All About Computer Keyboards

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Finding The Right Stuff For Your Home

Are you trying to run your own business out of your home or are you a government or company employee who has the option to work from home? Working at home has many benefits, including more time spent with family and no money spent on office rental. Maybe you're one of the many people who have embraced the idea of becoming an Internet entrepreneur. Yes, it's time to set up a home office - in a manner that is conducive and productive for you to work in, with a minimum of noise and distraction.

Finding a space for your home office will depend on the type of work you want to accomplish. If you need to be on the phone during the day (in your time zone), you can set up a computer desk with file storage in the living or dining room, which are usually quiet during the day. If you need more work surfaces - like getting those items you sold on EBay wrapped for shipment - you'll be more comfortable in the den or basement. Working in the evenings while the family watches TV in the living room? Set up a desk in your bedroom so you can work quietly.

Once you have chosen the best area, consider putting up wall shelves to save space on your flat desk surface. Also think about using a laptop or one of the new "miniature" computers with a thin flat screen monitor. More space can be created by attaching the house phone to the wall or using your computer to make phone calls, eliminating the need for a phone on your desk.

Plan your home office carefully. The right equipment and office furniture will save you time, effort, and money, not to mention back or wrist pain. According to a recent survey, nearly 75% of home business owners didn't have a designated room for their home office with the right office furniture.

The most important choices concern the computer desk, an office chair, storage and lighting.

A computer desk is the keystone of your home office. Nowadays, new computer desks come with many space-saving features and enough built-in storage to transform a small space in your apartment or house into a convenient and productive office space. A corner computer desk can be easily accommodated in almost any room. The style of desk you choose depends on the type of work you do. If you have to work with papers, the right computer desk will give you enough room for your computer and keyboard as well as sufficient flat surface for paperwork. For additional flat surfaces, consider adding an extra wing or curve to your desk. If you often use books, binders or thick heavy manuals, you may choose a computer desk with a hutch for shelving or closed cabinet space for easy access to printed materials and office supplies without losing any of the valuable flat surfaces.

The right office chair does more than give you a way to sit at the computer. It can also save your back, neck, and shoulders, and prevent carpal tunnel syndrome by putting you at the right height relative to your keyboard and monitor. If clients will be coming to your home, make sure you have comfortable seating for them as well.

Where are you going to keep your files, office supplies and/or product inventory? Storage space is vital if you want to keep your work surfaces neat and clean. From a file drawer in your desk to file cabinets, shelving units, bookcases, and storage cabinets and lockers, the available configurations mean there's something that will work for you. And it's so much easier to think when you don't have to take boxes off your computer before sitting down to work. (You might also think about going 'paperless' on your bills and paying them over the computer.)

Also, remember to have proper lighting, both in daytime and at night. Don't place a desk so that direct sunlight hits your computer monitor - you won't be able to see! And have a good bright lamp on or near the desk to avoid eye strain.

To give your home office a professional appearance, get creative. Paint the wall a peaceful color, decorate with artwork or framed photos, and add a touch of green with potted plants or a sunny touch with bright flowers. A small effort will reward you with an enhanced image when a client steps into your home office. The Right Stuff for your home office means you'll be happier and more productive there, too.

About the Author

Information on bird leash can be found at the Beautiful Bird site.

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An Inspiring And Motivating Work Environment

How can I increase employee motivation and morale? This question impacts nearly every contact center director focused on productivity and quality. First we must understand what the working environment is so one can understand what can be done to increase the productivity of your staff. The working environment includes workstations, common areas (restrooms, kitchens, etc.), and other "locations" such as walls and whiteboards. It comprises whatever can be seen, heard, felt (and even smelled) by employees while at work.

Because the typical team member spends most of his/her time seated at one location and using a phone, a computer, or both, it's important to consider the effects—good and bad—of the physical surroundings. In this article, we'll look at ways you can improve the physical environment of your workplace to keep employees healthier, happier, and more productive.

Before getting too far into this article, give the following activity a try. Take a notepad and pen with you so you can make notes about your experience.

