Which Type of Office is Right for Your Business?

When you set up your business, you might not give much thought your office. At first, you’re unlikely to need a very big space. It could just be you and one or two other people working out of your bedrooms. But as your company starts to grow, and you gain employees, you should think about the set-up and design of your office. Are you an open-plan company? Are you all work and no play, or should your office have as many places to relax as it does to work? The set-up of your office should match your company ethos and the way your employees work and interact with each other.

Open-Plan

An open-plan office is ideal for a more relaxed work environment. Everyone can mix together, regardless of their status in the company. You may even choose not to assign desks to individuals. Some companies leave it to their employees to choose where to sit. This promotes interdepartmental mingling and equality between colleagues. Open-plan offices might still have separate offices, for meetings or people in higher positions.

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Image taken from Wikipedia

Creative and Recreational

Increasingly, modern businesses are providing their employees with office spaces that foster their creativity. Getting balance between work and play is at the top of the list of office requirements for many companies. Take Google for example, who are well-known for having all kinds of extras available in their offices, from slides to Starbucks. If you want to find an office that can be adapted to suit a young and creative company, estate agents in Mansfield can help.

Each to Their Own

For those who own a formal business, the traditional office layout could work best. Everyone gets their own office, perhaps with different departments sharing. More senior positions come with the reward of bigger offices and nicer furniture. If your company is typically hierarchical, this type of office is for you. If everyone in your company is on more of a level playing field, a traditional office might impede communication. Another option is a cubicle set-up, which combines open-plan and traditional offices. Each employee has their own cubicle, separated by room dividers, but still shares the room with everyone else.

Co-working Spaces

A new innovation, generally for small businesses, is co-working spaces. These arrangements involve a group of businesses hiring desk or office space within the same building or the same room. By hiring a co-working space, businesses can interact with other companies from different industries. Many business people believe this promotes collaboration and the sharing of ideas, increasing creativity in a shared space. While this wouldn’t work for a large company with many employees, it can be an interesting set-up for startups.

The type of office that’s right for you will depend on your business philosophy, your industry and the way that your company operates from day to day. Think about these things when looking for space to rent or buy.

Ken
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