a website, you’ll require a lot of download quota.

• Will your phone calls be mostly coming in or going out? What types of calls will you be making?

• Depending on how many phones you require, you may need a complex phone system, or physical handsets that provide many functions, such as line hunt or auto attendant.

• Don’t forget to think about your other household members’ internet needs. How many people will be using the internet at the same time? Do they need the internet for high bandwidth activities like streaming movies or music? Lifting your online profile When setting up your business you’ll want to make a good impression online.

• A personalised email address (yourname@yourcompany.com.au) is a great place to start.

• You’ll want to setup a website with relevant service or product information so people searching for your services can find you.

• And if you spend more time out of the office than in – you may want to look at a hosted exchange so that your emails and calendar can be synchronised on your mobile.

Once you’ve considered these points and set up your own home office, you’ll be sure to hit the ground running.