We’re constantly told that with any real estate investment, be that purchase or rental, location is the most vital decision we make – and when choosing an office space this is definitely the case.
The location of any commercial business, whether big or small, can have a huge impact on its success and productivity. For example, you might find an ideal office space at a great price that’s 20 miles away from the area where you conduct most of your business which seems like a deal that’s too good to be true… well it probably is.
Ideally, you want your headquarters to be in a place where you can attract both clients and employees and in a location that offers amenities and networking possibilities – your clients won’t want to travel for miles for meetings.
The City is arguably the best area for an office space in London. It’s a thriving business and financial hub so the networking opportunities are endless, it’s near to major transport links so your clients will be able to get to you easily, and with an office in this prestigious area you’re sure to impress your clients.
So, with that in mind, here’s a guide on what to look out for when choosing an office location.
The Building
You want to be making the best possible first impression, so choose a building that’s well maintained and in keeping with the feel of your business. Also if you’re thinking of going for a serviced office it’s a good idea to check out the other companies in the building before you move in, that way you can see what networking opportunities there might be – or if there are any potential competitors!
If many of your clients are coming from outside London, it’s a good idea to try and find an office with plenty of parking spaces, whereas if most of your clients live in or have their own offices elsewhere in the capital you can pretty much rely on public transport links.
Most importantly, your ideal office space needs to be large enough for your business needs. A space that is too small can negatively affect productivity, so it’s important to do a test fit by realistically calculating the space you’ll need for your staff members, as well as any furniture and equipment.
If you’re providing your own furniture, it’s a good idea to create a layout with newspapers measured to scale and taped together to replicate your furnishings, and then try to fit it into the space you’ve chosen. If your layout fits with room to spare, then you should have adequate room for your needs. If it doesn’t – keep looking!
Stay Close to Clients and Staff Alike
While it’s definitely important to be conveniently located for your clients, it’s equally important to be conveniently located for your staff. Rested staff are happy, productive staff – and if they have to get up at 4am ahead of a lengthy commute you could see both the quality and quantity of their work suffer.
Also, a bad location could affect the quality of job applications you receive in the future – with rising travel costs many employees are choosing a job that’s close to home, so good travel links are an absolute must.
