When you first set up your small business, you’re likely to take on the first suitable commercial property that arises on the market. After all, you simply want to get your business up and running and don’t have much time on your hands to spend perusing different options that you have. You’re also likely to accept the office as it comes, as you are unlikely to have the spare money available to start renovating the space or making improvements. Your priorities fall down to getting staff in and working, so that your services can be launched and you can start operating within the marketplace and making a profit. For the first year or so, you might assume that you’re going to stay in the same location for the duration of your business’ operation. After all, it’s all you and your employees know and you are comfortable in your setting. However, as time goes by, you can afford both the time and cash necessary to start making improvements to your office spaces. You are likely to start acknowledging that your initial office may no longer suit all of your needs and requirements and you may even start to notice a knock-on effect on your profits if your staff are uncomfortable or unhappy with their working environment. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry. There are plenty of things that you can do to alter the workspace that you are providing your staff with for the better. Here are just a few for you to consider!
Location
Now, there are various benefits that come hand in hand with having your office in a central location. More central locations tend to have a higher passing footfall. This results in more people being exposed to your brand, more people passing through your doors, and more profit as a result. However, another benefit of being central is that you will be in a more convenient location for your employees. They are likely to spend less time having to commute than they would if you’re in an awkward location. Various studies have found that people who have to commute longer distances and for longer periods of time feel that they have a lower quality of life. This is generally to do with the reduced amount of free time that employees with long commutes have on their hands and the stress involved in commuting – whether this includes traffic jams, roadworks, or public transport delays.This can greatly impact their work in a negative manner. When you want your employees to be positive and productive, reducing their commute can have brilliant results!
Size
While it may sound odd at first, when you are choosing an office for your employees, you should ensure that the commercial properties you are viewing are excessively big. Sure, this may sound counterproductive. After all, larger spaces cost more, so surely you’d only want to fork out for a property that has sufficient space for all of your current staff members, right? But you should be looking further ahead than the present. You need to make sure that the space you’re moving into has extra room for further expansion down the line. You don’t want to have to move offices every single time you take on new staff or a new department. However much you might try to cut corners, relocating is always going to be expensive. So moving less frequently can only be a good thing! Always opt for a little extra space. An office that is too small will cause your employees to be cramped and they will have insufficient space to work comfortably and productively.
Ergonomic Design
No matter what kind of work your staff carry out in the office – dealing with customer queries and complaints, developing new products, updating your company’s social media feeds, or arranging deliveries – they are likely to spend a whole lot of time sitting behind their desks. While this is relatively low risk when it comes to health and safety, it’s extremely important for you to bear in mind that every year thousands of workers are diagnosed with chronic conditions such as repetitive strain injury. In order to prevent this, you need to have a relatively good understanding of ergonomics. Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in the working area, and various areas have been identified as potentially hazardous to the average worker. As a result, specific furniture and equipment such as the office balance board have been developed to counteract issues. Invest in these, as not only will they keep your staff safe and sound, but they can also help to increase productivity as a result!
Lighting
When it comes to the topic of productivity, lighting doesn’t tend to be the first thing to spring to our minds. But believe it or not, lighting alone can have a profound effect on your workers’ output. Various studies have been carried out on the impact of lighting on productivity, and generally speaking results have concluded that the harsh, bright lights that are so often used in many major corporations’ office spaces invoke feelings of stress and depression, while “cool light” can actually trigger productivity and creative thinking. Luckily, natural light is a form of “cool light,” so you’re not going to have to invest in any expensive specialist lighting! Just opt for office spaces that have large windows and ensure that they aren’t blocked by blinds or curtains. If you don’t have any windows that allow natural light in, you can always consider having a skylight fitted. Not only will this modernise your office, but it’ll help to flood the space with natural light too.
As you can see, there’s a whole host of benefits that come with improving the office space that you’re providing your workers with. So, why hesitate? Start making plans to upgrade and improve in line with the advice given above. Remember that it is your responsibility as an employer to ensure that your employees are content and happy at all times. Not only is this applicable due to moral reasons, but happier employees also result in increased profits! So, it’s more than worth the investment.