With the increased opportunity for freelance and online work, those willing to take the plunge of starting up their own small business, are also in a position to set up their own home office.
This is a good option if you are thinking of being self-employed long term.
However, unlike a regular office setup, setting up your home office will have different requirements.
With a home office, you are typically sharing space with the rest of the family. While you may save on rental costs and other capital outlay, there are still some basic things that every home office needs.
Computer Needs
Perhaps the first thing you will need to decide is if you will use a desktop or their laptop.
When choosing between a laptop or desktop PC, many go for a laptop because of the convenience it appears to offer.
A laptop is smaller, lighter and portable. On the flip side, a desktop tends to offer more power.
Your decision should be based on how portable you need to be and how much power regarding, speed, memory, and ram you’re going to want to have.
Many laptops don’t offer CD and DVD slots anymore so you should keep that in mind as well.
Choice Magazine offers a good guide to choosing between the two, but heading down to your local Office National store or similar office supply specialist will give you the chance to look at the technology and ask questions.
If you are just starting out with a home business, then your tech decisions are crucial. To avoid mistakes you are better off going and visiting an office supply store that deals with technology.
Connectivity
After deciding between a laptop and desktop, the next thing you should think of is their Internet connection.
There are several types of Internet connection these days and Whistleout is a great place to go to check out all the options for connectivity and device ideas for your home office.
you can opt for wireless or wired connections. A wired home network uses an Ethernet cable to connect the computer to a network router. This option is less expensive, a lot faster and more secure than a wireless network.
While wireless home network provides the flexibility, every user is looking for. It connects the computer to the network using a wireless network adapter.
It provides greater speed, and some wireless connection is less secure to make way for flexibility and ease of use. In choosing a network connection you should choose the one that would best work on their business.
Communication
In any business, big or small, having a phone system is essential.
Communication plays a major role in client and customer relations. One of your options is a VoIP solution.
Voice over Internet usually gives you lower costs and ease of use while maintaining all the benefits of a regular landline like faxing, message services, etc.
The most common type of softphone solution is Skype which is extremely popular due to its ability to handle phone calls, video calls and much more.
With today’s communication options, all that many businesses need is a smartphone. A smartphone has all the capabilities of a VoIP service and a landline combined. It also enables you to interact through voice email and instant chat.
Printing Needs for a Home Office
In a home office business, printing and scanning of documents are pretty standard.
Your only real decision is whether you’re going to need an inkjet, a colour printer or a laser – or perhaps a combination.
Multifunction printers I usually ideal for a small business operating out of a home. They tend to be compact and can be configured to run at a low cost per print.
A multifunction printer will usually allow you to print, fax and copy wirelessly.
Image Source: Pexels, 2016. CC0 License
