Having a physical workspace is the very first step you take in expanding your business once you have acquired certain success. There are many things to be considered while setting up an office.
Your office is the physical appearance of your business and it should represent what your business is. Numerous things need to be checked while constructing your office, from location to infrastructure, workstations to washrooms, cafeterias to parking, supplies to internet connection, and many more.
The most important thing is that the office isn’t going to be just for you, but your employees and the clients that will visit now and then, so it has to be appealing enough for everyone.
8 Tips to Setup a Successful Office
Setting up an office is difficult, and it gets tiring as you have to look out for the smooth construction of your office while also monitoring the business so that it doesn’t get affected. Everything has to be organized timely and needs your full attention.
To relieve you from extra stress we have combined few tips to set up a successful office.
Budget
The foremost step is to decide your budget as this will help you in deciding further requirements. Don’t just haphazardly decide the budget. Look out for the profits, taxes, employee’s salary, other expenses, and then calculate your final budget.
Don’t go overboard with it and buy expensive things. Decide on the basic requirements for now as you can always add on other things with time.
Location
The most important aspect of any office is the location. Set up your office in a location that meets all the requirements, such as:
- The locality should be good enough from a business point of view.
- It should not be too close or too far from your competitors.
- The location should be accessible to your employees and clients.
- The location should be in your budget.
- Decide wisely if you should rent or buy the property in that particular location.
- Other places, such as hospitals and restaurants, must be available in the locality.
Space
You should decide the space or the size of the property according to the level of your business. Are you having a big business that acquires a greater number of employees? if your business is a manufacturing one then how much space is required for machinery and warehouse?
If your company is an IT company then it might not need much space as the manufacturing ones do. Always have space for parking lots and extra space if you develop your business further and expand it in the future and you’ll be requiring more space.
Design the Layout
Once the formal building construction is done of your office, then the next step is to design the layout of your office. How do you want different spaces of your office to be designed and how much space is required for each of them, from washrooms to workstations?
Now comes how you want the space to be designed where the actual works happen i.e., where the meetings are held, and employees work. Based on the requirement there are 3 types of layout plans:
- Open Plan. This plan includes a long large table in a room and chairs around, which provides more physical interactions amongst the employees.
- Close Plan. The most traditional ones are called cubical. A separate workstation for every employee giving them space and privacy.
- Modular Plan. It is the combination of the above two and the most common in today’s office world. It provides physical interaction but doesn’t chop off personal space. This plan has a partition between the desks.
Other Optional Spaces
Well, an office can’t be monotonous and just have a workstation or conference room, but it should have other optional spaces too so that employees feel at ease. Some of them are:
- Reception Area. It should be well furnished as it’s the first impression on anyone about your office.
- Conference Halls. Spaces that are big enough where meetings can be held with several employees.
- Washrooms/ Dressing Rooms. Washrooms are a necessity for every human and the companies that follow dress code should have a dressing room where employees can change alongside showers.
Make sure there’s a proper water supply throughout the office with the best equipment. Pipelines must have proper valves, you can go with Industrial valve solutions from Dombor, which are best in the market.
- Parking Area. There should be a separate space where everyone can park their automobiles.
- Kitchen/Break Areas. There should be an area where people can just simply sit and have some quality time with their lunch and a kitchen that provides necessary things like a microwave, refrigerators, etc.
Furniture
After the designing and spacing are done then you should buy furniture accordingly, such as tables, chairs, desks, sofas for reception or break areas. Keep in mind the desks should be comfortable and big enough for an employee to put essentials on them. When it comes to a chair, they should be comfortable and provide support for the back, and eliminate any restraints on the back.
Essentials
Essentials are the products that actually help you with running your business, this includes:
- Computers/Laptops
- Internet Connection
- Stationery Items (notepads, pencil, pens, markers, highlighters, tape, etc)
- Phones
- Communication System
- Software
- Printers
- Scanners
- Paper shredder
Supplies and Support
The other supplies and support that are needed within an office are:
- Security System
- Essential electronics (lights, fans, ac, vents, switches, wires, etc)
- Helping Staff
- CCTV
Conclusion
Setting up an office is a difficult task but with proper planning, you can do it without too much hassle. Don’t throw yourself on the first thing you see, reach out to other dealers and suppliers, and then settle. Always try to negotiate.
With Covid-19, take required precautions such as make mask a compulsion, provide hand sanitizer at every desk, etc. And with the above tips, you will do just fine while setting up a successful office.
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