Entrepreneurs and business managers never decide lightly to change premises, as this is always synonymous with additional stress — at least during the period you’re moving from one office to the other. Aside of stressful, employees find it difficult to get used to a new address and new settings. It not uncommon to experience a drop in productivity around the time of the move. But more often than not, it’s something that can be quickly addressed with careful research and planning. But more importantly, you need to consider the big question: Should you or should you not move premises? There are four signs that don’t lie.
#1. You’ve outgrown your current office
Everything started with a clean office space for you and your employees. But within a few years, your business has expanded, and you find yourself with at least 5 times more employees than you had when it all began. Here’s a hint: You are outgrowing your office! You can’t stay in an office where your staff feels crammed. The lack of relaxation place or conference rooms makes it difficult for your team to be productive and comfortable day after day. Besides, a cluttered and crowded office doesn’t make a good impression on clients during business visits.
#2. The office is not wheelchair-friendly
Unless you work in a specialized industry sector where all your staff needs to be agile and capable, it’s likely that you might want to hire experts with mobility issues. With an estimated 1.4 million wheelchair users in the USA in the late 90s — you can expect this number to have grown over the years — it’s easy to imagine a situation where a client or an employee in a wheelchair comes to your office. Do you have a platform lift along the stairs? Can a wheelchair circulate between the desks without any issue? If these areas can’t be tackled, then you need to move office to deliver improved facilities and rights to all individuals on your premises.
#3. The surroundings are not welcoming
Each town is an evolving entity. Therefore, a lively district in the past can become a dead end today. As your employees need local facilities for their comfort at work, such as somewhere to buy lunch and to park their car safely in the surroundings of your offices, you may have to consider switching premises if these facilities are missing. Businesses that found themselves cut off from the dynamic area of town by natural urban growth need to rejoin the active center if they want to survive.
#4. You can’t attract new talent
Is your business well connected to public transport or do your employees need to commute by their own means every day? While the countryside offers excellent and affordable premise options, it’s important to remain within the vicinity of towns to be in a position to attract the skills you need for growth. Nobody likes a long and solitary drive to work every day. As commute is an essential part of an employee’s life, it’s your responsibility to reduce the commuting pressure on your team.
As stressful as switching business premises might be, it’s nothing compared to staying in the wrong location. Your business survival depends on your ability to understand the signs and to know when a change of address is for the best.
