The level of communication is not the only dictating factor in effective communication, but also the method through which communications are given.

For example, communication with customers or clients might start in the boardroom or round an office desk with key people.  The results of this conversation will then be passed to managers and employees.  For effective communication, everyone must be clear on their roles.

When it comes to change, people do not like it and tend to try and avoid it, hence new policies must be not only communicated but the reasons should also be given so that they make sense to those whom it affects.  To help with this communication, team or department meetings are a good idea, or depending on the policy, it might be necessary to have a company meeting.  Invite everyone to a dedicated meeting away from the office desk so they are not interrupted by telephone calls or emails.

Office politics can hamper communication and it is rife, especially in offices where all the office desks are hunched up together.  Office politics only hampers business, so it should be stamped out; even if that means separating the ring leaders and making them change office desks.

Managing staff is a difficult skill to learn.  You need to help your staff perform at their best while still keeping your own performance focused and working towards the company goals.

How well you are doing can be seen by looking around the office.  Are the staff motivated, happy and going beyond the call of duty or are they sat chatting at their office desk, complaining about everything or perhaps even not at their office desk at all?

Here are a few tips to get the best from your staff:

1.    Check your own contribution, as the success of employees is often related to their own manager.
2.    Focus on the positive as well as the negative
3.    Be clear in communicating goals and priorities to your team
4.    Make sure your staff knows how to prioritise.  All too often the item on top of the fax machine is done first or the job where the client is screaming the loudest.  Staff need to manage their clients effectively and if they are not, provide training and support
5.    Communicate regularly with team members, hold meetings at the board table and make sure you are working together

In the first few months of a new job, known as the honeymoon period, an employee gets to know the company and vice versa.  This is the time when both parties can see if the recruitment is a good fit.

Many employees do their research before they start and a company will conduct one or two face to face interviews and yet it often does not work out. Here are a few of the most common reasons why:

1.    Poor induction.  An induction is very important as it’s the introduction to the company.  It helps an employee see how their role fits in, meet everyone properly and to familiarize themselves with the requirements.  Sometimes something as simple as seeing where everyone lives in the building can be a big help.  It can be quite intimidating walking through rows of office desks looking for a stranger
2.    Poor performance management.  This could be a lack of correction when the manager saw the employee going slightly off track, or perhaps the manager did not even notice.  It is important to ensure regular catch ups and make sure that feedback is given, both ways.
3.    Changing role.  All too often we recruit for a position without defining the role properly, which can mean a person is recruited for one thing but ends up doing something entirely different, possibly something that they didn’t really want to do and wouldn’t have applied for

It is important to ensure these and other items are addressed to avoid having to turf the new employee out of their office chair before they’ve even settled in.  Recruitment is time-consuming and expensive and nobody wants to waste their resources.

Managing the boss is a great skill in business, because you need to manage your boss without him or her knowing they are being managed.  The style and the way in which you try to manage him will depend greatly on different factors, such as their personality, how they communicate and observe people, and the type of feedback they need.

Managing your boss is very different to managing subordinates.  After all, if you need your boss to do something you can hardly stand over his office desk until he does it as you might do with an office junior.
Adopt the same techniques as your manager and feedback to him or her in the same way they feedback to you.

Keep them informed to the level they require and try the following steps to keep them happy:

• Make it apparent that you are listening to him.  It is not enough to listen, he has to know you have listened and responded
• Strive for the best you can achieve and resolve as many issues as you can without his help
• Be your own strongest critic
• Make sure you are punctual – be in your office chair when he expects you to be

Following these tips will ensure you go far.

Cabinets are a prime piece of office furniture, whether it is for the home office or in a corporate office, they are necessary for your organization.

From files, documents, utility bills, passports, birth certificates or your company’s tax details which should NOT be left under a pile of unopened envelopes on top of your office desk, the cabinet can organize them all.  Whatever way you look at it filing cabinets are essential to everyday life.

Obviously, there are a few factors to take into account with your filing cabinet;  the colour needs to fit your decoration, the material it is made from dictates whether it is part of your household furniture or your office furniture – if you are clever it can double up to fit in with your home office and home décor.

The size is going to be down to how big your office desk is or how big your couch and TV are in conjunction to the remaining space in the room – don’t be tempted to go too small though because paperwork stacks up fast and there is nothing worse than being disorganized when you urgently need to get your hands on a particular piece of paper.

