Where Should You Place Your Office Photocopier for Maximum Productivity?
by Blue Solutions Sdn Bhd

Choosing the right photocopier for your office is important—but where you place it can be just as important.

A multifunction printer (MFP) is usually shared by different departments for printing, copying, scanning and document finishing. If it is placed in the wrong location, employees may spend unnecessary time walking back and forth, queues can form during busy periods, and confidential documents may be left unattended.

For Malaysian businesses, a well-planned photocopier location can help improve office productivity, document security, machine reliability and overall printing efficiency.

Here are some practical tips to help you decide where your office photocopier should go.
 

---

1. Choose a Convenient but Central Location

The ideal location should make the photocopier easily accessible to the employees who use it most frequently.

Instead of placing the machine in an unused corner simply because there is available space, consider where your employees actually work and how documents move around the office.

A central location between departments is often a good choice.

For example, if your HR, Accounts and Administration teams regularly share the same photocopier, placing the MFP somewhere reasonably accessible to all three departments can reduce unnecessary walking and improve workflow.

At the same time, avoid placing it directly beside an employee's workstation if the machine is frequently used.

---

2. Avoid High-Traffic and Distracting Areas

A photocopier can generate noise, movement and people traffic throughout the day.

Opening paper trays, printing large documents, scanning, stapling and collecting printouts can become distracting when the machine is located next to workstations.

Try to avoid placing your MFP:

• Directly beside individual workstations
• Inside meeting rooms
• Beside reception counters
• In quiet working areas
• Along narrow office walkways
• Near areas where employees frequently make phone calls

A shared print area located slightly away from focused workspaces can provide a better balance between accessibility and productivity.

---

3. Consider the Departments That Print the Most

Not every department uses the photocopier equally.

Accounts may print invoices and financial documents, HR may handle employee records, while Operations or Administration may produce large quantities of forms and reports.

Before deciding where to install an MFP, identify:

• Which departments print the most
• Which departments scan frequently
• Where documents are usually collected
• When printing demand is highest
• Whether employees frequently queue at the machine

If one department generates significantly more printing than the others, placing the MFP closer to that department may make sense.

For larger offices, multiple strategically positioned MFPs may be more efficient than having everyone share one machine.

---

4. Keep Your Photocopier Away from Heat and Humidity

The environment surrounding your photocopier can affect its reliability.

In Malaysia, offices commonly operate air-conditioning throughout the day, so it is important to consider the machine's exposure to temperature changes, humidity and direct airflow.

Avoid placing your MFP:

• Directly under an air-conditioning outlet
• Beside windows with strong direct sunlight
• Near sources of heat
• In damp areas
• In poorly ventilated enclosed spaces

Paper can be particularly sensitive to moisture. Improper storage or environmental conditions may contribute to paper curling, feeding problems and paper jams.

A clean, dry and reasonably stable environment is preferable.

---

5. Give the Machine Enough Space

Don't squeeze a photocopier into a tight corner just because the machine physically fits.

Your service technician needs sufficient access around the machine for maintenance and troubleshooting.

There should also be enough room for users to:

• Open paper trays
• Replace toner
• Collect documents
• Load originals
• Remove jammed paper
• Access finishing units
• Perform basic maintenance

Adequate space also helps with ventilation and makes the machine much easier to service.

This becomes particularly important for high-volume office photocopiers, where regular maintenance is part of keeping the machine operating reliably.

---

6. Don't Put the Photocopier Directly on the Floor

Floor placement may seem convenient, but it is generally not ideal.

A photocopier positioned too low can make it uncomfortable for employees to load paper, retrieve documents and use the control panel.

It can also expose the machine to more dust and dirt.

Where possible, use the appropriate printer stand or cabinet designed for the MFP.

Besides improving ergonomics, a proper stand can provide useful storage for paper and other printing supplies.

---

7. Think About Confidential Documents

Photocopiers don't just handle ordinary documents.

They may also process:

• Employee records
• Salary information
• Contracts
• Customer information
• Financial documents
• Business proposals
• Legal documents
• Internal company information

This means the location of your MFP can also become a document security issue.

Avoid placing machines handling confidential documents in highly visible public areas where visitors or unauthorised employees can easily access printed documents.

Even better, consider an MFP with Secure Print functionality.

With secure printing, a document can remain in the print queue until the authorised user authenticates at the machine. This reduces the risk of confidential documents being printed and left unattended.

---

8. Create a Dedicated Print Station

Instead of treating the photocopier as simply another piece of office equipment, consider creating a dedicated print and document station.

Depending on your requirements, the area could include:

MFP → Paper Storage → Finishing → Document Collection → Recycling

This creates a more organised workflow.

For example, an employee can print or copy a document, collect it, use the finishing function if necessary, and immediately place unwanted paper into the recycling bin.

A dedicated area also makes it easier for employees to understand where printing supplies and documents should be handled.

---

9. Reduce Printer Queues by Planning for Peak Usage

One photocopier may be sufficient for a small office, but larger businesses should consider whether a single machine is creating a bottleneck.

For example, imagine everyone printing monthly reports at the end of the month.

If 30 employees are sending jobs to one MFP at the same time, queues can quickly form.

