If you choose to have an office space for your business, you are literally putting yourself out there. You are on display, as it were, and your aims, dreams, and even the way you work are all available for everyone to see. It’s important, therefore, to create an office space that offers everyone a good look at your business in the most positive light. Here is what your office space might be saying about you it’s important to know.
First Impressions
It only takes a few seconds for someone to form an opinion of someone, something, or somewhere. First impressions, therefore, count for a lot, and in business, the right first impression can be the difference between making a sale and finding a new client or losing out.
You need to not only think of the office but the location it is in too. This can also form someone’s opinion of your company. What is the location like? Your office can be wonderful, full of state of the art technology and excellent employees, but if it is in a part of town with a bad reputation, or if there are no useful facilities nearby to attract those employees to want to work for you, then the impression you project can be a poor one.
Customer Experience
For those businesses that are customer facing, it is even more important to make a good impression. A clear desk policy is one way to achieve this. This means ensuring that only items that are required for the project or task that is being worked on at that moment are on the desk and that it is all kept neat. This will show methodical working and a professional, competent staff. Added together, this means that customers feel they can trust you.
Keeping your office tidy in general is a good idea. Not only will it look better for those who come to see you, whether they are customers, important clients, suppliers, or anyone else, but it will also make working in that office a lot easier. You won’t lose documents, you will always know where everything is, and in general, things will be simpler and more efficient.
More Productivity
When you have chosen the right office space, you will notice that your employees’ productivity goes up. The right office space needs to have direct sunlight, comfortable yet ergonomic furniture, access to break rooms, artwork, even plants. These things can make a big difference and if you can ensure that this is right, the work that will be done will be better, faster, and of high quality. Your employees will feel more motivated and will want to do their work for you if you provide them with everything they need to be comfortable and happy at work.
Set Up
Setting up your office and placing the furniture might seem like an easy task, but how you do this directly relates to how people will see your business, and therefore it is important to get it right. Cubicles can be great ideas, for example. They offer privacy and structure, as well as a sense of tradition. Is this how you want your business to be seen? It makes sense for some sectors to work like this, but if your business is less traditional and less ‘structured’ then cubicles won’t work at all – you will want something more open planned to show everyone who visits the way in which you work. How you set up your office space is a good indication of the type of business you run; get it wrong and it can be hugely confusing for everyone, and that can mean fewer sales and less happy employees.
In the end, your office space needs to reflect your business, and this is why it is so important to get the design and style, as well as the location, right from the very start. The more time you spend on making sure that this is right, the more successful you will be.
