Moving into an office can be a great next step on the ladder to success for your startup. Some of the considerations below could be what you need to make your office search a less stressful and more fruitful process.
1. Consider all the options. Don’t ignore shared and serviced options in favour of a traditional lease. These can be a great option for a startup. There is no admin hassle with all services included in one monthly bill, you can find an office with the services you require and pay for it on a per-month basis.
This means that can possibly rent a different number of desks, or simply move office, making it easier for you to adapt to whatever may happen in the future. You may even find that pay-per-use schemes such as hot-desking are ideal for you, if you won’t be in the office from nine to five.
These options could potentially allow you to develop mutually beneficial business relationships in a stimulating environment, as happened right here at Genie HQ.
2. Know what you require, particularly for services such as broadband and security. This is really important if you are considering shared and serviced office options, where these services will be provided for you.
Conversely, think about what you might not require. If you can store information digitally using cloud technologies, do you need an office with a lot of physical storage? Similarly, do you need the impressive array of facilities in an executive serviced office, or will a desk and broadband access in a cheap office share meet your business needs?
3. Consider all your location options. It might be tempting to choose an office in a dynamic city centre location. But ask yourself does it make more sense for your business to consider the potentially cheaper options in sites further out of town?
Also consider what your location says about your business. For example, if you want to portray your business as being at the cutting edge of creative industries, then an office in trendy Soho might be for you.
If you are a home-based startup, then simply making the move to an office address could have a positive effect on the impression your business gives clients.
4. Be wary of extra costs that could make options more expensive than they first seem. This is particularly important if you are considering a traditional office lease, which may seem like the cheapest option but services such as broadband, security and legal costs build up.
Know your budget and factor in all of these potential extra costs. Also bear in mind that there is also potential for extra hassle when you have to manage these facilities yourself.
5. Take care of all of the necessary legal issues. This is particularly important when you are taking out a traditional office lease, as it is essential to take legal advice before signing a contract.
In addition, if you are moving into a sublet office, make sure to check your hosts have permission!
Peter Ames writes on behalf of Office Genie, a marketplace for desk space in the UK.
