Finding an office space is at least as complicated as finding a home. It’s a large investment, and you want to be able to see yourself thriving in that environment for the long haul. As with a mortgage or a real estate rental agreement, it’s difficult to get out of a lease when you find out your location won’t work for you. You have a few things to think about when planning the future of your business – and your environment should be near the top of that list.
- Consider The Kind of Business You Run
The kind of business you run largely affects the floorplan you should select. If you plan on having a large number of customers or clients visit you at your office, the location you ultimately select should be able to accommodate this influx of traffic. A large, open floorplan might be great, but it could be hard for your employees to work with these individuals if they don’t have a quiet place to do so.
- Think About Your Projected Growth
Imagine that you are looking for a dental practice for sale Virginia and you have ten employees who need offices, and you’ve found an office space with ten separate rooms. Great! Now what happens when you need eleven? When you’ve run out of space to put people, an office that’s too small can put your growth in a stranglehold. Your office space should not only be large enough to hold the number of employees you currently have, but also the employees you think you may need to hire over the next few years.
- How Are People Going to Find You?
You’ve found a great office for a great price. If it’s located in the middle of nowhere, how many people are going to find you? There are tons of reasons why people will need to visit your offices, and your employees will need to commute there on a daily basis. Placing your office out in isolation will only make you more difficult to find, and you won’t do very well if you’re essentially off the map.
- Think About Company Culture
How do you want your employees to interact? Do you need a lot of people to do different tasks in designated areas, or do you want a lot of active cooperation? How will people get together for team building exercises? What kind of balance between privacy and community do you want to create? To some extent, the right furnishings can help create that environment, but you may be limited by the layout of the building you select. Before you sign a lease, make sure you understand how everyone will achieve your vision in unison in the space you’re considering.
- Shop Around and Compare
Office space can cost a lot, and you need to make sure the deal you’re getting is fair. While you’re browsing Gumtree, investigate as many potential spaces as possible. Look at similar properties, and see how much the going rate is for the area. If the rent or sale price is unreasonably high, you don’t want to find out after it’s already too late.
- A Lease Can Always be Negotiated
If you’ve found a seemingly perfect location but the lease seems to be working against you, you may be able to negotiate. Terms might seem to be unfair, especially when it comes to issues like maintenance and insurance. Have your lawyer review a lease and see if there’s any room for meaningful changes that would balance the terms and increase your level of comfort before keys exchange hands.
When it comes to your office space, you should never feel as though you’re settling. It’s worth leaving no stone unturned in the quest to find an environment that will allow your business to achieve its fullest potential. A combination of thorough searching and smart shopping will help you find the office space you’ve always dreamed of.
