10 Basic Office Equipment Every Business Needs

Every business needs to think about the types of equipment their company needs in order for their employees to do their job properly. Office equipment helps in managing office-related work and makes your day to day tasks run smoothly.

Office equipment is usually overlooked, but essential. The right and necessary equipment should be available for every employee so they can work productively and efficiently.

Not only will employees benefit from good quality equipment, but it will also benefit your business image. The right office supplies sends out a positive message to clients and partners.

Basic office supplies include furniture, business printers, collaboration tools, telephone systems, kitchen supplies (such as a coffee machine) and so on. Of course a strong and good internet connection is indispensable. Without a good quality internet connection, your business won’t be able to use certain telephone systems, for example.

There are a lot of suppliers in the UK offering these kinds of office equipment. Depending on the company and their requirements, businesses can choose to buy, rent or lease some of these supplies.

Having the right office equipment will make your office look more professional and it will make the daily working routine run smoothly. Choosing the right office equipment depends on your business requirements and employees needs.

Buying the right office furniture is important for various reasons. Firstly, it will make your office look pleasant and professional. Your office will be comfortable and accessible for your employees and customers.

Choosing the right office furniture will also play an important role in increasing the morale and productivity of your employees. Employees tend to feel more comfortable to work in a pleasant environment. This way they develop a positive attitude towards the organisation and feel more motivated to work efficiently and be productive.

For instance, using the right colours and lighting are only a few factors that will increase productivity. Always keep in mind to balance what you can spend with what your employees need.

Lastly, office supplies like furniture should reflect the nature of your business. Nice looking office furniture provides a good impression to visitors. This will improve the image of the office and it will make the company look more reliable and professional.

When buying office furniture, it’s essential to consider the space of your office. Always try to arrange these office supplies in a way that will make the office look bigger and accessible.

Choosing the right office furniture might seem challenging since it will determine the comfort of your employees and the way they perform. Therefore there are some factors to consider when making your choice. Buying office furniture is a long-term investment, so it’s not just a matter of design but also a matter of spending every coin wisely.

It’s best to combine design with purpose and function. Also think about whether the furniture you choose is mobile and adaptable to the office area. Safety is another essential factor to consider when choosing the right furniture. Make sure the office furniture are systematically arranged to ensure safety in the office.

Having a high speed internet connection is without a doubt mandatory for every business.

Without a reliable internet connection businesses wouldn’t be able to connect with and share information both internally and externally. Given that a lot of businesses operate online, a good internet connection contributes to daily tasks.

A lot of office equipment are able to connect to the internet. Therefore, IoT is a great system that enables different smart devices to transfer data over a network without any human interaction. These smart devices can for example be smart speakers, photocopiers, coffee machines, smart locks, and more.

Having such smart devices in the office comes with potential security risks. No matter what size your business is, having good office security of IoT is crucial in order to manage smart devices safely.

Other types of office equipment businesses need are routers and on-site backups.

Given that coffee has become a corporate ritual, an office coffee machine has labelled as essential office equipment. Employees should be kept hydrated and satisfied with food and drinks. Providing your staff with free coffee and water helps to keep them motivated and effective. Opting for a water dispenser in your office is therefore a great idea.

There are a lot of coffee machine suppliers in the UK that help offices in choosing a tailored office coffee machine. A coffee vending machine is only one of the options companies can go for. If your company rather prefers a more quality brew, you can choose an espresso or bean to cup coffee machine.

Offering employees free coffee can help them to stay focused and concentrate better. Having an office coffee machine has a positive impact on the company culture and employee morale.

Depending on the size of your business, you can choose between different types of coffee machines. The table below shows the different coffee machines available depending on the size of your business.

Having the option to heat food is a way of encouraging employees to stay in the workplace for lunch. Therefore providing cutlery and other kitchen utensils is a must.

It’s hard to keep an office kitchen clean if the right tools aren’t provided. Different cleaning supplies like paper towels and dishwasher soap are needed to keep the kitchen area tidy.

Effective communication is an essential tool for any business. When considering business equipment, companies should always invest in a good office telephone system. This way employees can keep in touch with customers and colleagues on a personal level.

There are different features, sizes, and options of various telephone systems available. Companies should choose the one that would fit their business the best in terms of objectives and needs. A lot of providers in the UK offer tailored office telephone systems.

Two systems that are a good fit for businesses are PBX and VoIP phone systems. The main difference between these two systems is the way they connect users.

With VoIP systems employees make calls through the internet, as it is a cloud phone system, while PBX systems use a standard telephone line.

Another useful office tool within businesses is a business mobile phone. It’s the perfect way for employees to work remotely and to maintain a healthy work-life balance. In that way they will never miss out on important calls.

Business mobile phones are the best solution for employees that are mobile, meaning those that travel a lot for business purposes or those that are mainly working out of the office. Mainly sales representatives may benefit from a business mobile phone because it enables them to improve sales processes.

The table below shows the different features for PBX phones and VoIP phones.

Every business should definitely have some basic machines like a business printer, a photocopier, and a scanner. Photocopiers and printers are without a doubt essential office equipment within businesses.

