Some of you may be thinking of setting up your office in your home. This used to be
frowned upon and was a sign of failure. No more. Thousands are moving out of offices
into their homes every year. Serving the Home Office marketplace is a growth industry.
Advances in communications, computers, and office product technology is making going
into the office less and less of a necessity. The brightest aspect of an office in the home is
that your commuting time is minimized. Potentially your biggest problem will be the
distractions of being in your home — make sure your work area is separated from the
rest of the house.
The Home Office option warrants serious consideration if you rarely meet clients in your
office, and you have the extra space in your home to accommodate you. Other things to
check out and consider are detailed below.
The fastest growing working group in the U. S. and Canada is the home-based business
worker. This not only represents a golden market for insurance products, but as a result
of their buying power, manufacturers are designing affordable business equipment with
high-end features.
Office service support centers can be used to provide a professional image, handle your
mail, FAX, voice-mail, and secretarial needs. Some will also prepare your business cards,
stationary, and personal
promotional material.
There are a number of issues to be addressed before deciding to work out of your home.
• Local zoning regulations sometimes bar the very presence of a business in the
home, least of which you may be limited in the amount of physical space you can
allocate to office function, the number of employees, the number of vehicles allowed to
park, and the signage you may erect to announce your operation. Can you advertise your
office location with a (tasteful) sign outside? Do you need a
business permit?
• Projecting a professional image. This can be accomplished with professionally
designed and printed letterhead, using a Post Office box rather than a residential address
for mail, utilizing the capabilities of today’s electronic office equipment, and most of all,
having a “hold” button on your telephone to screen out the unavoidable and unexpected
distraction that might wander into your office.
• Can your family adjust to the disruptions of sharing their home with your office?
Will they be able to leave you alone?
• What will be the impact on your home insurance rates?
• Can you leave the “office”? Too many home workers have trouble shutting it
down at the end of the day because the office work is so readily accessible.
• Can you get into the “office”? With the other distractions around the home, can
you be disciplined enough to go to and stay at the job?
• Can you stand the loneliness of working by yourself?
• What about furnishing and equipping your space? The best option initially is to
lease everything on a short-term basis. This is the most expensive option in the long run,
but it gets you started with theleast outlay in the critical period while you are “trying it
out”.
• Can the existing wiring (electrical and phone service) handle the increased loads
or will major upgrading be necessary?
Your Home Office Layout
Don’t necessarily look for unused space to turn into your
office, be prepared to make some changes in the house. How you work and what you
need to work will have a huge influence on your decision. Can you work in a dark corner
of a basement, or do you need a large window to gaze out of while in the contemplative
moments you need to create winning presentations. The furniture and equipment you
need must be located in a handy and logical manner - room to push back your chair,
filing cabinets near your work surface, electrical and phone lines nearby, etc.
