Leveling Up - How To Choose Your First Office

So, your hobby became your side-hustle, which became your work from home business.  Now, you’ve outgrown the spare bedroom and need to look at getting a space to make your business dreams a reality.  

Finding your first office is very exciting and it can be easy to get carried away and then find yourself in an expensive, unsuitable space.  

There are many reasons other than a lack of space that might make you want to move to another office.  You might be too far away from clients or find working at home isolating.  Maybe you have kids and can’t focus on your work when you need to.  

Whatever the reason. When it comes to finding that perfect space, keep the following things in mind. 

Assess your current space

Working from home certainly has its advantages.  It’s cheap, there’s no commute, and it gives you the ultimate flexibility in your working life.  

Depending on why you need to change locations, then you could look at adapting your existing property.  If it is just a matter of space and you own your own home, a remodel, or even a garden office with dedicated telephone systems and IT could give you the creative space you need to be able to switch off from other distractions in your home.  

This might be the most expensive option in the short term but will quickly recoup its costs in the savings you make in other areas.  It may also add value to your property if you ever sell it.  

Co-Working Spaces

Some people thrive working from home but it can be very isolating.  That’s where co-working spaces can be a great idea.  A co-working space is a place where you can rent a desk for a period of time and they will provide internet, refreshments, and other little extras.  Depending on the location you choose, you can pay on an ad-hoc basis or have a rolling contract where you work there a day or two per week.  

Not only will you be getting that much needed social and professional stimulation, but it’s also great to have a change of scenery every now and then.  Chances are, you’ll be working next to people in the same situation as you and you’ll make professional contacts and even friends in your new co-working environment.  

Incubator Spaces

Leasing your own space can be costly and bring with it a lot of time-consuming admin.  This is where incubator spaces (or serviced offices) come in handy.  You select the size of the office you need and pay for this only.  The management company takes care of everything else such as reception services, meeting rooms, internet connection, and facilities management.  

This is a good option if you need a particular location and are thinking about hiring.  The terms are often very good, allowing you to be flexible. When choosing your location and building, try, and find somewhere that will let you expand the amount of space you need as you continue to grow.  

Do You Really Need An Office?

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Thinking of renting out office space? Before you sign that lease contract, it could be worth taking a moment to consider whether you really need an office.

Renting out an office is a big expense. On top of the cost of rent, there are other big expenses to factor in such as utility costs, maintenance costs, office furniture, and property insurance.

By going office-less you can save money on all of these costs. This is one of the biggest reasons why many companies are going without office space.

But just how do you run a successful business without an office? Below are just some of the ways in which you can ditch office space and still run a thriving business.

Avoiding home distractions

Working from home can have its distractions. It’s one of the big reasons as to why people rent office space – it helps them to get away from the disruptions of home life.

However, you can still reduce distractions without having to rent an office. Designating a separate room in your home as a home office can help you to get in the zone. If you’re working in the living room, it’s much easier to get distracted by the TV. Create a room that doesn’t have any of these distractions so that you’re focused on work.

Of course, not everyone has the space in their home for a separate home office. If you find that you’re getting prone to distractions, you could try working out of the house in a coffee bar or a library. There are also co-working spaces in which you can rent a desk – much cheaper than renting an office and it still gets you out of the house.

Technology has made it much easier to work on the go. Many modern laptops and tablets are almost as powerful as PCs. It’s even possible to run a business from a smartphone – with the right array of apps and a limitless data plan from a company like SMARTY, you can do office admin on your phone from any location. Buying a portable charger is also recommended so that you’ve always got somewhere to charge your devices if there isn’t a free plug socket.

Hiring employees

Without an office, where will your employees work? In days gone by, it would have been impossible to run a business with over 900 employees without an office – and yet some companies have achieved this. This is because it’s now possible to hire a virtual workforce. This involves allowing employees to work from home and handling all communication online.

There are many benefits to hiring a virtual workforce. First, you’re not limited to hiring locally and can hire workers from all around the world, allowing you to access the best talent out there. Studies have also shown that remote employees are often more productive – they take less sick days and aren’t distracted by colleagues. Remote employees are also happier on average due to a better work-life balance and no time/money wasted commuting.

Hiring a remote workforce does have its hurdles. You need to be able to find the best form of communication so that when problems arise you can solve them quickly. Many companies use instant messaging – it’s quick but not overly invasive as people can still respond in their own time. Phone calls and video calls may be better suited in an emergency when you need a quick response. Meanwhile, cloud technology should be used to share files. This allows files to be accessed from any device or location and also allows two or more people to access the same document.

Conducting meetings

An office can provide a place to conduct meetings. This could include meetings with clients or interviews with job applicants. However, it’s possible to still hold these meetings without an office.

Many companies use coffee bars as a neutral space for hosting meetings. They can provide the perfect environment for such interactions in many cases – many coffee bars have wi-fi and sockets for plugging in laptops. They’re also free to use.

Of course, for more private meetings there are other options. Libraries and universities sometimes have private rooms that you can rent out. You may only have to pay a small fee to use them.

It’s also possible to host face-to-face meetings via video-conferencing. This saves either party having to travel while still allowing you to convey visual information if necessary (you can even give presentations via video-communication). You can even organize video conferences with multiple people at once.

Receiving business mail

When it comes to receiving physical mail from clients and suppliers, being able to supply an official business address can often be good for your company's reputation. A home address may not look official enough, plus you may not want customers knowing your home address.

Fortunately, there is a way around this without having to rent an office. Virtual mailing addresses have become a popular way of receiving business mail. These are addresses that you outsource from another company – this company then receives your mail and redirects it to you afterward. Such companies are often based in prime locations so that you get the benefit of a prime location address.

Some virtual mailing companies can even open your mail for you with your permission and send digital copies over to you for you to read. This could allow you to check your mail from any location.