Activity

Go outside the building and walk in, imagining that you are experiencing the place for the first time. Open your senses and take note of colors, sounds, smells, lighting, temperature, and anything else that strikes you. Walk onto the frontline and sit in an employees' workstation. How does the chair feel? What do you see? What do you hear? Put your hands on the keyboard. Are you comfortable? Open a file on the computer. Is it easy to read? Do your eyes feel strained? Do the monitor colors soothe, stimulate, or stress you out? Take notes on every sense and feeling experienced. Look around at the walls and at anything else you see from the workstation. Is there anything about these areas that either motivates or distracts you? Can you imagine a way to better utilize these areas?

You get the picture. There are all kinds of things in the physical environment—big and little, subtle and obvious—that affect employees' morale and productivity.

According to an online article in a leading call center portal site, "The top three complaints of call center employees are: the space is too hot or too cold, there are not enough restrooms, and there is not enough parking…It is not that the work is too boring or the pay is not good. If the working conditions are not pleasant then people will leave."

Why does the environment matter?

The physical environment impacts two major factors of your employees' work life—their motivation and their productivity. A clean, comfortable, well-lit, and not overly noisy environment will go a long way toward making people want to work. And we all know that when this happens, quality and productivity improve.

Daimler Chrysler asked its agents for their contact center "wish lists." Staffers suggested new divider heights and mail-slot locations, plus conference and washroom improvements. The result in the improvements: service quality rose nearly 10 percent after the contact center modifications. The lesson learned here: ask for input from your representatives, either by direct questioning or a survey.

Putting some thought and energy into the physical environment of your workplace inspires employees in another way as well: It shows them that you care. Investing in their immediate work environment means investing in their satisfaction and well-being. Front-line employees love it when the organization pays attention to them!

In the next section, we'll look at what you can do to optimize the following for your employees:

• Employee Workstations

  If your reps have their own workstations, it's a good idea to encourage them to bring in a few pictures or some artwork to personalize their space. It will help them to feel comfortable at work and may even decrease their stress.

• Technical Equipment

  Having expensive, state-of-the-art technical equipment is nice, but it's not essential. What is essential is making sure your employees have the tools they need to do a good job. This includes monitors, keyboards, headsets, phone systems, glare screens, wrist rests, mouses, and any necessary software.

• Eye-to-screen Distance

  As a general guideline, locate computer monitors at least two feet from the eyes. If the screen can be read without strain, it's not too far away. Experts suggest that if the screen can't be read, it's better to make the characters larger than it is to move the monitor closer to the eyes.

• Noise

  In the contact center environment, where most of the people are talking most of the time, noise control becomes a critical issue. In order to rectify the noise:

  • High ceilings, fabric-covered acoustic panels, and carpets help absorb noise.
  • Installing sound masking and acoustic ceiling tiles can reduce noise by 40%.
  • Wood furniture absorbs noise better than metal or glass. Headsets protect against noise better than traditional telephone receivers. They also provide better sound quality. Doors to areas that are adjacent to the call floor (such as a break room or a computer room) should be kept closed.
• Lighting

  Good lighting in a workplace has a positive effect on mood and productivity. It has been shown to decrease eyestrain, fatigue, computer errors, and even absenteeism.

• Air Quality

  A lack of clean air in the workplace can result in low morale, illness, and absenteeism. Consistently maintain your vents and air supply—they're easy to overlook.

• Wall Space and White Boards

  Almost every contact center we've visited has a wallboard, a white board, or both, but all too often they're underutilized. We suggest you use these areas to inform, motivate, encourage, educate, and whatever else you need to do on a daily basis. Think about it. These areas are in view of your reps all day every day. What an opportunity to fill their heads with meaningful information!

According to author Brendan B. Read, "In call centers, people are your machinery. They attract, retain, and directly and indirectly generate profit from customers by providing customer service and sales." Call centers are extremely volatile environments; therefore management must do its best to create a productive physical environment.

About the Author

Continually motivate your employees with Impact Learning Systems' training programs. Impact Learning Systems offers interactive communication skills training for frontline employees.

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