Instead of automatically purchasing another printer, first look at your actual printing requirements.

You may find that the better solution is:

One high-performance central MFP

rather than

Several small desktop printers scattered throughout the office.

This can simplify maintenance, toner management and service requirements.

---

10. Centralise Printing Where It Makes Sense

For many businesses, having too many small printers creates hidden costs.

Every additional device potentially means:

• Another toner supply
• Another maintenance requirement
• Another device consuming electricity
• Another network connection
• Another machine requiring service
• Another device that needs to be monitored

A centralised MFP strategy can therefore make office printing easier to manage.

However, centralisation should not come at the expense of employee productivity.

The goal is to find the right balance between convenience and cost efficiency.

---

11. Consider Your Office Size

There is no universal number of photocopiers that every business should have.

A simple guideline is:

Small Office

For a smaller team, one centrally positioned MFP may be sufficient.

Medium Office

A medium-sized business may benefit from two or more MFPs, particularly when departments are located far apart.

Large Office

Larger organisations may require several strategically positioned machines, especially when employees are spread across different floors or office zones.

The correct number ultimately depends on printing volume, employee distribution and workflow, rather than headcount alone.

---

12. Keep Paper and Toner Supplies Nearby

Your photocopier area should ideally have enough space for basic consumables.

Paper should be stored in a clean, dry location, preferably close enough to the machine that employees or administrators can replenish it easily.

You can also create a simple storage area for:

• A4 paper
• A3 paper
• Toner cartridges
• Staplers and staples
• Labels
• Other frequently used printing supplies

Good supply organisation prevents employees from searching around the office whenever the machine runs out of paper.

---

13. Don't Forget Sustainability

A well-designed print area can also support your company's sustainability efforts.

Consider placing a paper recycling bin next to the MFP so employees have an obvious place to dispose of unwanted documents.

You can also encourage:

• Duplex printing
• Digital document sharing
• Scan-to-email
• Scan-to-folder
• Print quotas
• Secure print
• Energy-saving modes

Reducing unnecessary printing doesn't just reduce paper consumption—it can also help lower your company's overall printing costs.

---

Common Photocopier Placement Mistakes

Here are some mistakes we frequently see in office environments:

❌ Putting the photocopier in a cramped corner

It may save space initially but can make maintenance and daily operation difficult.

❌ Placing it beside someone's workstation

Frequent printing activity can become a distraction.

❌ Putting it near direct sunlight or heat

Environmental conditions can affect machine performance and paper handling.

❌ Having one printer serve an excessively large office

Long queues and unnecessary walking can reduce productivity.

❌ Leaving confidential documents in an open area

Printed documents may be seen or collected by the wrong person.

❌ Installing too many small printers

Multiple devices can increase toner, maintenance and service costs.

❌ Ignoring actual printing behaviour

The best location should be based on how your employees work—not simply where there is spare floor space.

---

How to Improve Your Current Photocopier Setup

If your existing photocopier arrangement isn't working well, you don't necessarily need to replace everything.

Start with a simple review.

Step 1: Identify Your Current Machines

List all photocopiers and printers currently being used in the office.

Step 2: Look at Printing Volume

Identify which departments generate the highest number of printed pages.

Step 3: Check for Queues

Find out whether employees regularly wait for a machine during peak periods.

Step 4: Review the Location

Check accessibility, noise, ventilation, space and document security.

Step 5: Consider Consolidation

If you have several low-volume desktop printers, calculate whether consolidating them into a more capable MFP would be more economical.

Step 6: Review Your MFP Features

Modern business MFPs can offer much more than printing and copying.

Features such as secure print, scan-to-email, scan-to-folder, mobile printing and cloud connectivity can help create a more efficient digital document workflow.

---

FAQ

How far should a photocopier be from employees?

There is no fixed distance that works for every office. Ideally, the MFP should be close enough for regular users to access conveniently while being far enough away from focused work areas to avoid unnecessary noise and traffic.

Should a photocopier be placed in the Accounts department?

If Accounts generates a large percentage of your company's printing, positioning the MFP nearby may make sense. However, consider whether other departments also depend heavily on the same machine.

Is it better to have one large photocopier or several small printers?

It depends on your office layout and printing requirements. A centralised MFP can simplify maintenance and consumable management, while multiple machines may make sense for larger offices or teams located far apart.

How can I protect confidential documents printed on the photocopier?

Consider placing the MFP in a controlled area and using Secure Print or user authentication so documents are only released when the authorised employee is physically at the machine.

Can changing the photocopier location really reduce costs?

Yes. Better placement can reduce unnecessary walking, improve machine utilisation, reduce bottlenecks and potentially allow businesses to consolidate underused devices.

---

Conclusion: The Right MFP Location Can Improve Your Whole Office

Your photocopier is more than a machine sitting in the corner of the office.

It is part of your company's daily document workflow.

The right location can make printing more convenient, reduce interruptions, improve document security and help your business manage printing resources more efficiently.

Before purchasing another printer or moving your existing MFP, take a step back and look at how your employees actually use their printing equipment.

At Blue Solutions, we can help businesses review their office printing requirements and recommend an MFP setup that fits their workflow, document volume and business needs.