Setting up a startup by yourself is never easy, but you know that - after all those long nights spent forming a winning business plan. As your business grows, so will the size of your team. From interviewing prospective employees to finding an office space that can accommodate everyone, there will only ever be more decisions to make - but isn’t that the beauty of being in charge?
Life’s stressful, especially when you run a business - so we thought we’d make things a little easier when it comes to finding your first office. Today’s post by Action Storage looks at 5 of the top things to consider when picking an office - so you can be confident in selecting a space that’s suitable for the birth of your business.
As the saying goes, a tidy workplace equals a tidy mind, and that means ensuring that staff have their own individual workspaces to maximize productivity across the team. From delegating a desk and locker to each team member, to designating a section of the office for lunch breaks, making sure your office will cater to your employees’ everyday needs is the secret for a flourishing business, and a happy and hard-working team.
Studies show that color psychology can have a significant effect on productivity levels, so make sure that you pay attention to the interior design when touring a potential office space. A sense of spaciousness is crucial for maintaining productivity and creativity in office environments, so for smaller-sized startups, choose a room which lets in plenty of natural light - as well as opting for paler color schemes which will reflect light around the room.
Okay, so the quality and value of a product or service will always be key, but there’s no doubt that it’s the branding which can make or break a business - and your team is the brand’s very own ambassadors. So whether you’re shouting about brand values from the rooftops (read: office notice board) or using interior design to create a relaxed environment which reflects the contemporary style of your brand, immersing your staff in the brand from the offset means that you can be confident that your team is conveying the right marketing messages in their work.
Yeah, you read that right. When it comes to an office, size does matter. A positive outlook is vital for a budding startup, but overestimating the required office space could mean that you end up throwing away any hard-earned profits - when they could be reinvested into the business itself. A mid-sized office will serve as a firm foundation, providing ample space to bring the team together as well as giving your business the room to grow over time - until you’re ready to up-the-stakes to a larger-scale office that is.
Impressing clients with iconic views and state-of-the-art technology might seem appealing, and it’s not hard to see why, but there’s no underestimating the importance of thinking on the smaller-scale for a startup which is still finding its feet. Office price tags will soar in the most desirable zip codes, so consider whether the location is the most important aspect when finding the right space for your startup.
Managing overheads doesn’t just mean the rental costs either - many offices will require additional utility and maintenance costs, not to mention parking! Figure out a budget before you start your search, and make sure that you factor in all of these overheads before signing on the dotted line. Having to be realistic might take the shine off the excitement of starting out, but you’ll thank us later when your business is making the big bucks.
Finding the perfect startup office may not be easy, but that’s not to say that it’s impossible. You’ve started from scratch and are well on your way to business success - so now that you’re an expert in all the things to look for when relocating, it’s time to start the search for your new office.
How did you find the perfect workspace for you and your team? Tell us in the comments below!
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