Your office should reflect your company culture. The ideal office space can benefit your company’s productivity, morale and reputation. In the long run, it can affect your organization’s growth and success. That’s why, when you’re searching for a new office space, what you choose is crucial for your brand.
There are certain things to consider when choosing a new office, such as location, size, price and layout. Continue reading to learn how to choose a new office building.
1. Location and Accessibility
As the saying goes — location, location, location! This factor is the most crucial consideration regarding your company’s new office space. Choosing the right place involves several components, but it’s essential to take the accessibility of the building into account, as well.
Having an accessible location is important for any business, as it significantly contributes to success. In most developing cities, traffic and lack of parking accessibility are enormous concerns for workers.
Choose a location that is:
- Accessible to public and private transportation: When your office space is close to public and private transport, employees will have better peace of mind about getting to and from work daily. Meanwhile, clients can find your office with ease.
- Close to establishments: Having an office close to malls, shopping centers, grocery stores and coffee shops can improve employee morale while contributing to accessibility. These factors may also contribute to an improved property value.
- In a convenient part of town: Since networking is essential, you may want to be close to business leaders and potential collaborators. For instance, if you conduct most of your business in a busy city, you might want to find a location in a convenient part of town so clients can easily park or take public transportation to that spot.
- Compliant with ADA regulations: Accessibility also includes adhering to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Offices must follow ADA requirements, like being accessible to individuals with mobility devices, including wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
2. Size
When considering what to look for in a new office, always factor in size. The size of your new space should match the size of your company. You might also leave room to grow if you’re considering expansion soon, and it’s best to avoid settling for something smaller than your company requires.
Consider whether potential properties will have enough space for your business to grow. Likewise, stray from offices with too much space that you cannot afford to fill. As a general rule, allow for around 130 square feet of space per person for those who will regularly be in the office. Since business sizes vary, consider your needs before deciding.
Remember to pick a space that accommodates meeting rooms, a kitchen space and recreational areas as well. If you bring freelancers to work for your company regularly, ensure they have enough workspace. Expansive, open office spaces can boost employee productivity, so investing in something that will work well for your company in the long run is essential.
If you see expansion in your future, you might want to start with a bigger office space with a more flexible layout and design.
3. Price
While it may seem obvious, price is essential when choosing an office space. Specifically, consider the value you receive in the space for the price you’re paying. Strategize the costs effectively.
The price will also affect the net income of your business and the level of reserves it can manage. An office space with a lower price or subsidy might result in an office that just meets standards in a poor location. In contrast, if the price is inflated, the business might spend more than it can afford, plaguing the company with a higher lease and extra expenses.
Also, be sure to consider additional costs or hidden charges, such as:
- Maintenance fees
- Association dues
- Parking fees
- Moving costs
- Furniture expenses
- Utilities
- Construction
- IT setup
- Janitorial services
- Taxes
Consider whether the lease price matches the location and amenities included. Compare multiple properties to ensure you get the best deal for what you spend in your budget. A quick comparison of properties in that area can help determine if you’re getting the best value for the price.
4. Proximity to Clients and Employees
If your company works with clients and does on-the-job commuting, consider how far your office space will be from your usual customers. This applies to your current employees, as well. When considering what to look for in a new office space, ask yourself whether your clients and employees can reach your office easily without any struggle.
Your employees will keep your business going and see your visions to fruition. An office space’s location should reflect this in its convenience for employees to reach it. While many businesses have remote employees, this is an essential factor to consider if you require your employees work on-site each day.
Even if you allow employees to work remotely part of the time, it’s still practical to establish an office space that’s centrally located for meetings or group events. For instance, you might select an office building close to public transportation, like a bus stop or subway line. Keeping proximity in mind can help these employees feel valued when traveling to work for meetings and special work events.
5. Tech Infrastructure
Your company likely requires a stable internet connection and infrastructure to operate its technology. While some properties might include internet in the rent, others do not, making it pertinent that you search for providers available in that area. You’ll also want to choose a modern office with the infrastructure needed to support your technology.
A reliable, fast internet connection will ensure smooth productivity for your business. Make sure your future office space can accommodate changes in infrastructure according to your business technology needs. Ask plenty of questions about each property’s technological capabilities as you shop around for a commercial building. Ensure infrastructure for other forms of communication, as well, like telephone service and mail delivery.
6. Natural Light
If you’re looking to choose a modern office, start with natural lighting. Exposure to natural light provides employees with a healthier environment and creates a much more inviting workspace. Natural light can improve mood, boost productivity and provide employees with a healthy dose of vitamin D. Studies show natural light can also reduce seasonal depression and insomnia, which can benefit your employee health and sales.
Looking for an office building in a sunny location with large windows is useful. Interior glass offices are also excellent choices. If you’ll be adding a new roof, consider installing skylights that increase natural sunlight into your building, which can also help enhance your property’s value.