Instead of buying a photocopier, low budget companies can opt for the photocopier rental possibility. The same applies to printers, as a printer rental can be a good cost-effective choice.

A lot of UK providers offer various machines with different features. Again, depending on the requirements of your office, you can choose different types of office machines. When considering a printer, there are some parameters you can keep in mind.

Firstly, it's important to think about the size of your office. Make sure your printer doesn’t take up much of your workspace. Printers could have scanning and faxing options. Another feature to keep in mind is an automatic document feeder. Document feeders are a must if you’re business requires to scan a lot of documents at once.

Given that information is the backbone of every business, computer software is another necessity that belongs under the category of essential office supplies. Computer software include useful apps, anti-virus software, word processing software, and CRM systems.

According to the business, companies can consider different types of apps. A very important tool to protect devices from hackers is a reliable anti-virus software. There are different anti-virus softwares that offer different features.

A word processing software is an essential tool within offices while it offers automatic corrections of misspellings, improves overall speed, and reduces errors. Besides these benefits, word processing also helps employees to work more efficiently and accurate.

Lastly, CRM systems are a useful tool to incorporate in businesses. Building a good customer relationship is essential in any business. Creating and maintaining this relationship can be done in an online environment or with personal communication through phone calls.

Office stationery are basic daily essential items that every business should have. Items like pens, paper, notebooks, post-its and other essential office equipment need to be available for employees to work productively and efficiently.

With advanced technology, it can sometimes get too exhausting to look at screens all day. A lot of employees want to escape the screens and grab for some pen and paper to take down some notes. Even though the technology is evolving rapidly, the importance of stationery is still strong and they remain valuable tools.

One of the main reasons employees choose to use stationery is the organisational purpose. It’s easier to keep all information at reach when you have seperate, labelled notebooks or ring-binder folders. Keeping the technological malfunctions in mind, having a hard copy is more reliable than having just an online document.

Using too much paper in offices is not the best eco-friendly way of operating. Trying to find a balance between online documents and hard copies might be a good solution.

A great way of using paper sparingly is a digital notepad. It may be an expensive investment, but it is definitely worth considering given that it is a great way to save the environment.

Depending on the type of business, it might be good to only select the relevant basic office essentials that fit the job. Asking employees what they need to be able to do their job efficiently may also be helpful for choosing the right stationery.

Even with stationery, companies can send out a positive message towards clients. These office supplies can be branded with the company name representing professionalism and uniformity.

Office supplies such as storage folders, USB flash disks, and external hard drives help businesses keep everything organised and separate. Even though the technology is evolving and companies are operating online, paper work is always going to be a part of any business.

Storage folders are therefore a useful tool for businesses that want to keep their files organised. Labelled storage boxes might also help to archive documents.

Saving documents to a USB flash disk is another good way of keeping documents organised and safe. When saving documents to a USB disk, you are sure that you have a backup of the original document.

Besides a USB flash disk, an external hard drive would be a handy must-have office tool. This will provide your business with extra storage space on any computer.

Collaboration tools like office boards are necessary office equipment. These tools make it easier to keep ideas within a company organised. The essence of collaboration is sharing knowledge and skills to achieve the best result.

Whiteboards are a perfect tool for sketching mind-maps or strategies. It’s also a great way to just write down a few reminders to keep you on track. They fit best in private offices and conference rooms.

Another collaboration tool that is essential in any business environment is a bulletin board. These fit best in a company’s break room. The purpose of this board is mainly to inform employees about the current state of affairs and to update them on the daily duties.

Projectors are also a must in companies. This office equipment does more than just representing a modern, innovative, and high-tech business environment. With a projector, companies can share information faster, communicate better, and collaborate more easily. A projector is also a good office tool to use for training purposes. Trainees can easily view the displayed information and take notes.

Whiteboards and projectors are an eco-friendly way of collaborating. Both options are better than using paper which makes them a green and cost effective solution. Bulletin boards on the other hand are not that eco-friendly but they serve as a great source of inspiration. Through bulletin boards and whiteboards employees can get inspired and motivated.

The table below shows the advantages of three collaboration tools: whiteboards, bulletin boards and projectors.

Office waste and recycling tools don’t seem to be the first thing businesses consider when thinking about office equipment. Even though it is not self-evident, it is very useful and beneficial for businesses.

A paper shredder also belongs to the office waste tools. Shredders makes it easier for companies to destroy confidential documents, customer reports or other documents.

Recycling in the office and keeping your office clean contributes to your company image. Having enough rubbish bins and recycling bins are a significant part of any organised and clean office. Businesses will not only keep their office area tidy, but they will also contribute to a greener environment.

Last but not least, recycling in offices helps in increasing the team spirit. It’s a way of working together to keep the company clean and pleasant.

Choosing the right office equipment will make it easier for businesses to run their daily operations in a smooth and effective manner. While choosing these office tools, businesses should always keep their employees needs in mind.

If employees are satisfied and have the right tools to do their job, they will be more motivated and therefore do their job better. That means they will be more productive. It’s definitely a win-win situation for both the company itself as for the employees.