Create a Professional Environment in Your Home Office

Do you run your business from a home office? While direct contact was reduced by the pandemic, in-person meetings are starting to resume. The world is seeing a rise in remote work and home offices are becoming increasingly popular.

With this in mind, it’s important to maintain a professional and productive working environment at home. As a budding entrepreneur, it’s a good idea to stage and decorate your home office so that it is presentable and safe for both in-person and virtual meetings. Shop at Office Human for the home office essentials you need to thrive and succeed.

Declutter and Depersonalize Space

In most instances, a home office is set up in an unused room of the home. Normally, this room is also filled with clutter and personal items that make the office appear unprofessional. If you plan on working in the home office space for an extended period of time, then it's worth investing in the environment. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Remove unnecessary furniture
• Eliminate distractions
• Remove excess personal items that make the space appear unprofessional
• Create a designated working area
• Remove clutter such as storage boxes, old cables, and junk mail

Accessorize Appropriately

When decorating your home office, consider how you want potential clients to interpret your space. Make the desk the centerpiece of the room, and add functional decorative features. Some ideas to get you started include plants, a proper desk organizer, and a light stand in dark areas. Think both function and comfort as you choose your home office decor and essentials. You can find most of what you need on Office Human.

Create Space for Visiting Clients

Home-based business meetings are fast becoming the norm. So it’s important to create a space that is appropriate for clients, making them feel both comfortable and safe. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how easy it is to conduct business online. Even so, there is value in hosting in-person meetings. Creating a space to welcome clients in your home office demands a bit of preparation. For example:

• Provide comfortable seating
• Allow space for privacy during confidential meetings
• Instil confidence with a professional and organized space
• Have sanitizer readily available
• Prepare relaxing background music to elevate the space

Ensure an Appropriate Virtual Background

Online meeting platforms, such as Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet, have skyrocketed in popularity. In fact, recent statistics show that video conferring on Zoom saw a 535% increase in daily traffic in 2020.

While it’s easy to fool fellow meeting attendees by wearing a smart blazer on the top with sweatpants below, there are certain aspects to consider for professionalism in virtual meetings. One of the most important details is the background of your position. Make sure that the space behind you is neat and tidy. It’s a good idea to set up your seating against a blank wall or bookshelf. Avoid bright windows or passageways where people walk past.

Protect Your Assets by Forming an LLC

When you set up a home office, your working life becomes significantly more interlinked with your personal one. Form an LLC as an effective way to protect yourself, and your assets, from litigation. Setting up an LLC can be done by yourself or with the guidance of a formation service. As each state has its own regulations, it’s best to get the help of a formation service to make sure that everything is legally in order.

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