7. Welcoming Lobby Space
A welcoming lobby space can make all the difference for employees and clients. While lobbies traditionally served as entryways or waiting rooms, today, they are used as common areas that make a statement and reflect a company’s aesthetic. If you’re unsure how to choose a modern office, look for one that includes:
- Open space: Your lobby and reception area should feel warm and inviting. The room should be large enough to comfortably hold a desk, comfy seating, tables and even a coffee cart.
- Natural light: Like the rest of your building, ensure your lobby has enough natural light. Sunlight should flood the room and help put employees and clients in a better mood.
- Flexibility: Many companies have reimagined the lobby as a space for socializing, making plans and preparing for the workday. The entrance should, therefore, be large, flexible and able to contain individual workspaces and even event spaces.
- Technology infrastructure: Having Wi-Fi and enough electrical outlets is essential to make the space more work-friendly.
- Wall art: If the lobby area has some blank wall space, you can then search for art that reflects your company’s vision or the town your building resides in. For instance, you might include pictures of your city’s skyline or designs that sync with your company’s work, philosophy and aesthetic.
Since the lobby is one of the first rooms a visitor or new hire will see upon walking into a building, it will have an enormous impact on how people feel about your company. By making simple enhancements to the space, you can transform your lobby into a brand ambassador that gives a great first impression and communicates the company’s mission through design.
8. Layout and Decor
Some of the most important factors to consider before choosing a new office building include the look and feel of the space, air quality, layout and proximity to nature — like plants and natural scenery.
Office layout and decor features include:
- Centering the space: Instead of lining offices around the inside perimeter of a building, modern office designs bring everything to the center. In an interior office layout, offices are placed in the center, leveraging natural light to make the office seem more inviting and less isolating for employees.
- Colors and decor: Architecture and infrastructure are critical, though don’t forget about design and decoration. Color psychology will play an important role here. The interior design leverages color, shape and balance to inspire productivity. Earthy paint colors like blues and greens evoke a sense of calm, while light colors like warm whites can create a room free of distraction.
- Natural elements: Including natural elements like plants in your daylight office environment can dramatically increase work performance across the board.
- Wall space and lighting: You’ll also need enough wall space to hang community message boards and wall sconces for soft, warm lighting.
The look and feel of your office should reflect your company culture and communicate the value you put into your business and employees.
9. Conference Rooms
Conference rooms are also essential to consider when searching for a new office space. Today’s meeting rooms are different from those in the past as they are much more welcoming and casual. These spaces prioritize productivity, collaboration and creativity to put employees and clients at ease. As you’re shopping around, consider the following factors:
- If you’ll need one large conference room or several small meeting rooms
- How large your conference rooms will need to be
- Whether you can operate with a non-traditional meeting space
- If you’ll want glass interior walls to make the area feel more open and inviting
- If there are large windows with scenic views to help generate ideas
- Whether you need a technology-enabled space for hybrid meetings
Once you’ve decided on an office space, you’ll want to consider the correct design features. Splashes of color and decor items can enhance creativity. Paint the walls to match your brand’s signature colors and optimize bright colors like whites, blues, greens and yellows to make the room feel larger.
You might also invest in movable furniture that can accommodate better communication. Being able to move around and rearrange seating can make all the difference in your meetings. Consider lightweight furniture on rollers if you anticipate meetings transitioning into an activity or if you’re hoping to switch things up.
10. Break Rooms
Conference rooms bring collaborators together, but break rooms give employees much-needed relaxation time. While breaks are mandated by law, their importance goes beyond that. Breaks help reduce stress, boost productivity and help employees focus better and rejuvenate before returning to work.
The break room should be large enough for refrigerators, vending machines, coffee makers, water coolers, snack tables and comfortable chairs. It should also accommodate fun and recreation like ping-pong tables, TVs, video game consoles or dart boards.
And as mentioned above, your break room decor should accurately represent your workplace culture.
To reap the benefits of breaks, personalize the space. Look for an office building that would allow you to add:
- Light wall colors
- Fun wall signs and decorations
- Plants
- Warm lighting
- Employee appreciation wallboards
These items can go a long way in evoking the right mood and making your employees feel comfortable.
You might also encourage your employees to add their input about decor items to make the space feel fun and inviting. When they can contribute to the room’s design, it will help them feel that the room is genuinely theirs. Further, ask employees about items they want to see in the room, such as certain sweeteners or snacks. Just adding a few of these items can make a difference and boost productivity and morale.
We Can Help You Find the Perfect Office Space for Your Needs
As you now know, there are several things to consider when choosing a new office space. The right commercial property can empower your business to succeed. When you need some help finding a suitable building for your business, Zommick McMahon Commercial Real Estate is here to help.
Zommick McMahon offers commercial buyer and tenant representation in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. We know how to choose a modern office that will fit your needs and help you boost your company’s productivity. Our experts will gather listings, compare costs and even negotiate on your behalf as you obtain or lease a new office space. We’ll help you assess properties to find the one that will help your business thrive.
Contact our team today to get started.