Paper Might Be Missing From Your Stationery Cupboard, But Can You Benefit From What Takes Its Place?

The stationery cupboard used to be a standard in any business setting. We all remember the fresh paper smell well. This was the place where you came to stock up and catch up. It was home to reams of paper, stacks of staples, and even that trusty photocopier.

Now, though, we’re living in the age of the paperless office. Stationery cupboards are becoming obsolete as we chuck paper for more modern options. Now, many offices don’t even need photocopiers. There’s nothing to copy. Instead, these rooms which once meant so much sit empty. And, we think it’s about time to change that.

Whether you lease or own an office, you’ve paid for every square foot of that building. As such, you can’t afford to set aside a whole room for a few unused rubbers. Instead, consider the following three more lucrative options for the space.

A break room

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Given that your staff are the ones who earn your profits, it might be worth turning this space into a break room. While this in itself won’t boost your earnings, it would increase productivity and morale. And, that in turn could lead to better profits. Admittedly, there is a risk of spending more than you earn by providing a space like this. After all, most of the equipment needed doesn’t come cheap. So, to make sure this transformation earns rather than costs, consider inexpensive ways to stock it. You could ask staff members to seek out spare electricals at home, or even look at office coffee machine lease rates so that you can spread the cost over time. If you also stock any chairs and tables second hand, there’s no need to spend a fortune here. Yet, your finances would soon benefit from these efforts.

A private office

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In recent years, there’s been a lot of focus on open plan office spaces. The idea being that an open place for ideas to flow can lead to better creativity and production. But, some studies are showing that isn’t the case. In fact, as Susan Cain points out in her bestseller ‘Quiet’, an environment like this can actually be detrimental to creativity. Instead, then, why not use that stationery cupboard as a private office? It should be easy enough to make this transformation for no extra cost. Then, offer this to anyone who needs private thinking time while searching for that project muse. This way, you can ensure staff come up with the best ideas and earn you even more money.

A client meeting space

If your stationery cupboard is up to it, you could even transform this into a client meeting space. While taking customers into the heart of your office has its benefits, it can also be problematic. It can undoubtedly disrupt the working day. Instead, then, setting up a separate room could be the answer. What’s more, this confined space would allow you to portray your company exactly how you would like. And, that in itself could lead to increased sales.