Articles
Office Centers
Shopping centers! Rec centers! Seniors' centers! What's in a center? It could be almost anything.
The important point is that each center provides a focus for a certain kind of activity. The center concept is an important one in office organization.
If you feel like you're constantly searching for the right tool or performing one task on top of another, it may be time to center yourself and your space.
Begin by listing the key functions performed in the office. Do you keep the books, handle mail or package goods, track inventory, file resource information, or spend time planning and meeting with others?
Group working materials and equipment around your most critical centers of operation.
A communications center could revolve around your phone, answering machine and fax. It might include your rolodex, phone book, postal code directory, fax routing notes, dictation equipment, and phone message pads.
A mail handling center could include: a letter opener, packing envelopes, labels, filament tape, scissors, string, date stamp, postal scale and meter, and baskets for mail in transit.
A computer center could include cleaning supplies for diskettes, keyboard and disk drive as well as software reference books.
A printing and copying center could be set up around the copier and computer printer. It may include: copy paper, letterhead, friction feed forms, scrap paper bins, toner, and glass cleaner.
A finance center would serve as the collection point for bills and receipts. Checkbooks, deposit slips, cash box, ledgers, account statements and printouts would all be grouped in the vicinity.
A meeting or planning center might include a white board, flip chart, a large wall calendar, a meeting table and chairs.
A reference center would house books, magazines and journals, video and audio tapes, and reference files.
A supply and storage center would accommodate extra stationary materials, and back-up office and cleaning supplies.
Just like NASA, every office needs a launch center. This could be an open shelf or tabletop that provides a temporary resting place for your briefcase and traveling supplies, materials you are collecting for an upcoming project, handouts that are duplicated and ready to go to an upcoming meeting, or files waiting to be returned to a colleague.
Some of these centers develop naturally as responsibilities are divided and delegated. Others need to be deliberately masterminded.
Several centers may share the same space. For example, the communications and computer areas may be combined if you operate a fax modem or maintain client names and contact information on your computer.
Other centers may best be located next to or across from each other. A mail handling center and an order filling center may share a common pool of wrapping materials, labels and packaging supplies.
As you consider the placement of various work centers, take a second look at your furnishings. Trading in a tall four drawer file cabinet for two shorter cabinets will create a working surface at desk height.
Consider grouping desks and tables in L-shapes or U-shapes to bring frequently used centers within arm's reach.
© 1996 - Patricia Katz MCE CHRP of Optimus Consulting is a speaker, author and consultant who helps individuals and organizations restore the rhythm of renewal to work and life. To bring Patricia's expertise to your organization, contact her at www.patkatz.com or toll free at (877) 728-5289.
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Note: You are welcome to reprint or repost this article with the understanding that: 1) Optimus Consulting retains full copyright. 2) Contact information is included as it appears at the end of the article. 3) Patricia Katz of Optimus Consulting is contacted and sent a copy of the publication or notice of the link in which the article appears.
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