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UK businesses can now choose from many different types of offices — including private offices, co-working spaces and flexible workspaces. However, before you select any of these options for your own company, you should ask yourself: what is an office?
An office could be classed as essentially two things. One of those is a physical space hopefully complete with all of the tech, amenities and supplies you and your workers need in order to do their jobs. The other is a community, a hive of activity that fosters productivity and collaboration.
Even if you are currently just working alone at home or in a rented workspace, you could have built this community through forging relationships with contacts, clients and other workers. So, how could you make an office ‘good’ in not only its physical aspects but also its atmosphere?
A tidy and organised space
You know what they say - tidy space, tidy mind. Whether it’s just you working from your office or a team of people, it’s important to make it as motivating as possible. However, as your business grows, you could increasingly find your desk strewn with the likes of business cards, marketing materials and other forms of paperwork.
This can create an unpleasant working environment. Plus, imagine how much time you and your employees could lose searching for certain items in the sea of paperwork! You may want to consider embarking on a quest to become a paperless office, keeping files digitally rather than printing everything out. Not only is this much better for the environment, but it will keep your space clearer.
Got furniture and office equipment that you don’t need right now? Check out our business storage rental services. We’ll keep your supplies safe so you can focus on growing your business in an organised, decluttered space.
See the (natural) light
You might underestimate how important natural light is for our wellbeing. It stimulates Serotonin which, in turn, lifts our mood and improves our productivity. Who wouldn’t want to feel happy and productive in an office?! Unfortunately, however, many offices do not have any access to natural light.
Sometimes, this might not be something that you can change without relocating or undergoing larger changes to your office space. LED lighting can be a good alternative if this is the case, as it is the closest alternative to natural light and has been proven to have the same positive impact on mood and productivity.
If you do, however, have access to natural light, maximise it as much as possible! You can do this by creating more of an open working space and not blocking out any sunlight with large or tall pieces of furniture, and putting large mirrors on the way to reflect natural light from the windows.
What makes a good office? A positive office culture
A positive office culture is incredibly important - particularly in today’s society. It’s commonplace for people to move jobs every 3 or so years, and this can become costly for businesses. Creating a strong office culture is the kind of thing that will keep employees loyal for years to come.
There are many ways to foster a good office culture, and good office culture can look different from business to business. So, how do you create a positive office culture? Let’s first think about what can make a negative office culture. A strong hierarchy where people at different levels within a business can’t express themselves or communicate can foster a negative culture.
With that in mind, keep communication open across all levels of business. Perhaps you could hold regular meetings where even fresh recruits can come face-to-face with people higher up in the business, or arrange regular work outings where people would feel free to share their thoughts more spontaneously.
Breakaway spaces
A desk and chair is an office essential, but offices are more than for just working. People in the UK spend on average 84,365 hours at work in their lifetime. Make it a nice space to be in with areas to socialise, eat and get creative.
Even if you are strapped for space and don’t have room for a sofa or two, a few bean bags can be a space-saving solution to provide people somewhere to relax or take a call away from their desks. Bean bags can also be stored away in a cupboard when not in use to keep areas clear when needed.
Remember, what is ‘good’ for one business may not be good for another. You also need to remember that, whatever the future holds for your own company, its office requirements could easily change as time goes on.
Need office space?
As we know how unpredictable your business’s journey could be, we offer flexible terms on office space. Whether you are a sole trader, at the helm of a major brand or somewhere in the middle, just contact our team here at Magenta Storage to learn more about the offices we are able to rent out.
Our wonderful office space on Stirling Road in Chiswick currently has some beautiful office space available for you and your business. Give us a call on 0203 763 3915 or email us on stirling.road@magentastorage.co.uk to snag your spot.