walkway-slide-and-closed-meeting-booths-photo-anderssunebergChoosing office space will be a difficult task because there are so many optio...
Location
This should be number one on your list of things to look at before you sign any lease or contract. You want to ensure you are choosing the right location for your office. First, take a look at the neighborhood in terms of safety. Do you need to worry about any type of violence or crime? Be sure to talk with the local police station to get a feel for the area. If you or your employees feel threatened, it will not be a good place to put your office.
You should also think of location in terms of your target audience. Are you surrounded by people that need your products or services? If not, maybe this office isn’t the right place for you.
What about your employees? Is this a centralized location for them? Is there enough talent in the area for you to hire from? If it’s too long or too hard of a commute, you will not find the right talent for your office. If you do have employees that are farther away, consider using the GoMetro TV to provide real-time traffic information.
Finally, you should think about location in terms of your supply chain. Do you have easy access to roads, railways, or inland water that is necessary for you to either receive or send out products? If you require weekly deliveries, but this office is on a dead end on a small road, you may end up with deliveries that don’t get made. Put all of these into the back of your mind before deciding where to go.
Size
Another important feature is size. Is the office space big enough for what you need? Do you have room to grow? If it’s just big enough, you may want to consider something else that can grow with you. Otherwise, you’ll end up having to move out of here in the near future, and that’s not fun for any business.
Besides having enough space for people, you need to be sure you have enough space for your assets. For instance, if your company sells products, you need to have a place to house those products. If there’s not enough space, will you instead outsource your order fulfillment and logistics to a third party? Doing this can allow you to have the smaller space and still serve your customers’ needs.
Furnishing/Equipment
Depending on your company, you may need to also consider the furnishing and office equipment you need. For instance, a doctor’s office will need larger machinery that requires high voltage and plenty of space. Your company may need large printers or other machinery that’s heavy or takes up space.
You need to consider this when choosing a location. For instance, if you have a heavy printer, it may not be ideal for you to choose an office space on the 10th floor of a building. Not only will it be hard to get that machinery up there, but it could pose a weight hazard too.
Cost
The last important thing to consider is cost. Make sure you are getting a good deal.Compare office prices in the area to ensure you’re not getting hosed on price. If you’re renting, see if you can sign a longer lease for a monthly discount. Some landlords will be happy to take less monthly if it means keeping a tenant in the space for longer.
Finding the right office space is hard, but it’s not impossible. When you use these tips, you’ll have more success finding the right space for you and your company.
