6 Factors to Consider When Choosing an Office Space
If you have ever searched for a home, you know that settling for something subpar would have left you thoroughly dissatisfied in the long term, so you chose the best. The same goes for your workspace, a place where you and your colleagues and employees spend a significant part of the day. Being productive and bringing the best out of yourselves should not be an effort; going to work should bring you joy. And the only way to achieve all that is by choosing an office space that fulfills all those goals. That place exists, and you will find it at the crossroads of several important factors we advise you to consider.
1. Location and Convenience
Location is rightly in the first place as it is a foundation for all other important factors. From it stems:
- accessibility via public transportation
- available parking spots
- visibility
- closeness to suppliers
Choosing the right location for your office space implies thinking of your employees but also clients and suppliers and their convenience. This is why you should make sure your office space is easily accessible both from the highway or important roads and means of public transport. Sufficient (covered) parking is important as it needs to accommodate both employees and visitors.
Visibility plays a prominent role in attracting customers but also building your brand image. Customers often associate companies with buildings they occupy, and it is not a rare occurrence that buildings bear the name of the company long after they closed their doors. The strength of the brand image should not be underestimated, nor the importance of an outstanding location.
Being close to suppliers reduces delivery times and associated costs. Bear that in mind when you’re choosing an office space and analyze the distance from your most important suppliers on time.
2. Sending the right message
Finding and choosing an office space is like getting dressed. The message you are sending to the public needs to be in accordance with your business identity. It won’t serve you well to bask in a high-class office space if you run a not-for-profit organization. Leaving a good first impression on clients is vital, and in today’s economy, you might not get a second chance to repair it. Simply put, your brand image should be in harmony with your working quarters.
3. Available budget
Don’t get overly enthusiastic when viewing a downtown workspace with a panoramic view – prime locations have a prime price tag. You should be confident that you will reap the rewards of that office space before investing in it. What should you focus on first?
- A comprehensive budget
- Adequate savings put aside for unforeseen events
- Commercial relocation expenses
Before outlining a budget, you should determine which option suits your business best: renting or purchasing your office space. If your company plans to tap into its great growth potential, buying at this early stage would be premature. Renting will give you the liberty to move and expand to your needs.
Always leave sufficient funds aside, as the ongoing situation proved that playing safe does make a difference. Aside from office prices in the neighborhood, consider possible employee relocation. Some of your employees need to move closer to work, their families in tow. Only when you make these important considerations can you dedicate your time searching for the right commercial property.
And once you find the perfect space, carefully calculate the costs of commercial relocation. Hiring local movers is the next key step in ensuring everything goes as planned, as they know the area characteristics best. Aside from asking a crew from the area to help out, arrange for the specifics like the most convenient dates and duration of the move. You’d want to undergo the shortest disruption of your business operations possible.
4. Optimal space and layout
Relocation provides an excellent opportunity to business owners to start fresh and overcome any limitations they encountered in their previous workspace. This is perhaps the only factor that allows for creativity in decision-making. However, make sure to take into account:
- the number of your employees and required amount of space per employee
- the layout that ensures job satisfaction and optimal productivity
- health and safety considerations to avoid the sick building syndrome, among other things
Also, factor in the space necessary for storage, meetings, and even leisure area, and a canteen or a mess room. While employers are not obliged by law to provide full catering services, it is evident that every amenity aimed at employee satisfaction has a high return.
If the absence of space for physical storage worries you when choosing an office space, consider renting a storage unit in a nearby facility for your archives or uploading your documents to the cloud storage.
5. Proximity to competitors
Clustering with your competition may be the best or the worst decision ever, depending on the industry your business belongs to. It is evident that retail shops, as well as banks, tend to group in a small area as they serve the same group of customers. Grouping, in this case, makes it easier for all to gain access to clients but also reduces supply costs and helps with cross-marketing.
On the other hand, blindly jumping into the pool with your competitors without careful market research might spoil your efforts. Not to mention waste the invested financial resources. Choosing an attractive business center close to the labor pool and all the amenities is a good option as long as you don’t have to share it with other companies in the same niche.
6. Safety and legal requirements
Finally, ensure that all the health and safety standards are met when choosing an office space, especially when it comes to procedures related to the ongoing pandemics. Just in case, check the crime type and rates in the area and consider an insurance policy that protects your employees as well as your workplace. Also, have your lawyer check all the documents regarding the purchase or a lease before you commit. Don’t let anything spoil the great enthusiasm you’re feeling when moving into your new office.
Photo used:
https://pixabay.com/photos/staircase-window-view-architecture-1149510/