Moving office is an exciting and stressful time for any business. Ideally you want a new space which promotes growth and productivity as well as morale for your staff. But how do you meet these requirements? We’ve put together a list of important things to consider when choosing new office space for your business.
Location
We all know that location is one of the most important things when considering any property, whether it’s a home or an office.
The two most important questions you should be asking yourself are:
- Can my staff get there easily?
- Can my clients/customers get there easily?
If you own a shop or a business that relies on some passing traffic, the second question is even more important to ensure a steady flow of customers. The location of your new office could have a direct effect on your profits and customer numbers.
Transport links
What are the public transport links like in the area? Not everyone drives so this is an important consideration. If the place is difficult to get to this could harm your recruitment efforts as well as discourage clients from visiting you.
Local amenities
Besides transport links, another thing to consider is what the amenities are like in the surrounding area. If you’re in a place with minimal shops or food options for lunch, it may make things difficult, especially for those who don’t have their own transport to go out.
Employees will also thank you if you choose an office close to things like banks, supermarkets, doctors and dentists to make personal errands easier.
Cost
Some business owners see that they’ve had good couple of months and rush off to spend all their profit on shiny new stuff like new equipment and office space.
It’s understandable and great to invest more in the business. However, what if sales start to slow? What if your quiet period goes on a month longer than usual? Could you still afford this office space in worse circumstances than you’re in now? Don’t rely on a consistent upward trend and always plan for the worst.
Other things to consider are hidden costs such as maintenance or parking costs. Try to shop around and get an idea of prices in the area to compare so you’re not getting stung with a bad deal.
Space
It’s generally recommended to have 70 square feet per person, although this may depend on what type of business you have.
When considering the size of the office, don’t just imagine how many desks you can get in, measure everything (twice) to ensure it’s big enough. For growing businesses, you’ll need to accommodate a growing workforce too and will therefore need space you can grow into.
Think about storage space too. If you work with a lot of paperwork and are growing, you’re going to need to make sure you’ve got enough space to store this now and in the future.
Ideally you’ll also have separate space for meetings and for lunch breaks so consider these when viewing new offices.
Style
While location, cost and space will be the most important things to consider, the look and style of an office could be important too.
Some businesses, particularly new tech companies looking to make an impression with their brand could benefit from modern, stylish offices. Think Google or Apple offices – these types of spaces help the brand and image of the company to appear more current, fresh and appealing. Space that is fun and refreshing can also be a great recruitment tool.
Are you looking for new office space? What’s the most important thing you’re considering? Please share your thoughts below.