The rise of self-employment and home working is a career move that continues to gain popularity among the workforce. People choose the freedom that working from home and for themselves create, but with that freedom can arise unprecedented challenges.
If you have clients to win or business meetings to schedule then you will need a space to meet, and without a traditional office, that means utilizing your home office to meet with clients. Making use of your available space, letting in natural light, and even protecting the quality of your airflow are all simple steps that can easily turn your home into a welcoming business environment.
Make use of space to create an open home office
Space is the most important aspect of your home office. Whether you have plenty of free space and open rooms to use or your workspace is crammed into the only spare room in the house, utilizing what you have available to create an open area is important to create a welcoming environment for visiting clients. If your space is limited, then make use of the room’s corners to create a workspace or for storage, but keep the rest of the room open for meetings.
Let in all the natural light you can
A dark and dreary office space won’t set the tone you want to encourage clients to work with you. Natural light will improve not only your work productivity but will improve the mood of the clients you are meeting. Create your home office in the room with the best light, keep your curtains and blinds wide open and don’t block your window space.
A healthy home environment is a welcoming work environment
Creating a healthy home working space is the most important aspect of creating a welcoming space for clients to want to visit. Airflow and air quality shouldn’t be ignored in this and it’s worth considering installing an HVAC system to ensure that your home office offers a healthy atmosphere to conduct business in. Home ventilation and air conditioning systems also have the bonus of regulating not only the quality of air but the temperature of your office too for optimum comfort.
Keep your workspace your workspace
This is your home, but if you plan on meeting clients in your home office you will still need to create boundaries that separate workspace from home space. Even if the rest of your house is cluttered or in disrepair, ensure your home office is the best it can be, in a state of excellent repair and cleanliness. Work in your office and live in the rest of the house, and when those important clients visit, simply keep the home space off limits.
Inviting clients to your own home may seem daunting at first, but by focusing on just a few quality methods it’s easy enough to ensure that your home office is always ready to host an important business meeting. Just remember to make use of all your space and resources, set home and work boundaries, let in the light and keep the air fresh and the environment healthy.