Essentials When You Build Your Office

business organisation Mar 08, 2016

At some point or another, every business owner needs to design their workplace. This can be a formative and challenging process for anybody, let alone anyone who is new in the world of business. There are lots of different aspects to consider when it comes to planning out an office. It is, unfortunately, all too easy to forget or disregard one or two things which are essential to the process. If you are starting to wonder about what you need to consider for your new office, then read on. Let’s go through some of the basics which you need to take on board in order to successfully plan your new workplace.

Design

Any office needs a design which suits the business. The way the office looks should act, at least in part, as a mirror to the values of the company. There are also certain matters of taste which need to be taken into consideration when you are thinking about the look of the office. Generally, it is a good idea to keep the colour scheme light and open. This has been proven to improve the mood of the staff working within the office’s walls. And a positive atmosphere makes for a productive workforce, so you know it’s worth your while.

Are you wanting open plan or will your clients be worried about having meetings with you where everyone can hear the conversation (I am sure most people in Australia can remember when the big name banks thought it would be a good move to have open plan meeting rooms, they didn’t last long because customers did not feel comfortable discussing personal banking matters out in the open where everyone can hear.)

Accessibility – is your office accessible by all?

Safety

Safety is of primary concern when you are designing any office space. This is not only a matter of legal obligation, but also a moral one. As the owner of the business, you need to do everything in your power to make the workspace as safe as you possibly can. There can seem to be almost no end to the amount of details which need to be taken into consideration. For example, are the windows locked securely, and yet able to open if necessary? Is the space designed in such a way that you can safely place a fire extinguisherwhere needed? Are rest rooms easy to access or are clients having to walk through the whole office to get access to one? It is important to consider these details early on, during the design process. Otherwise you might find that it is too late. The last thing you want is to have to redesign the entire office at the last moment.

Cost

In order to run a viable business, you need to always have one eye on your expenses. For that reason, designing an office can be a difficult project, as it can be hard to keep on top of all the finances. The main thing to bear in mind here is to keep a diligent log of how much everything is likely to cost. It is at this stage that research is of paramount importance. You should ensure that you and your team research the cost of every part of the office, right down to the smallest detail. That way you won’t get any nasty surprises further down the line. When negotiating your lease if renting discuss fit out with landlord, some landlords are happy to assist with fitouts if it will increase their ability to rent the building out in the future.

Location

Finally, the old saying for residential property also applies to your office. Too many business owners forget about the importance of location when it comes to the new office. On a basic level, you need to ensure that your staff are able to easily get to work. Another thing to consider is the nearby public transport.

Consider what is the main purpose of your new office? Is it a central work location? Is it to have client meetings and be a store front for prospective clients? Where are your clients / prospective clients based? Do you need an office outside of your home? Or could you save costs by setting up a home office for your business?

As with every other aspect of the process, the devil is in the detail.