FireflyStream.com

A home office is not an office.It may look like one. It may even work like one. But when it comes down to it, it's a very different kind of workplace.

If you're one of the estimated 40 million telecommuters in the United States, you probably already know that. If you're not, just wait. A survey of senior executives by AT&T and the Economist Intelligence Unit found that more than half of all companies worldwide allow employees to work from remote locations - and that number is expected to rise to 80% in two years.

You could be the next home-office denizen.

How is a home office different? As someone who has worked in one for the better part of the past decade, I'd have to say the gizmos - or lack of them - set apart the home office. Away from the main office, with no tech-support and left to your own devices (no pun intended), you learn the real meaning of "mission critical." And I'm not even talking about a reliable computer and a decent desk.

Here's the stuff I can't live without:

A high-speed Web hookup

If you're still on a dial-up connection, you're wasting valuable resources. In the time it took you to load this Web page, you could have finished reading half this story. Almost two-thirds of all telecommuters have high-speed Internet access, according to a survey by the recruiting firm Techies.com. And in a recent Yankee Group study, 74% of small-business owners say high-speed Internet service has improved business productivity while 69% say it also has improved customer service.

A wireless network

True, a home office isn't a Starbucks, where latte-sipping patrons can flip open their laptops and wirelessly surf the Net. But consider the benefits of a home wireless network. You can take the work anywhere in the house - or outside. "The wireless network is easily the best gadget for the work at home office," says Randy McCleary, a systems coordinator in Grand Rapids, Mich. He says the network allows him to figuratively be in two places at once: doing work, but also being around his family. (I second that; I can't imagine life without a wireless network in my home office.) It also makes business sense. A recent study placed the potential economic benefit of wireless network use at $830 per wireless notebook user, per year. (For more on wireless networks for small offices, see this Web page.)

An ergonomic chair

Seems simple. And if you're spending a few hours here or there sitting at a desk, any chair would probably do. But I often pull 12-hour shifts in front of my PC, and without my Herman Miller Aeron chair, I'd be my chiropractor's best friend. "An ergonomic chair is essential," says Veronica St. Claire, who runs a retirement-housing organization in Los Angeles. Indeed, over his or her lifetime, the average office worker spends 80,000 hours sitting in a chair. Ergonomics-related health problems cost businesses $60 billion a year, but most are easily preventable with the right precautions.

A smarter set of peripherals

Remember, this is your office, and you have to make it as efficient as possible. So don't just go for the good equipment. Buy technology that helps you make the best use of your time. For Jeff Feldman, a manager for an electronics company in Tucson, Ariz., that means getting gadgets that use Bluetooth, a wireless protocol that enables devices to communicate. "There's nothing cooler than linking the personal digital assistant or my laptop to my printer via the wireless Bluetooth connection," he says. "No longer do I have to search for my cable and plug." According to a TDK study, using wireless-enabled technology can save you about $1,200 a year and increase sales by 25%.

A great phone

A headset phone is essential to most home offices, but a wireless headset is even better. Because my job involves spending a lot of time on the phone conducting interviews, I've tested a lot of phones. My latest, a Plantronics CT12, is about as close to perfect as I've found for the home office. But don't take my word for it. Shop around. Look for a phone with noise-cancellation technology, wide coverage, long battery life and caller ID. If this phone were for personal use, it might seem like overkill. But trust me; your shoulders will thank you for it if they could. A study by the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center concluded office workers can reduce neck, shoulder and upper-back muscle tension as much as 41% by using telephone headsets.

I've left a few other devices off this list - such as personal computers, printers and faxes - because you probably wouldn't be reading this if you didn't have these essentials. But it goes without saying that the technology is necessary to most home offices. Indeed, what good would peripherals and wireless connections be without a computer to run them? And hey, how about an ergonomic desk, for that matter?

My point is, no one forgets about the desk and the PC. Most home offices wouldn't run without them. It's the other accessories we often neglect, even though we shouldn't.

Source: Weboma.com
Photo credit Estatelegacyvaults.com

..........................
Max Cyr
website building | naming service | my blog