What makes a perfect office varies depending on your business, but it is a fact that finding the right space is the key to ensuring your company has the best chance at success and your employees are happy and productive.
This could be a traditional office, one designed for flexibility, a site with the capacity to support remote workers or a mix of all three. Whatever you decide, there are certain factors that you have to think about from the start and make sure you get right.
These include the type of lease, the location, what facilities you need, the layout and more. Read on for our tips on how to find the right office space for your business.
Traditional or flexible lease?
The first decision to make is what kind of lease you want as this will inform your choice of office. A traditional, long-term office lease will tie you into a space for a longer period of time and can be more expensive, making them a potential risk.
However, if you are sure that it is the right space in the right place, and that it will suit your company for a long time to come, a lease like this can give you more freedom to grow and the ability to do so in a planned fashion. It can offer certainty as you will know you have secured offices for your business into the future.
More flexible spaces have grown in popularity since the Covid-19 pandemic. The rise of working from home and hybrid solutions have changed the working patterns of millions of people – and have also changed the offices that businesses need as a side effect.
If you have fewer members of staff in the office now, you may not need as much space anymore and a traditional, long-term lease might see you paying a surplus for no reason. You may not need the same number of meeting rooms anymore, and those you do need will have to be equipped with telecommunications amenities to enable online meetings.
Does that sound like your business? A flexible office lease might be just what you need. As well as giving you the right amount of space for your current needs, you can also expand in a piecemeal fashion as your headcount grows in the future rather than having to guess what space you need and paying for it up front.
If you go the flexible route, there are many options including co-working spaces and serviced offices, both of which have their upsides and downsides. Want to find a space to fit your ambitions? Click here to see our available offices today.
Getting the right environment
As noted above, many people are spending less time in the office than ever before. That means that to attract the best employees, your office must add something to their work and life which they cannot get at home.
Flexibility, sustainability, health and wellbeing are among the most important aspects on offer. It pays to keep employees happy by making your office more than just somewhere to sit all day.
This can mean a whole range of things including making sure people have enough space, choosing an office with plenty of natural light, providing breakout and relaxation spaces, and much more. High end furniture, decoration and interior finishes are also sought after, as are additional facilities which promote a healthy lifestyle such as an on-site gymnasium and secure bicycle storage.
Offices which take this into account and provide a space people want to be in are seeing the highest demand from businesses. Learn more about why getting the office environment spot on is so important by clicking here.
Getting the right location
Location has always played a major role in attracting the best employees to your business. Before the pandemic, central business zones and other glamourous addresses were at the top of the list for many companies and staff.
However, what people want from work is changing fast, and what many see as an ideal location is changing with it.
With hybrid work more popular than ever before, a key consideration should be getting an office which cuts down people’s commute as far as possible. Many employees are no long willing to accept a long commute for work having experienced what life is like without any commute at all – if you want to get the best employees in the office you need to cut this commute down, and the best way to do that is to get an office in the right place.
This means that sites close to great transport links like train stations are now extremely desirable. Sites found on the outskirts of a major town or city rather than right in the centre are also becoming increasingly popular for the same reason.
Local amenities like shops, bars and restaurants help, as do places which have easy access to green space and cultural sites. Overall, it is about considering the work/life balance of your employees. If you can get that right by choosing an office with great transport links, you will be setting your business up for success.
Thinking about moving to a new office and want to make sure it is right for your business? Get in touch with our team today to find out more about our available spaces by clicking here.