If you are scouting out a location for your office then you need to know that you shouldn’t just be looking out for what looks good aesthetically. There should also be other swaying factors in your decision as well, such as having enough room for all of your staff to work as well as having enough equipment for everyone. If you want some help choosing the right office location, then you will find out everything you could ever need to know in this guide.
Do you Want a Lease or a Co-Working Space?
Office leases tend to be much more expensive and they do tie you in for longer in general. That being said, they do give you much more freedom in what you want to do with your space. You can personalise the space with your own branding if you want, and this can give your team a huge boost to their morale. This is especially the case if you work in a traditional sector, such as finance. At the end of the day, co-working spaces tend to be much better if you have fewer staff members working with you and if you have some growth potential. Co-working spaces are also better if you don’t need the space for a long period of time. Being in a co-working space will strip you away from any responsibilities too, including having to replace the toilet roll or even coffee. Co-working can also promote worker well-being too, so this is very important for you to keep in mind. Of course, the price of co-working or an office space for lease will vary but ultimately a lot of it comes down to your local area and the average price overall.
Hidden Costs
When you set out all of your moving budgets, you have to account for things such as stamp duty, the cost of hiring a solicitor and even buying agent fees too. Sure, the rent will make up the bulk of your budget but at the end of the day, there are other things that can easily add up and make your costs more than you can probably afford. It’s a good idea for you to learn what the business rates are for the buildings you have and what you’re interested in. Remember that you also need to factor in running costs and also cleaning costs if possible. It’s important for you to factor in fees for things like disposal if you need to get rid of some equipment for any reason at all. If you can read through your lease before you sign up, then this will help you to be more aware of the costs that you need to cover and what your landlord will be paying for.
Fitting with your Brand Image
Your office location is essentially an extension of your brand image. If you are a very slick start-up, then people probably won’t respond to you very well if you have a rundown office that is in dire need of repair. If you are a not-for-profit organisation on the other hand, then you may find that this image works better for you. You probably won’t want a high-tech office, as it may send the wrong message. You need to make sure that your office fits in with your brand image where possible, as this will really work in your favour overall.
Legal Considerations
It’s so important that you read up on any legal implications that may well come with moving offices as they have probably changed quite a lot since you moved last time. Your new office has to meet various health requirements and you also need to take into account fire protection as well. When you are moving offices, you have to make sure that you don’t forget about handling data so that it’s in line with all of the regulations that are present. This isn’t a legal consideration at all, but it’s important that you check out the crime rate figures. This will give you a good idea as to how safe your area is and it may even determine the insurance that you pay. Insurance policies tend to be higher in areas that have a high crime rate, so you have to keep this in mind if possible.
Of course, if you don’t take the above into account then you may find that you end up not being able to experience as much success with your business and that you end up paying way more as well. Luckily, all of this can be avoided.