Work smart

Hit a local retailer to find out when they're going to replace their furnishings and displays, which often make good, sturdy office hardware (for bookshelves, storage areas and filing racks). Monitor your use of long-distance calling, and invoice clients where appropriate.

Call long-distance at off-peak times - you might want to use a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service for making long distance / international calls. Also monitor energy consumption. Track and cut waste. Use auto-setback thermostats and automatic light switches. By following these tips, savings can be dramatic.

Moreover, if you are looking for someone to fund your small business, you might want to take part in entrepreneurship awareness roadshows such as the SME awareness programme organised by the Western Region Development Council (WRDC) and Khalifa Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises.

The ultimate objective of the awareness roadshow is to support and boost entrepreneurship in the region, while also explaining and illustrating business opportunities currently available for SMEs.

WRDC and Khalifa Fund are raising awareness among participants of the advantages to establishing and managing their own successful businesses in the region.

HE Mohamed Hamad Al Mazrouei, WRDC's director general, says, "We have partnered with Khalifa Fund to put such a programme in place that has never been done before in the Western region. This is a big step towards helping and encouraging our existing and aspiring entrepreneurs.

So far, the response we have received from the residents has been overwhelming following the first two sessions held in Madinat Zayed and Mirfa.

We are now looking forward to meeting and raising awareness with even more of our potential entrepreneurs in the upcoming sessions. Such initiatives are extremely important for the growth of SMEs in the region."

Select the right spot

The space you choose for your office should be well lit and properly ventilated, with enough room for furniture, supplies, storage compartments and other items you use on a regular basis. Windows are great for natural light and that all-important ‘inspiration', but they can just as easily be a persistent distraction.

It may be best to configure your work area so that the windows are behind you or to the side. Also be sure to include adequate lighting and comfortable seating. You might also want to consider adding a few ceiling speakers, just so you can play light music in the background. Bring in plants and inspiring artwork.

After all, since you and most of your employees might be spending a lot of time in the office, it should be a comfortable space that your employees enjoy spending time in.

The right office environment is a combination of lighting, temperature, humidity and air quality. The office can be a healthy and comfortable place to work if the correct combination of these elements is maintained.

Office temperatures can be localised. A desk situated in direct sunlight will be much warmer than the average temperature in the office and a desk situated directly under an air conditioning vent can be cooler than average.

Hence, if there are continual complaints that the office is too warm despite the reading on the thermostat showing the temperature to be within the acceptable range, check that the thermostat has not been situated directly in the air flow from an air conditioning vent.

Also, some older PCs can generate as much heat as small electric bar heaters raising local temperatures above the room average. This problem can be compounded by the clustering of computers in one particular section of the office.

Plants in office can help create the "right" environment in an office. Stress is one of the largest contributors to staff absence - creating a relaxed pleasant to work in atmosphere with thoughtfully chosen plants will provide staff with a lift. Plants in the office also help increase the moisture levels in the atmosphere.

The ideal humidity level in the office for humans is 30-60%. If the air in an office becomes too dry, staff can become more susceptible to colds and flu. Because plants are mini organic chemical works they add moisture to the air in a typical office. If the air is moist, plants know to throttle back this process.

Fine-tune the furnishings

Once you have got your office connected with the outside world, the next step is to consider what kind of furniture you'll need for your business, including file cabinets, printer stands and any other items needed to organise records, tools and supplies.

Browse catalogues or measure furniture you already have and compare those dimensions with the available space in your office.

This will make it easier to find an ideal layout without the risk of discovering too late that your new desk doesn't fit. Office furniture options vary from large to small, portable to permanent, lightweight to heavy duty and reliable to "you get what you pay for.

The beauty of a small business office is that it doesn't have to look like a corporate office with a huge oak desk and wall-to-wall filing cabinets. Instead your office can reflect your personality and perhaps in the beginning, your budget. If you are a bargain hunter, you might want to check out places such as the furniture market in Deira or Sharjah.

However, if what you are looking for is designer furniture, check out stores such as Options Furniture Store, Al Huzaifa Furniture, and so on. Finding the right office furniture involves knowing what you want, what you need and what you can afford.

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