Finding The Best Office For Your Startup

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Looking for the perfect office to make your team feel at home? Here's what you need to know:

A signpost of success for most startup companies is the need to find your first office. The decision to work in a professional environment (opposed to a bedroom or the nearest cafe) signals a belief in the sustainability of your business and the need to support it. Finding a space can be difficult, so to help you nativgate the office space sector, Lilli Hender from OfficeGenie.co.uk shares her step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Know Your Options

The more you familiarise yourself with the different kinds of space available, the better. They are surprisingly diverse so getting to know the key features of each type before you begin searching really helps.

Co-working

One of the most popular option for startups, co-working hubs are created with individuals and small teams in mind. They are pre-set up with the usual office equipment and supplies but rather than one business occupying the space, the space is rented out to multiple businesses. Price tends to be on a per-desk per-month basis and contract lengths are rolling opposed to fixed.

Shared Office

Shared offices work in much the same way as co-working hubs. The primary difference is that a host company occupies the space and they’ve chosen to rent their spare desks out. The number of businesses in the space is dependent upon the number of desks available.

Serviced Office

These offices come with a range services which often includes all, or most, of the following: IT support, executive meeting room access, a reception, and security. They are fashioned with your business needs in mind. Contracts and price are usually fixed and while you’re in charge of your space, you don’t need to worry about its upkeep or outfitting.

Traditional Office

When it comes to a traditional lease, you’ll be in charge of the property’s day-to-day running, its contents, maintenance and management. The space is effectively an empty canvas for you to fill with the office you want (or can afford). Contracts are fixed and can be anything from three to ten years or more.

Step 2: Decide Which Is Right For You

Choosing an office is a lot like choosing a house, although getting the right ‘vibe’ from a place is important, there are more crucial factors involved. The price, location, and practicalities of working in the space are the primary considerations.

You’ll be sure to find every type of office space in most cities across Europe. For more rural locations, co-working and shared spaces are harder to find – although they are on the rise. When thinking about location, consider the commute in terms of cost and practicality; whether the setting works for your business needs; and whether you can afford the area.

If your startup is in its early days and there are only a few of you, renting desks in a co-working hub or shared office can be a cost-effective option. The price of desks fluctuates however: ranging from £80 to £700 a desk in the UK for example. There’s a great sense of community in these types of offices so if you can work around some security and privacy issues (sharing a space and network for example) associated with it not being solely yours, it can be a great fit.

For a more established, larger company, a serviced office or traditional lease can make a better option. Serviced offices come at a high-price point but if you want an office that’s ready to go with all-inclusive facilities, it’ll make for an easier life. Traditional leases are generally more work for arguably more reward: you’ll have your very own space but will need to be prepared for the responsibility of furnishing and maintenance, and the initial cost of legal fees.

Step 3: Make It Work For Your Company

The trick to making an office work for you is embracing its unique characteristics. For example, if you decide upon co-working, make the most of your fellow professionals but swapping knowledge and skills; if you opt for a serviced office, rest assured you’re saving yourself time, effort and stress.

For those who choose a traditional lease, you can start exploring design and branding. There are a range of benefits that come with putting your mark on a space: it can help to realise your vision and showcase what you stand for to clients and visitors. Personalising a space can be fun so the more of your team you get involved, the better.

Whichever type of space you decide on, it marks an important step for your startup. Have faith in your choice and it’ll feel like home in no time!

 

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