Choosing the right office space for your business can be a make or break factor in your long-term success. Remember that your office is effectively your business’s home, make the right choice and your business will be able to operate comfortably for many years. Get it wrong and you might not achieve your potential.
There are lots of things to consider when choosing an office, some of which you might not have thought about. Here are a few steps to making the right choice:
Location
You will obviously want to pick a location that is convenient for you, but consider your staff too, if you already have any. Moving to a location that makes commuting less convenient could cause you to lose crucial members of staff.
Also think about the area that you are moving to. Cheaper areas are great for fledgling businesses, but if an area is very cheap there might be a reason. Putting your office in an area where your staff don’t feel safe can be very bad for your business.
Consider transport links and the route from the office to those links. Places within a short walk of the train station can be helpful if you have any members of staff who use public transport.
Security
The level of security you require will depend a lot on what you keep in your office. If all of your employees take their laptops home in the evening and your office is left empty then your security concerns are less than if you keep a lot of expensive equipment.
Remember that a secure office in a good area will be cheaper to insure and will also feel safer to work in. These upsides can make the extra cost worthwhile.
Staff
Perhaps the most important consideration is your staff, how many you have (or plan to have) and how they need to interact with one another. Remember that keeping your staff happy and comfortable is essential to getting the most out of them.
Consider whether the office environment will be comfortable in different months. Plush offices with air conditioning and heating will provide a nicer working environment that may be worth the extra cost.
A reliable air conditioning system shouldn’t be too expensive to run (whereas an old, poorly serviced one might be) but will ensure that your staff aren’t shivering during January and Sweltering during August.
Also consider the layout of the office and where you will position your staff. Some businesses are better suited to open plan offices so that every employee can communicate freely, but as your business grows this could become noisy, so having separate rooms or at least dividers might be preferable.
Costs
Finally of course you will want to consider your running costs. Cost shouldn’t be your main concern, but that doesn’t mean they are not important. You should consider not only the rent and rates, but also the running costs:
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How much will it cost to heat?
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What about keeping it cool?
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What will the electricity cost?
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What about insurance?
Paying extra for a modern or refurbished office can save you on bills, particularly if the building is more energy efficient. Modern offices will likely also be nicer to work in of course, which is good for morale.
Remember to check how often the offices are serviced and whether you will be responsible for servicing in the future or whether maintenance is covered in the rent. Being aware of these costs in advance will save you from any nasty surprises.
About The Author This post was written by George from Andrew’s Air Conditioning, who provide repair and maintenance services for every type of office air con system. Thanks for reading!