While the design of the cabinets, particularly for a house, is of great importance, there are also other things that need to be considered before buying one or having one custom-made to your specifications.
Obviously if your filing cabinet is going near or behind a door make sure there is enough room for it when the door is open wide.

In the current economic climate, many businesses are downsizing or selling out and those that do stay in business are cutting back on employees and benefits.

So why start your own business now?

Here are our top five things to enjoy from being your own boss:

1 – Control your own destiny.  Alright, it might be up and down at times, but at least you won’t suddenly find yourself redundant with little prior notice.  If business does slow, then it’s down to you to increase your sales.

2 – Choose your own wage.  Once you start owning, your wage is up to you.  You work to make yourself better off, not a company.

3 – Flexibility.  Within reason, you can work to your own schedule and you answer only to yourself (and possibly your partner!)

4 – Tax benefits.  You will be able to save on tax, because items you need for your business such as the phone bill, office furniture and petrol can be put through the business as an expense.  Definitely get yourself a good accountant to help you with this.

5 – Enjoyment.  Most business owners choose an area they are passionate about or enjoy so they enjoy their work, work harder at it and are more productive.

It is an unfortunate fact, but highly likely that you will spend a lot of time and many hours in the home office, much of which will be spent sat in the office chair bending over the computer.  Hence it is worthwhile considering how to ensure you are as comfortable as possible.

Many people will even eat at least one main meal per day at their office desk, meaning at least eight hours a day in that office chair.  It might sound a little silly at first, but after being in the office, many people don’t fancy going to the gym for a workout and so it is possible to incorporate a few small fitness ideas in the office.  After all, sitting at an office desk can wreak havoc with your health and fitness levels.

If you have specific fitness equipment in the home office, then these are great if you just need five minutes to de-stress after an awkward telephone call or completing a stressful report.  Adding just five minutes two to three times a day will work wonders for your fitness levels.

Not only does this help you stay healthy and increase fitness levels, it can reduce boredom and the repetition of work tasks as well as helping that small space become more bearable.  It clears your mind, de-stresses you and makes you more productive.

You may wonder if it really is necessary to have a dedicated space to work from, however, once you try working from home without a dedicated home office area, you will quickly discover how easy it is to become distracted by simple things like the pile of washing up, the postman, the dog or just the kettle calling you to stop for a cuppa.

Being able to dedicate an entire room to your home office is a luxury for most people, however, a converted bedroom is a good idea.  Many box rooms are surprisingly big once the bed has been removed.

Essentials for a productive home office include the usual office desk, office chair and computer, however, you should also consider a filing cabinet.  There is no need to spend a fortune at first if this is a new venture or idea, so try using a reputable office furniture supplier online, as many have great discounts and deals better than the High Street.

Check you have everything you need to run your business, such as a telephone line for the internet access and stationery.  If you do intend to use the telephone quite a lot, then it is worth investing in a headset too, and a little extra on the office chair to ensure that it is comfortable and will not cause unnecessary discomfort from hours in the chair.

As we discussed in a recent article, for a home business to be successful it is important to have a well organized home office and here are a few more areas to watch:

Data and supplies

Make sure you have a secure lockable filing cabinet for all your business documents.   It is too easy for children to nose through and lose items.  Be sure to organize your filing cabinet so you have all your business forms and receipts in the same place.  Losing important paperwork can be costly for a home business

The Computer

The computer is an increasingly important item in any business.  Be sure to keep it password protected to avoid accidental deletions by anybody innocently just nipping on to make use of the internet, for example.  Be sure to back up all your data separately.  This is even more important if you use a laptop, as it is easy to leave it out on the office desk or elsewhere, and it is all too easy to spill something on it, for instance.  Losing data can cost you your business.

Office furniture, as many people would agree, is mainly confined to office desks or computer desks, office chairs, filing cabinets and office partitions.

Armoire desks are rarely heard of, but they are simply office desks built within a larger cabinet, which can then be closed to keep everything looking tidy and to keep the dust out.

Armoire office desks are usually used predominantly in the home office, because they suit the usually smaller space and give a sense of privacy, particularly if the home office is in the corner of another room.
The armoire office desk is often referred to as a computer desk, because they became popular with the advent of computers and also many of them have slide out drawers for a keyboard.

The armoire desk is said to have descended from the 18th century roll top office desks.  Many have a fixed surface so they cannot be moved and others have a hinged surface, which must be cleared before the doors can be closed.  The hinged armoire desk, although not as convenient, is lighter and easier to move.  There are also lockable armoire desks available for those seeking a little more privacy.