Four questions you need to ask before moving into your first office
Looking for your first office space? Here are four questions you need to ask before signing a lease.
Just like buying or renting your first house, the lead-up to moving into your first office is an exciting time. But it is also stressful, as there’s so much to organise.
You need to find not just the perfect office space but, especially if you have (or plan to have) employees, the right location.
Four questions you need to ask before moving into your first office
So, to help in your decision making, here are four questions you need to ask when choosing your first office.
1) Is there easy parking?
The ease with which employees and visitors can get to your office has a big impact on your business’s productivity and efficiency – and your ability to attract and retain the right talent.
Ideally your new office space will be convenient to reach by public transport, and easily accessible by car. And that means you need to consider parking.
If your new office building doesn’t have its own designated parking spaces or car park, check whether there’s parking nearby. It will take away some of the stress of commuting to work, and make it easier to attract new employees.
2) Does it allow space to grow?
There’s no shame in starting out in a modest office. Many of today’s leading companies started out in garages or in tiny offices above shops. But at some point you may need to expand. And if you do, can you do so in the office space you choose initially?
Of course, if you continue expanding you’ll need to look for new premises. But moving office is a time consuming and expensive process, so you only want to do it when you really need to.
So, when choosing your first office, make sure it will see you through at least your first two years. For example, can it take one or two extra desks? Or allow for any extra storage needs?
This way you won’t find yourself needing to start your whole office hunt all over again in six-month’s time when you’ve expanded.
3) Is it safe?
If your employees (and you!) are parking your cars nearby, can you be confident they’ll still be there when you leave work at night? And how safe will you feel walking to and from your cars, or public transport, on dark winter evenings?
And what about your office itself? Will it be reasonably safe from break-ins? What’s the security like? Is there adequate lighting? Secure windows and doors? CCTV? Alarm? Or even a security team monitoring the building or area? And if there isn’t existing security in place, do you need to add your own?
4) Are there local amenities?
Locating your business in the middle of nowhere might be good for your balance sheet, as rents are usually cheaper, but it’s not so wonderful for staff morale.
Yes parking will be easier, but there’ll be fewer public transport options for employees who don’t drive, or don’t want to. And what will people do at lunchtime? Where can they buy food from? What local shops can they walk to or around? Is there a local park? And how many cafes or pubs are close by?
Having local shops and eateries to visit isn’t just convenient, but it helps to build an important sense of community, and increases opportunities for your team to bond together, during or after the work day.
Elite Partitions & Interiors is an office fitout company with over 35 years specialist experience in office refurbishments and office and glass partitions.
Photo by Kyle Glenn
