Finding the perfect office for your company is just like finding your dream house, it’s practically love at first sight. The perfect office is one that fulfills all the needs of you and your employees, and one that wows your clients. The office space that is perfect for you depends on many factors, from your budget, to your values, to what sort of image you want to project. Of course, your office space also needs to be a nice and productive environment for your employees to thrive in. To find this perfect office space, you need to ensure that it fits the criteria outlined below, and then you need to further improve it.
Choosing Your Office Space
It doesn’t matter if this is your first office space, or a new office space after your company has undergone an expansion, the criteria remains the same. The office space you choose should be able to fulfill all your needs and requirements.
- Your Budget
There are so many office space options out there that going over budget is not only reckless, it’s needless. Instead, craft out your budget for the new office space, including monthly utilities and even the new employees you might hire, to ensure that your business can continue to run fluidly. Once you have this budget, you can work on finding the perfect space for you that is either on budget or under it.
- Your Values
Every company has values that they encompass. This is the brand image that they project to the world, and your new office space should encompass these values. If you are known for luxury and for decadence, for instance, your office space needs to suit that. Similarly, if you are an environmentally friendly company that produces energy solutions, you should find an office that has a low carbon footprint.
- Where Your Employees Are
This criteria isn’t just about where your current employees are located, but where your future employees are located. The best and most talented employees are typically located in big cities or within a commutable distance, since that is where the work is. To have access to these employees, you need to be accessible to them. Most people won’t want to move for a job unless they have a guaranteed position, hence why they typically live close to where their options are.
- Where Your Clients Are
Similarly, you should also be accessible to your clients. This could mean having smaller offices around the country so that you can cater to your demographic, while having a larger central office to handle the processes in the city. Or it could mean having your office on a main street or downtown, where upper class clients are. Know your clients and ensure that they can easily locate and communicate with you.
- Prestige
Of course, there is always the matter of prestige. Your office space says a lot about your company – where it is, what it looks like, and of course how long you’ve been there will say a lot to your competitors, business partners, clients, and employees alike. That is why you should aim to find an office space that looks great and works great, but you should always remember to stay within your budget. The less you spend on high quality office space, after all, the more income you can turn to profit.
Making it Perfect
Once you find your perfect office space, it’s time to perfect it. This means improving both the physical space and the work environment for a better workplace.
- Decorating
You need to decorate your office. You need to do this regardless of whether clients come through or not, because your employees are just as important. You want your office space to be bright, well-lit, and you want it to be a pleasant environment to be in. If it isn’t nicely decorated and comfortable, then your employees won’t enjoy being there, reducing their productivity and even encouraging them to quit. To keep your best and most loyal employees, make sure that their work environment is a great one.
Another tip when you first move in is to have a comfortable and relaxing break room. Break rooms are a great place for your employees to take a few minutes to refuel and return to work more productive than before. It’s also how you can encourage your employees to bring in food from home, saving them money and ensuring that they are healthier.
- Anti-Harassment Policies
Just as you should improve the physical space for the benefit of your employees, you should also outline clear anti-harassment policies. You don’t want interpersonal relations to impact someone’s work ethic. Instead, you want your employees to work together as a team. That is why you should not condone any sexual, verbal, or physical harassment of any kind.
Your employees should have a private and safe means to communicate their distress to either you or your HR Department, who will then proceed with a series of steps as outlined and agreed by all your employees. Make sure that everything is clear and understood, including what kind of behavior is not to be condoned, and have them sign off on it.
- Reward Policies
Similarly, you also want to outline clear reward policies if you want your employees to work harder. No one wants to work at a dead-end job, so instead create a system that will ensure promotion and further advancement. This means having milestones that each employee can work towards. You won’t be able to promote everyone, but you can at least offer bonuses and raises when they reach the milestones outlined.
Your office space is more than the physical building – it is the environment that you, your employees, and your clients conduct themselves in. Everything is important, from the building, to the space, to the decorations, to even the policies you have in place when it comes to your office. The better the environment, the more productive, happy, and dedicated your employees will be towards your further success.
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