Choosing an office is a key decision for any business. It is not only a workplace, but also a space that affects the effectiveness of the team, the image of the company and the comfort of the daily functioning of employees. However, many companies make mistakes that can result not only in higher costs, but also in a decrease in productivity or organizational problems. How to avoid them? Here are the five most common mistakes when choosing an office and tips to avoid them.
Many entrepreneurs focus mainly on the aesthetics of the office, forgetting about its functionality. Not every modern office will be suitable for your business. It often happens that the space does not support the effective work of the team — there is no clear division into zones of quiet and team work, and inadequate lighting or poor acoustics affect the comfort of employees.
An example would be a technology company that opted for an open space office, believing that it would improve communication within the team. In fact, however, excessive noise reduced the concentration of developers, which affected the decrease in their efficiency. Costly changes were necessary, such as acoustic booths and sound-absorbing panels.
Therefore, it is worth choosing spaces that offer flexibility in interior design, so that they can be adapted to the specifics of the activity and the needs of the team. Modern offices allow you to adjust the layout of rooms and interior design, which allows you to avoid costly changes.
Often the decision to rent an office is made on the basis of an attractive price or a prestigious address, without taking into account the daily needs of the team. Too much distance from the center, problems with access or lack of amenities in the area can negatively affect the satisfaction of employees and customers.
A good example is a consulting company that has been tempted by cheaper space on the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately, the long commute time meant that employees began to look for other jobs and customers were less likely to visit the office. Ultimately, the company incurred additional costs associated with the change of location.
Modern offices in well-connected locations allow employees and customers to get comfortable, and this significantly affects the comfort of the daily functioning of the company. It is also worth paying attention to the infrastructure around the building, such as the availability of parking lots, bus or tram stops, the station, restaurants and other services.
Many entrepreneurs make the decision to rent an office in a hurry, under pressure of time or attractive promotional offers. This leads to a choice of space that quickly turns out to be not adapted to the real needs of the company.
For example, a dynamically developing creative company operating on the domestic and international markets tried to offer a promotional offer to rent an office in an attractive location. Unfortunately, after a few months it turned out that the building has outdated security systems, and plumbing often fails, which is why there are repeated problems of the plumbing system. To make matters worse, the staff at the reception desk of the building does the job in an unreliable manner, is unsympathetic and does not communicate in English. In this situation, the image and repair costs, as well as the time wasted in providing employees with suitable working conditions, outweighed the savings achieved by an attractive rental offer.
To avoid this mistake, it is worth taking the time to carefully check the rental conditions, the infrastructure of the building and the possibility of flexibly adapting the space to the changing needs of the company.
Not everyone at the rental stage pays attention to issues such as a reliable internet connection, building security or the availability of conference or training rooms. Meanwhile, the lack of stable and secure Wi-Fi, outdated installations or low security standards can make everyday work difficult and lead to unforeseen problems.
The marketing company, which moved into the renovated townhouse, quickly discovered that the internet was often interrupted and the operator could not provide a better quality of service. As a result, the company had to incur additional costs by investing in alternative solutions to be able to work without delays.
Employee safety and modern infrastructure are key elements of a good office. Modern solutions such as access control to office space, 24-hour building security and a stable and secure Internet connection ensure comfort and peace of everyday work.
Cooperation with the administration of the building is extremely important. Every day something may arise some technical problem that needs to be addressed quickly so as not to slow down the work of the teams. Unfriendly administration, long response time to reported problems can effectively hinder the daily functioning of the company and negatively affect both employees and the product or services. Therefore, before renting an office space, it is worth checking whether you have a good conversation with the administration, whether they are helpful and willing to support and take interesting initiatives
A training company rented an office in a modern complex, counting on access to conference rooms and efficient administrative services. Unfortunately, every request to reserve a space required a lengthy approval process. During the events there were notoriously technical problems with the internet, sound system or air conditioning. The administration accepted the application, but did not respond. Unprofessional behavior affected the fluidity of the training and great dissatisfaction of the participants. As a result, the business began to lose customers and was forced to look for a better solution. Due to the situation, the company had to start again the search for a new office space, and this is a time-consuming and expensive process.
A good relationship with the building administration and a quick response to the needs of tenants are key elements of a successful rental. Professional building management, support in the organization of events or the possibility of renting additional spaces for the needs of training or conferences significantly increases the comfort of using the office. A good place is satisfied customers who will come back and recommend your services, and this is crucial in running a business.
It is worth adding that in this article we have only touched on the 5 biggest mistakes that companies can make when choosing an office, but there are many more aspects that should influence the decision to choose an office space. For example, reception service. A professional, helpful and cheerful person, with whom your client meets first, is of great importance in building the image of your company. That is why it is so important to choose the right person for the position. Unfortunately, office tenants often have no influence on this. At Stara Drukarnia we are aware and make every effort to ensure that our reception service is not only helpful and professional, but also builds a positive image of our tenants' companies from the very first contact with the client.
Choosing an office is a decision that affects the efficiency and comfort of the team's work, customer satisfaction and the planning of the company's budget. Thoughtful arrangement of space, convenient location, flexible rental conditions, stable and safe infrastructure and professional administration are aspects that are worth considering. Avoiding these five mistakes will allow you to create an environment conducive to both the growth of your business and the satisfaction of your employees.
One of the places that responds to all the needs of your business and at the same time will help you avoid the mistakes described above is Stara Drukarnia — a modern office building in Łódź, providing flexible office space, security, high quality infrastructure and professional administrative support. This allows companies to focus on growth, being sure that their office responds to all their needs, taking into account the development of the company and the convenience of employees when fulfilling their duties on a daily basis. If you are looking for a modern office for your company, located in the center of Łódź, we invite you to contact with our team.
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