If you’re taking your business to the next level, you’ll be on the lookout for a chic, modern office space that can keep pace with your growing company.
You want the office to be a place that can impress future clients with your company office’s grand architectural style accompanied by spectacular views of the city. However, don’t forget about the opportunities for your employees a new office space can bring.
To help you find the ultimate office space for your new business, we’ve put together a list of four essentials we think are necessary for any new office space you might be considering while moving your business.
1. Health and Safety Facilities
Regardless of their position in the company, the health of each of your employees should be paramount. That’s why you should always check the health and safety facilities available in any prospective office to ensure your employees have the resources needed in a health emergency.
If there’s an emergency, is there anyone first aid-trained on-site who can assist? Is there a defibrillator on-site in the event of a serious heart condition? You should purchase a defibrillator for your office if there is not one to hand, as it could save an employee’s life.
2. Expansive Cycle Parking
Once upon a time, the best city offices were the ones that had on-site car parking for all the employees. However, today, in our environmentally-conscious world, the best offices are the ones that allow those who wish to cycle to work a space to store their bike.
Even better, check if your office has an on-site cycle repair site, allowing employees to address any problems with their commute right at the office — for example, if they experienced a puncture on their way there. Or check if it’s possible to offer a cycle-to-work scheme to incentivise employees to keep fit on their way to work.
3. Serious Collaboration Spaces
Many businesses have discovered that it’s possible to do much of the work from home. So what’s the point of coming to the office if you’re going to do the same work in a not dissimilar working environment?
If you’re going to have an office, make sure it exploits many of the advantages of working together rather than working from home. Check that there are plenty of collaboration spaces that allow colleagues not only to mingle, socialise, meet but also learn from each other and share ideas. The best business development often happens in these circumstances.
4. Nutrition Stations
Employees will have little incentive to come to the office if all they can eat or drink while they’re there is a piece of toast or a cup of bland instant coffee.
If you’re choosing an office, make sure it’s one where employees have a strong incentive to come into the physical location. Employees should expect good quality coffee, a wide range of fresh fruit and nutritious snacks, and perhaps even hot meals on offer in the workplace, so they can work late on occasions without going hungry.
Make It a Place People Can’t Wait To Go
In summary, we think the best offices are the ones which are safe, which employees can cycle to, which they can collaborate in and which they can enjoy a nutritious meal while at work.
Remember the “can’t wait” test: if you think your employees can’t wait to come to the office, you’ve chosen the right place. But if they can’t wait to leave, you may have to reconsider.
