Finding the Best Workspace For Your Growing Startup or Small Business
As your small business or startup grows, it’s possible that you’ll quickly outgrow your home office space (or other ad hoc office solution). This isn’t a bad problem to have, but finding the perfect office space isn’t easy.
You want an office that suits your company’s culture, a space that feels like it “fits” just right. Perhaps most importantly, you need an office lease that fits your budget. To guide your search for the best commercial space, keep these 8 office hunting tips in mind.
1. Ask, “How much space do we really need?”
This question is easy to answer with a small team who only needs desk space. Deciding on space gets trickier if your company needs extra room for manufacturing or creating or if you have a larger team to accommodate.
2. Assess how your team will get their work done
Think about the type of office environment that will lead to your employees doing their best work. Would they love an open space, individual offices or cubicles, or something else?
As an example, open offices are popular amongst many modern businesses. This can be great for teams that thrive on collaboration. But, if your team needs to focus without distractions, this type of setup may not be best.
3. Choose an office that’s central to where employees live
No one wants to deal with a long commute Monday through Friday. To the extent that it’s possible, try to find an office that everyone on your team can reach without too much hassle. This will also keep employees happy and lead to lower turnover.
4. Consider accessibility for visiting clients, too
When clients visit, they’ll appreciate an office that can be easily reached via public transportation and major highways. Even if your startup doesn’t see many visitors yet, this tip could be helpful as operations continue to grow.
5. Select an office that fits your culture
It’s equally important to find an office that fits your company’s personality. Scrappy startups may feel out of place in swank corporate office parks, and businesses with high-end clientele may want to skip the trendy warehouse district.
A space that feels comfortable to your team is more likely to attract similarly minded companies, which can be great for networking and morale.
6. Set a budget (and stick to it)
In addition to location, cost will be the next biggest concern when searching for a new office. Before the search begins, crunch the numbers to find a monthly budget that will be comfortable for the business. And don’t exceed this budget, no matter how posh the office space looks.
7. Don’t forget to negotiate
Everything is negotiable, including rent on a commercial office lease. You can negotiate for specific lease terms, free rent, maintenance, and more.
8. Consider a flexible virtual office membership
Virtual office memberships, like the type we offer here at Intelligent Office (IO), are a great option for startups and small businesses who need flexibility. Our virtual office spaces have:
- Flexible lease terms by the day, week, month, and beyond.
- Locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, available to all members.
- Budget-friendly rental terms.
- A variety of spaces, from executive office suits to meeting rooms.
