Office must-haves

A swanky new office is nothing without those little things that make it a great place for people to work.

So what are the non-negotiables and desirable additions that will make your place of business the kind of office that its inhabitants won’t mind fronting up to on a Monday morning? We’ve picked six to get you started.

Coffee machine

Long gone are the days when you can slap a tin of Nescafe Blend 43 on the kitchen bench in the office and expect people’s caffeine cravings to be adequately satisfied. Coffee lovers will venture far and wide if there’s the promise of a good brew, so unless you want your employees or colleagues spending valuable time each morning and afternoon trekking to their favourite coffee haunt, you’d better invest in a machine or bring your current setup up to scratch. At the very least, a pod-based machine will suffice, though an automated machine with beans is guaranteed to keep everyone happy.

Gone are the days when you can slap a tin of Nescafe Blend 43 on the bench.

Desk options

While health organisations make well-intentioned recommendations that people should get up from their workstation and go for a stroll every so often, let’s be realistic – the term “chained to your desk” didn’t pop up overnight. But sitting in the one position all day doesn’t agree with everyone, which is why health professionals say that people should consider an elevated desk that allows them to stand. It’s not for everyone, but giving office workers the choice about how to set up their workspace will ensure everyone can be comfortable and therefore more productive.

Related: The hot-desk office comes of age

Recycling bins

It’s not just trendy to recycle anymore. It’s downright lazy not to, such is the rate at which we continue to consume goods. Not everyone is on board the green train, but you can certainly encourage them to try, by placing specific recycling bins to help shrink your building’s environmental footprint. You don’t need a full-blown recycling centre, but separate bins for paper waste, plastics and food waste are a great place to start.

Not everyone is on board the green train, but you can certainly encourage them to try.

Cutlery

Ask office dwellers for their list of desirable items and you’ll get a chorus of voices all asking for one thing. It’s not an ergonomic phone handset or a wall of big screen TVs, either. No, it’s plain old cutlery, and plenty of it. There’s nothing worse than going to eat last night’s spag bol and discovering there are only teaspoons in the office kitchen drawer.

Invest in a sturdy collection of knives, forks and spoons or, better yet, provide everyone with their own set, including a coffee cup, when they begin their employment. Not only will that ensure they don’t lose them, but it’ll also improve the chances of people doing their own washing up every once in a while.

Fresh fruit bowl

A healthy workplace is a happy workplace, as they say. Or if they don’t say it, they should. Sometimes it’s the little things that matter, and having a regular supply of fresh fruit is a small touch that can go a long way. It won’t cost you the earth, either. There are a plenty of companies who’ll deliver boxes of fruit directly to your office, with some packages costing as little as $15 a week. Of course, people can always bring their own fruit from home, but just like lollies, chips and Tim Tams, if you put it there, they’ll eat it.

Wi-Fi

Any overseas jaunt these days makes it painfully clear how far Australia lags behind other countries when it comes to Wi-Fi internet access. So be a part of the solution. Having only desktop computers wired up for online access is pretty old hat, and with most workers having one or two – if not more – mobile devices, being able to log onto the internet from anywhere within your office is a must.

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