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Making a Home Office Feel Like a Professional Establishment

In 2018, 5.4% of Americans worked solely from home. Almost two-thirds of Americans now complete a significant portion of their work outside the office. The line between the home office and the external workplace is being blurred because remote technology is making it easier for workers to communicate from the comfort of their own homes.

A lot of companies now outsource routine work activities, so it’s common for data entry and customer service positions to be filled from home. Offices are generally more casual. IT professionals may spend 20 hours a week working from their residence.

The line between the home and office is definitely blurred, but there are still a few clear distinctions that should be discussed.

Advantages of Working From Home

Some people like to work remotely from home because they can spend more time with family and friends. Many people dislike the typical 40-hour workweek, and some jobs allow them to set their own schedules. People who work at home may still have to clock in and out using a computerized system. This is a common practice among companies that outsource customer support services.

Those who work from home do not have to deal with office distractions. Many people don’t like to get involved in petty office politics, and workers can customize their office any way they want.

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Some believe a company must have a physical brick and mortar office presence to remain competitive. Utilizing the services of a virtual office space in Las Vegas may solve this problem. Virtual office space can be used to give you the professional image your business deserves.

A virtual office can provide business mailing addresses, live receptionist services, business license hanging, and meeting room access.

Reasons to Prefer a Regular Office

It’s harder to create synergy if you work on your own. Running a home office often requires discipline. Many office workers have managers regularly checking on them to ensure they’re meeting deadlines and quotas. You may have trouble managing time in your home office.

Some people need to fulfill all roles to make their home office function efficiently. If you work for a health insurance agency, then you may have people screening clients and completing paperwork for you.

You can outsource some of these responsibilities, but home workers definitely have to balance different work responsibilities to ensure their workflows run smoothly.

Make Your Home Office Feel More Professional

If you work from home, then you’ll ultimately save money on expensive office lease payments. If you are the owner, then you may even be able to apply for certain tax breaks. Some people actually like to set up part of their home office to meet with clients.

This may be preferable if you work in real estate and need to meet the client to sign paperwork. Setting up a separate part of the house to conduct business may be a good idea. Some businesses will allow you to share a physical office to meet clients.

An employee may complete paperwork and make phone calls from home. If a deal needs to be closed, then the professional can set up an arrangement to meet at the company office.

It’s a good idea to set up a separate space that you only use for work. You may want to display your credentials on the wall over your desk. You can purchase furniture that makes the space look more professional. You can purchase an ergonomic office chair and large filing cabinets.

You might want to remove clutter. If you need to speak with a client through video chat, then you’ll want to make sure the background looks like a real office. 

You can even hire an affordable remote secretary to handle your clients for you. Outsourcing is expensive for a sole proprietorship, but you might be able to make more money if you can focus specifically on your core competency. If you deal exclusively in business sales, then that’s where all of your energy should ideally be directed.

If you regularly see clients at home, then you may even want to create a separate reception area. You can set up a small divider and place a few office chairs near the entrance.

If you want to leave a positive impression on clients who visit your property, then it’s a good idea to invest in things that make the setting look authoritative.

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