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How to choose the location of your office space

Posted by Oliver Corrigan on Jan 19, 2015 8:30:00 AM
Oliver Corrigan
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Thanks to phenomenal changes and advances in technology and communications, we can work from almost anywhere. From freelancers to start-ups, we’re all lapping up the modern privilege of flexible working arrangements, whipping our laptops out at every given moment.

There becomes a point however when home office and coffee shop set-ups become limiting, particularly if you have bigger aspirations for your business.

If you’re thinking big in 2015 and those niggling concerns that your home office – no matter how convenient and cosy – just couldn’t cater for an expanding team or important client meetings, hiring out office space could be just the ticket to move your business into a higher gear. But what is the best location for office space?


You’ve convinced yourself to take the ‘office plunge’ now you have to decide on a location.

Let’s not beat around the bush, your choice of location can directly affect your branding.

Google as a case study

We’ll take Google as an example. Today, the search engine corporation has more than 70 offices in 40 countries around the world. 

A quick glance at the locations of these offices immediately shows one glaring similarity – they are all located in or around major cities.

In France, for example, Google has an office in Paris. In Germany, it’s located in Berlin. In South Korea it’s Seoul, Spain Madrid, Sweden Stockholm, the UK London and Manchester, and so on.

Our point? Google is unlikely to be the mighty brand it is today if it located its offices in the Outer Hebrides or in a ‘one horse town’ in Wales.

Whilst setting up in the likes of London or Manchester might not be realistic, when choosing your office location, aiming to be located in or not far from a major city or town will be advantageous for several reasons.




Professionalism – Having, for example, a Leeds-based address will paint your business in a more professional light.




Accessibility – Being not far from a busy town or city will ensure your office is more accessible for clients and employees.


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A greater pool of talent – Being located in an area with a higher population means, when it comes to recruiting, you’ll likely to have a bigger pool of candidates on your doorstep.




Consider the neighbourhood

You wouldn’t want to live in an area with high crime rates so neither should you work in such an area. As Next Web advises, as well as viewing an office space you should assess the area that the office is located in.

Carry out some research on the area to find out what the crime rates are. As well as looking at the crime levels, also look at whether there are any cafes, bars, restaurants or even gyms in the vicinity. An office located not far from such amenities can be a more desirable place to work.




Transportation

An office that is close to major road networks, or is not far from public transport such as rail links and bus stops will not only mean you we be able to reach the office with greater ease, but it will also mean clients and employees will as well, which is a strong plus point for any business.

Carrwood Park is an example of an office which has great transportation links. Being just two minutes from the M1 and 15 minutes from Leeds city centre, workers and clients won’t be forced to waste valuable time and effort going round in circles trying to locate our offices! – Definitely something to consider when choosing an office location.




Infrastructure and services

Of course one of the first questions you will need to ask an office manager is what infrastructure and services they offer.

Going from a home office in which you are grown used to working with fairly fast and unproblematic broadband into an office space beset with slow and unreliable Wi-Fi, would go a long way in defeating the object of your move.

The whole idea of moving in an office is so your business can see the benefits of better infrastructure and services.

Ask the office manager how fast their broadband is, how reliable is their Wi-Fi, whether they have IT support in-house and what other services they can offer, such as postal services and telephone connections and access to meeting rooms.

Then of course there’s the question of tea, coffee and water. A day working at the office would become infinitely longer without a few cups of coffee or tea to keep you going. Consequently, ask the office provider whether the office rent includes any free drinks or whether you could bring your own food and drink and use their facilities.

You know what your business requirements are and when choosing your office location you should ensure that the office ticks all the boxes of your requirements.



And then there’s the cost

Freelancers, startups, established SMEs, we’re all working to tight budgets. Before you embark on the journey of finding an office you should take a look at your finances and work out how much you can realistically afford to pay in office rent.

Office space can vary considerably in cost but it is important that you get the right office for your individual needs.

Spending too little on an office could equate to you not having everything you need to nurture company growth. Spending too much and you may struggle in terms of cash flow and find yourself downsizing.

On your first meeting with an office provider make sure you ask what exactly is included in the office space. Will there be any hidden costs such as maintenance and parking? 


If you are sure you can afford the cost of the office and are happy in ticks all the right boxes, you’ll be able to enjoy moving straight into a brand new office and begin watching your business move up into fourth gear.

For quality, professional, friendly, family-run serviced, co-working and virtual offices conveniently located on the outskirts of Leeds, get in touch with Carrwood Park


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Topics: offices, SME, business, location

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