What would a well-organized home office look like? Shouldn't it be arranged in the way to save the worker time and effort? It is true that the technological revolution is overtaking the office, but work, thus far, depends on the worker's time and space. Traditional offices are still needed, even if for personal use and productivity. Yesterday, as I reorganized my husband's home office, I kept thinking about these concerns. Usually I am the one organizing his offices, at home or outside. I do it by the feel of it, because I am familiar with how he works. Knowing how the worker works is significant. A worker uses some machines and some files more often than the others. He may also require paperwork; although, he may have everything stored inside his computer. An office has to be arranged in a way that anything important is within easy reach. Figuring this out before you start organizing is called mapping out the workflow. The next point to consider when arranging an office is to think about what the specific business requires. Some businesses have a fast pace where saving time becomes the most important issue. Some need to save money, while still others concentrate on doing the job correctly because their line of work cannot tolerate even the slightest of mistakes. What's more, sometimes a season is very active while the rest of the year is slow. As one concern usually tops the others, what is efficient changes from business to business and also from person to person. In my husband's case, he isn't very comfortable working from the computer alone. He is more at ease with the old desk, pens, notepads, etc., that require more physical space. I guess I could make things easier and faster by suggesting, for example, that he send paperless faxes, but then he would feel like a fish out of water. Humans are creatures of habit, and especially during the later years of life, habits are harder to break. When it comes to office furniture inside a home, the best investment is in a comfortable chair with back support. Wheels on the chair help the worker to access different parts of the immediate space without having to get up. This is one area where the concern for cost doesn't fare well. An uncomfortable worker is an inefficient worker. After the chair, the desk takes the center stage where well-organized drawers and enough leg space underneath add to the efficiency. Then, the computer or computers and the fax machines need to have their own stands; the most active files need to be in a file cabinet next to the desk with the not-so-active ones stored at one wall of the room. The idea is to put the often-used tools closer to where the worker sits. Multifunction machines reduce the amount of work and save space in a large business office where several people work, but inside a small home office, the machines with the most energy-efficiency that can be used more easily are the best ones to choose. Taking the time to think before you start any project is always a good idea. This especially applies to organizing a home office, so the worker has what he needs when he needs it. |
