Signs it might be time for bigger office space

Your business is growing. You’ve increased revenue and sales are up. – But is the size of your office limiting your ability to expand operations further?

Clever office layouts and a few space saving tricks can get you so far, but if you notice too many ‘space-saving-solutions’ piling up, you may be inadvertently detracting from the productivity of your staff each time you compromise just that little bit more on space. 

“Productivity is directly linked to the happiness of employees” – Find out more with our ‘Making Employees Happy with Office Space’ guide.

Signs it might be time

Signs it might be time for bigger office space could be all around you; disguised in everyday norms that the business has grown accustomed to. It might be very easy to overlook any or a combination of these signs, but if you can see a pattern of these common occurrences, they might be indicators that it’s time to move.

Noticing the signs:

• Small Personal Workspace (lack of space for personal items): Has your own personal workspace been encroached upon? Do colleagues and team members have enough personal space?
• Small Storage Space (i.e. for filing and storing supplies): are your cabinets bursting or is stuff piling up on shelves and desks?
• Doubling up on meeting/conference rooms: Does someone have to disrupt their work or physically move in order to hold a meeting? Are you sharing meeting space? Are you struggling to find availability to get a meeting in the diary?
• Squeezing in new starters in less than ideal places i.e. ends of tables: Did you play desk Tetris to fit in your last new starter?
• No, or reduced space common areas for employees to relax and chat: How many staff are eating at desks? This is often a sign there’s either no lunch or break room or it’s too small to fit many employees. Are staff forced to mill around desks during or as their breaks? This is often a sign there’s no space to take this disruptive chatter.
• Stuffy atmosphere? Cramped conditions can often lead to this – if you’re considering a breathing allowance for your staff, you’ve probably got a few too many people in the room!
• Inability to host events or client meetings: Is the business regularly forced to forgo meetings or events, or outsource space to host your activities?
• Lack of wall space for awards and imagery: This sign might be easy to overlook but creating office identity and displaying your business accolades can influence the atmosphere of your office and effect the impression a client might have of your business.

Still not sure of these indicators? Here are a few office space guidelines that might help put your office space in perspective.

Office Space Guidelines:

• Small Meeting Room (2-4 people) – 100 sq.ft.
• Large Meeting Room (4-8 people) – 150 sq.ft.
• Board Room (15 – 20 people) – 220 sq.ft.
• Training/Conference Room (20 – 30 person) – 300 sq.ft.
• Kitchenette – 100 sq.ft.
• Small Server Room (1 server rack) – 40 sq.ft.
• Large Server Room (4 server racks) – 120 sq.ft.
• Manager’s Office – 100 sq.ft.
• Senior Manager’s Office (with small meeting table) – 200 sq.ft.
• Director’s Office (with four persons meeting table) – 250 sq.ft.

*credit to hubblehq.com for these figures

These guidelines are only suggestions, and clever space saving solutions can often help you to be more efficient and make the most of what you have. However, if you’re noticing too many signs of over-space-saving or space deficit, now might be the time to look for larger offices and make space for a bigger business. It’s important to also remember that office space that is too large could lack the level of intimacy and links between your staff that might be needed in your team. This just highlights that while looking for new offices, you need to find the space that’s right for you and your budget.

Finding the right office space

So, you know you need to find a new, larger office with room for your business to grow. But where do you start.

Location, Location, Location

Location is not only important for your business being accessible to clients and potential customers:

• It’s essential in getting the correct staff. Easy transport links to London, shops and schools all are major factors in getting to recruit the best people and maintaining the employees you already have.
• Surroundings also contribute to a pleasant and effective environment for your operations, staff and clients. Did you know that natural surroundings can help to increase productivity by as much as 15%?

If commuting, travel and surroundings are important to your staff you need to take these into consideration, when thinking about location.

Facilities

Whether it’s air-con, an on-site café, parking, green spaces or high-speed internet that your office space needs, excellent facilities provide a welcoming and comfortable experience for your staff, colleagues and clients. However, it’s important to note that these facilities also need to be capable of accommodating as your company grows. If you’re looking to make a commitment on your workspace, you need to think ahead and ensure the office space you’re looking at is future-proofed.

Not only will these facilities improve the experience and long-term happiness of your staff, they will also help to improve productivity. Our in-depth guide is available to help you learn more about how you can create a happy and productive workspace.

Transport links

If people can’t drive or are unable to drive, it’s important to make sure there’s arrangements made. Public transport; be it trains or buses, and easy links to major roads and towns could influence a customer’s decision to visit, a potential new employee to accept a position on your staff, or a client to take up your services.

Style/Aesthetic

As your office is the going to be a large part of how people and potential clients perceive your business, it’s important that it reflects your branding, style and ethos. For example, if your business requires a lot of teamwork and coordination between teams, an open planned style office would make sense. Or, if you’re a young web-design start-up you may want to portray your expertise by reflecting your design quality and style in your office. And, if you are a business that is proud of and strongly driven by your heritage, it might be important to you to showcase your journey around the office.

Everyone’s tastes, needs and aesthetic are different, so whether it’s finding a space that’s perfect for you or amending a space to fit within your brand; it’s important to get it right. 

At Tanshire Business Park we’re easily accessible with idyllic natural surroundings and offer a wide range of offices of all shapes and sizes. If you would like to learn more about the host of modern and convenient facilities available (as mentioned above) or to book a viewing please get in touch today.