Having a well-stocked and well-organized office is just as important to the operations and functioning of your company as the intellect and the hard work of the employees who work for you.
After all, how can employees be expected to do their jobs efficiently if their computers are not working properly, if they’re out of envelopes they need to send out an important contract, or if they can’t even find printer paper to print said contract?
Given how significant office supplies are to a company’s day-to-day operations, organization and inventory should be among the top priorities.
Start by Taking Stock of What Employees Use. You might ask your employees what office supplies they need in order to do their job well. This can be anything from notebooks and pens to a certain computer software. Keep this list on file so that it can serve as a checklist when ordering supplies.
Set Aside a Space for Office Supplies. Make sure that it’s big enough so that everything is in view and the employees don’t have any trouble accessing the supplies. Keep this storage area as organized as possible so that the supplies are easy to find. You can use bins, containers, or boxes for keeping materials in. Like materials should be sorted together and contents should be arranged in a logical order. Using labels is a great way to know what everything is. You might arrange the supplies such that those that are used most often are on a shelf that everyone can reach. Keeping a stepstool in the closet for harder-to-reach shelves or areas might be a good idea.
Restock as Necessary. Take inventory of the supply space periodically to keep track of when items are running low. Make sure to order new supplies before they run out so that employees are not stuck without vital supplies while the order is being processed. Also check that supplies aren’t running out faster than they should. If this is happening, remind employees that supplies should be used for office use rather than personal use.
If your business is in Florida and you’re looking for good office supply stores or are want to brainstorm other ways to optimize your business operations, contact QualPath—a leader in print management and business solutions.
Source:
Sarokin, David. How to Organize an Office Supply Closet. Chron.