When you think about an office, you might cringe at the mental imagery of a cubicle farm under the eternal glare of fluorescent lighting. Depending on your cultural background, you might even think of a certain Mike Judge movie or Steve Carell TV show. Still, you shouldn’t run immediately away from the idea of having an office building for your small startup business.
Make an Impression
A professional, inviting, and creative office space doesn’t just promote ingenuity and results from your current staff. It also sets a standard and atmosphere that others want to be a part of. Whether you’re trying to lure in investors or attract talent, the right property is a great selling point.
Readiness
Online technology and video conferencing might make it possible to hold meetings in a digital format, but communication is better if everyone is physically in the same room. Remote workers might rush to dial in at the last second, but having an organized meeting room everyone is present in means you can not only start the meetings on time but know that everyone is mentally there, too.
Accountability
Your startup might have to rely on remote workers to some degree. However, the more people you have in a central location, the better you can do in terms of keeping them accountable, not having to use a mail forwarding service to contact them. Someone you only hear from by email a few times a day is a lot harder to track than someone whose desk you can visit any minute of any hour during the workday.
Encourage a Healthy Team
When you have an office building all your own to set up as you see fit, then you can really see, to the health of your team. Provide them with a steady supply of healthy foods and snacks to maintain their nutrition and energy throughout the workday. Create a balance of quiet rooms and play spaces to let them find the relaxation they need on breaks, and encourage fitness. Organize social events to fuel friendships both in and out of the office for a stronger social fabric in your startup.
In conclusion, leasing an office building for your small startup business is usually a commitment of three to five years, so it’s not a trivial matter. However, you should know that where you do your business is just as important as how you do your business and what kind of business you do.