Office Options

By Allison Way


Jobs Vacancy, Job vacancies, Employment Jobs

You've finally begun to develop your business, and now you realize that you need to find the right space to build a successful company. Office space is an important factor in the productivity of your business. An office space needs to be stimulating, comfortable, and have a business-like atmosphere in order for you and your employees to remain productive throughout the workday. In addition, your office space must be able to uphold the right equipment and supplies (this may include electronics, technologies, mailboxes, storage rooms, supply rooms, desks, etc.). So where will your business operate? What should you think about before leasing or buying a space? We're here to help.

Questions to Ask: Is This the Right Space for My Business?

Here are a few questions that you might want to ask yourself before leasing or buying your office space.

1. Is the office location beneficial?

By looking where your competition is located, you may develop a good feel for a beneficial office location. You need a space that is easy for your employees to get to, with convenient access to suppliers, vendors, and restaurants, accessibility by public transport, and adequate parking. The area in which your office is located should also be located in a growing area with surrounding buildings "in good shape". The area should also be safe for employees and clients that decide to walk to and from the office.

2. Is the space the right size?

In order to help you narrow down what size of office you may need, we have provided a small table. Keep in mind that for more offices, employees need about 175-200 square feet each.

Room/Office

Square Feet

Presidential Offices

150-400 per person

Secretarial/Administrative Office

60-110 per person

Conference Rooms

25-30 per person

Waiting Room/Reception Area

25-35 per person

Filing Cabinets

7 per cabinet

Break Rooms/Libraries

15 per person

3. Are clients going to visit the office?

You may need a reception area, adequate parking, prominent display areas, conference, rooms and audio/visual rooms.

4. Will your business conduct project meetings?

If so, you will need numerous meeting rooms, white boards (also may want to invest in electronic white boards), computer hook-ups, overhead projectors, and countertop space or shelving for supplies.

5. Will you need a break room?

You may want to think about lunch room space, kitchen appliances, games and activities, as well as they type of dcor you want in a break room space (do you want an energetic feel or a peaceful feel?).

6. Will your office provide special accommodations?

Think of your clients as well as your employees. You may need to provide special accommodations for those with sight/hearing impairments or physical challenges. Your office may require a first floor location, ramps, elevator access, etc.

7. Will you need space for creative thinking and teamwork?

You may want to incorporate separate areas for collaborative efforts in your office. These areas should be visually stimulating to help the creative juices flow.

8. Will you need some quiet areas?

Your office may need private offices, sound-proof meeting rooms, break rooms, product development areas and manufacturing areas.

9. Will you need a loading and shipping dock?

10. Will your employees travel often?

You may want to provide central workstations that have mail access and voicemail. You may also want to invest in video conferencing rooms and equipment.

The Options

Now that you've answered these pertinent questions about what your potential office space may need, it is time to explore the many options you have.

Tenant Space

Tenant space is a rented office that is only used for specific projects for a short period of time. Businesses can rent out a tenant space anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

Telecenter

A telecenter is a business center that rents out space to businesses. They provide clerical assistance, email, voicemail, fax services and a receptionist. A telecenter is a good option for companies that require a lot of travel.

Hotelling

Hotelling is when a company buys or leases a smaller space that they would not otherwise need. Much like telecenters, this process is good for businesses with employees that travel most of the time. Facilitated by a "concierge", hotelling allows employees to reserve workspaces for specific blocks of time. Employees keep everything that they may need on a laptop.

Virtual Office

If you don't need an office at all, don't waste your money on one! One of the most popular types of office spaces today is the virtual office. If your business doesn't need commercial or industrial space or face-to-face employee contact, a virtual office may be perfect for you. Not only does it save money, but it also allows your business to take advantage of new technologies.

Executive Suite

Businesses can lease executive suites for as little as $100 a month. These suites provide a receptionist, voicemail, email, access to private offices, reception areas, and meeting rooms. Most executive suites are managed by a management firm.

Ultimate Home Office

The ultimate home office is the perfect combination of work and home, right at your fingertips. Live-Work Condominiums provide office space that is only used 8-10 hours out of the day. The rest of the day, the condo is used as a housing environment. Additionally, entrepreneurs may want consider working from home as another option for their business.

Business Incubator

Finally, one of the fastest-growing office spaces in popularity is the business incubator. Business incubators, such as bizperc, are used by entrepreneurs and business startups. Incubators vary in the way they deliver their services (such as management and financial assistance), in their organizational structure, and in the types of clients they serve. Successful completion of a business incubation program increases the likelihood that a start-up company will stay in business for the long term.

So, When Can I Move In?

Selecting the perfect office space is not a fast process. In fact, finding and leasing an office usually takes about seven months.

• It takes anywhere from three days to two weeks to determine your needs.
• Allow one to four weeks to conduct your search.
• Walking the spaces and narrowing your choices also takes one to four weeks.
• Leasing, including negotiation and legal work takes anywhere from two to four weeks.
• Finally, modifying the space can take anywhere from four to five weeks (for simple construction) to six to twelve weeks (for major construction).

It is important to take all of these vital steps when selecting your new office space. Not only must you ask yourself the ten important questions listed above, but you also must determine the type of office you may need and allow an adequate amount of move-in time. Once you find your perfect office space, you'll be happy that you did.