You know you need to buy laptops for the company and all the options and specifications are stressing you out, not to mention the price. Before you make that important decision, there are a number of other equally important factors that need to addressed first.
Here are 5 things you need to take care of before buying laptops.
1. The Office
You need to select office space that will be big enough for your current requirements but also able to expand as your company grows. Look at your market and your medium term plans to determine how much space you might need in future. You also need to ensure there is sufficient space for your initial staff compliment, not forgetting the reception area, a board room, kitchen, break room, toilets and storage space. A bit of planning is required.
The location needs to be convenient for key employees as well as customers. You want the location to reflect the status and success of the company.
Consider all costs when working out your budget. Apart from the base rental, you will also have to think about the cost to renovate the office to your requirements, utilities and possibly parking space.
2. Office Desks
Office staff will spend the better part of their day sitting and working at their desks. Give some thought to the type of work that will be done in the various departments to determine the size and ideal shape required. Take computers, cables and storage space in to account.
You will also need to look at the material the desk is made of, your budget, decorating style and durability. Whatever you decide on, ensure the furniture can be adapted easily as your requirements change over time.
3. Chairs
Extremely important for worker comfort is a quality chair. It will need to be fully adjustable, comfortable and ergonomic. The chair must support the lower back and promote good posture.
There is a wide range of styles and designs available so take your time and do a bit of homework before selecting them. Looks can be deceiving so do not go on appearance alone. A good chair reduces back pain and increases productivity, maximizing user efficiency.
Important factors to take into account are seat height, seat width and depth, lumbar support and backrest, swivel, armrests and the seat material.
For great ideas and advice, check out sites such as http://www.officechairsonly.com/alera-elusion/
Ergonomics studies have proved the importance of having a good chair so don’t skimp on this important aspect of your office.
4. Network
A network is essential to allow your office computers to access the internet and communicate with each other and other office equipment.
You need to understand the number of users currently as well as future growth. Do not forget to include all shared printers, multi-function devices and any other equipment that will need to be on the network. Then consider the operating system and software that will be used as well as the size and volume of data that has to be transmitted. Security is an essential consideration when designing a network. You will have to decide on a wired or wireless system as well as the brand of equipment and network standard you wish to use. The maintenance costs and warranty are important aspects to take into account.
Unless your IT guys are highly experienced, it pays to consult a network professional.
5. Staff
Now that you have the basics in place, you need to get staff. It is absolutely essential to the business success that you get the right people working in your company. It requires a certain skill set to find and recruit the correct people and can be extremely time consuming. Unless you have great experience and the time to spend, I would strongly recommend using a professional recruitment agency.
Agencies have the necessary knowledge and skills to assist you in finding suitable staff. They have a large pool of candidates to select from and they understand the use of technology in modern requiting. They will also be able to do all the necessary reference checks and administration.
You can either use them to find all your staff or you could hire key managers and department heads first and allow them to build up their teams.
Now that you have those essential elements in place, go out and buy the laptops.