Whether you’re starting a new business or opening an office in a new location, setting up a new location can be expensive and time consuming. You can easily get sidetracked into spending thousands of dollars on things that don’t really help you get working.

For typical white-collar offices, where workers spend most of their time on the computer or the phone, you should invest your time and money in the five essentials below. Getting these important purchases right will go a long way towards making employees productive and happy.

For other necessities, go to Craigslist, eBay, local auctions — wherever is cheap — and worry about getting good furniture and other extras later. Investors and potential customers will understand if your décor leaves something to be desired.

Adjustable, comfortable, stylish - and it won't break the bank. Photo: geognerd

1. Chairs. If your employees are plugging away at computers or on the phone for hours every day, good chairs are completely worth the investment. I’m not talking about fancy leather models or super high-end luxury chairs: just well-designed, highly-adjustable office chairs. Whether you’ve got a team of 3 people or 300, they’re going to be sitting for hours – and second-hand, broken down chairs just won’t cut it. Also, if the chairs aren’t ergonomically sound, you even risk injuries to your employees.
2. Computers. Buying good computers can make your employees more productive now and protect your investment. As with chairs, this doesn’t mean buying insanely expensive, top-of-the-line machines – get computers with modern processors and plenty of memory and hard drive space, and you’ll be able to rely on them for years. Don’t be tempted by extra savings on last year’s models, either. Also be sure to invest in good monitors – many types of computer users can be more efficient with larger screens or even dual monitors. And I hope I don’t have to say this – but don’t even think about picking up used CRTs on the cheap. New flat-panel LCD monitors are less than $150, provide better resolution and picture quality, and are much easier on the eyes.
3. Network copier/printer. Yes, you can buy an inkjet printer for $150 or less at a superstore. But a) it won’t last long and b) your per-page printing costs will be sky high. The best choice for most small offices is leasing a low-end network copier – you can do that for less than $50 per month, so this isn’t even a big investment.The added advantage is that the lease should include scheduled maintenance and repairs, so you don’t have to worry about paying for service calls.
4. 

   Image by Richard Scott 33

   A good coffee machine – or service. Providing hot and cold beverages is an extremely inexpensive way to keep up employee satisfaction: a study by the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) showed that office employees with access to complimentary coffee and other hot beverages are more productive and feel appreciated by their employers. Don’t get a basic coffeepot and generic coffee at the local warehouse club. It’s worth a little extra to get the good stuff from a coffee service – your employees will appreciate it, and be less likely to take off for Starbucks in the middle of the afternoon.

5. Internet access. Whether it’s used for sales, research, or marketing efforts, a business Internet connection is important to all kinds of companies. If you’re not an online business, you may be tempted to save money by using basic DSL or cable internet to connect your small office. One word: headache. Simply put, you need service level guarantees on your Internet access. Even if you’re in an industry that has little to do with high tech, being able to get emails from customers, prospects, and vendors on time is critical.

Also-rans
Depending on the exact field you’re in, you may want to invest in a couple of other areas. Phones are a good example: if your people are constantly on the go, you should consider investing in the latest and greatest cell phones or PDAs; if you expect a high volume of incoming calls, a great call management solution will make your life much easier.

And of course the items we’ve listed here are focused on white-collar offices. BuyerZone users come from all industries, from retail to construction, and you know best which purchases are the most important for you. What purchases are worth spending a little extra on for your line of work? Let us know in the comments.