Finally being able to move your business into a physical space is always exciting. At last, you’re pulling enough profit to afford the ongoing commitment of an office. Plus, you’ve got a team to fill it. Isn’t this what business dreams are made of? At least, it would be if you had enough behind you to afford anywhere half decent.
Sadly, like buying a first home, first offices are all about compromise. No business owner can stroll into a top-end high-rise office straight away. Have you seen how much those things cost? Instead, then, you face having to fill the void between what you’d love to buy, and what you can actually afford.
You’ll need to make compromises, such as size, amenities, and even location. Remember, though, that this is all just a necessary evil to get you to your forever office space. Still, it’s important to note that you aren’t the only one who will be working in this space. Your employees will also need to work here each day, and they have far less incentive to compromise than you do. Unlike you, they could get a job with a hot-shot New York company and get paid to arrive in style. If you go too far with this, then, you could soon find your team dwindling to the degree where an office isn’t necessary.
Despite your budget limitations, it’s within your power to stop that from happening. All you need to do is find ways around the following common first-office problems.
An undesirable location
Location is usually the primary indicator of expense with first offices. As we’ve mentioned, top New York locations don’t come cheap. Instead, you may find yourself with only enough money to invest in an office down a shady back alley. This is the worst hurdle you stand to come across, and it should be an instant no-go. Remember, you have a responsibility for health and safety. If your colleagues have to risk their lives to reach the office every day, you aren’t fulfilling it. If offices like these are your only options at this stage, then, consider holding fire. By turning instead to temporary furnished offices in desirable locations, you can establish yourself in a physical office while still saving large sums of your profits. That way, you stand to move straight into an office that is at least in a safe location. If you want to keep your team behind you, this may be the only way to go about things.
An office without a view
House prices soar if a property has a decent view, and office spaces aren’t all that different. An office looking out over rolling fields or bodies of water is sure to set you back more than one which faces a brick wall. Sadly for you, employee morale will soon drop if there’s nothing more interesting to look at than another building. The good news is, this doesn’t need to be as much of a deal-breaker as the point mentioned above. After all, the only benefit of a view is that it provides something interesting to look at. But, there are plenty more ways to achieve interest in an office. All you would need to do is know how to make art and decor work within the space. If you research this ahead of time, you can create a view without having to pay those extortionate prices. All you would need to do is take care of this long before your team sets foot in the space. It is amazing what type of office space you can create with a little creativity.
A trek up endless stairs
As much as walking through undesirable neighborhoods first thing is bad news, so too is facing multiple flights of stairs. No one wants to arrive in the office with gasping lungs and aching legs. Instead, we want a job where we can arrive fresh and ready to rumble. Of course, all office buildings have lifts. That’s essential for fire safety. But, an astounding amount of them doesn’t work. Before signing a lease on a high office, then, make sure to check this. If a lift is out of order, don’t take anyone’s word for it that it’ll be up and running by the time you move in. Find out, before signing that contract, whose responsibility this is. The chances are that there’s an overarching corporation responsible for the building. Find their details and hound them until you see with your own eyes that lift is working again. Only then can you ensure your team’s happiness, and only then should you sign your life savings away on a space like this.
An unclean arrival
Speaking of communal areas, you can also bet your team won’t be happy to arrive at an unclean entrance. While an outsourced cleaning company can take care of your office, you have no real control over communal areas. In cheap office spaces, though, there is a risk that these could fast get out of control. Remember; you aren’t in a posh city building right now. As such, building owners may be a little less on the ball when it comes to taking care of issues like these. Again, chasing something like this up is essential. It may even be worth finding out whether you can contract a company to keep these areas clean. If you speak to the other businesses within the office, the chances are they’ll all pitch in. Whatever you do, don’t move into an office without sparing its cleanliness a thought. At the very least, neglect here is a health hazard your employees shouldn’t need to face. If the issue continues, they’ll probably make sure they don’t have to for long.
There are many factors to take into account when setting up a home office. You not only have to think of your needs but the needs of your team. There are ways to meet your team halfway with compromises like these, and it’s well worth doing. After all, your financial woes aren’t their concern. You still need to ensure you’re taking care of their needs to the best of your abilities. That’s the only way to a happy team and ongoing working relationships.