4 Ways Your Workspace May be Failing You
Running your own business is a richly multifaceted way to make a living that involves keeping a lot of plates spinning. And no matter what you do or where you do it, part of the life of a small business owner is being able to mitigate risk. It’s about identifying and eliminating anything which could keep you from operational excellence or undermine your business’ efficiency.
Running your own business is a richly multifaceted way to make a living that involves keeping a lot of plates spinning. And no matter what you do or where you do it, part of the life of a small business owner is being able to mitigate risk. It’s about identifying and eliminating anything which could keep you from operational excellence or undermine your business’ efficiency. As such, the idea of moving premises is anathema to most frugal business owners. Why endure the cost and disruption that inevitably come with an office move. However, this may prove a false economy if your workspace is failing you and keeping you from being at your best.
What’s more, a move to new climes may not be as expensive or disruptive as you think. When you know how to prepare for your office relocation, ensure that each member of your team does all that they can to facilitate a seamless move, and you use an experienced moving firm it can minimise the risks so that you can focus only on the gains. What’s more, every day you spend in a workspace that’s failing you, the more you risk tarnishing your brand’s reputation. Here are some signs that your premises may be failing you…
You’re paying more in rent than you should be
When you’re starting out in business, you may find that few landlords are willing to take a chance on an unproven startup. As such, they may boost up the rental price to insulate themselves from risk. This in turn may cause an increase in monthly outgoings which can impede your cash flow. Can your business really be expected to grow sustainably when every month is a struggle to break even?
Your team can’t communicate with each other face to face
The digital realm affords us plenty of great ways to communicate in the workplace from email to apps like Slack and Asana… But when it comes to maintaining productive and harmonious relations amongst your team, there’s really no substitute for face-to-face communication. Ideally, your office should afford employees who work together a clear line of sight. If your workplace won’t allow this, you may not be getting the most out of your team.
Team members don’t have privacy when they need it
There was a time when the average office space was a labyrinth of cubicles and partitions. Yet, while these still pervade in some areas, today’s workspaces tend to embrace an airier and more open-plan office design. Still, while this can be great for a happy and harmonious team dynamic, employees should still have somewhere where they can go to work in privacy or make sensitive calls to clients.
You’re not getting enough natural light
To keep your team happy, healthy and productive, it’s essential that they have as much access to natural light as possible. Natural light (as well as access to some form of greenery like plants or flowers) is one of nature’s greatest mood boosters and absolutely integral in keeping you and your employees productive and upbeat no matter what the day throws at you. It’s largely hailed as the ultimate office perk and one of the keys to employee wellness. Fluorescent lights, on the other hand have been linked to a number of risks to health and wellbeing.
If your workspace is failing you, it may be time to weigh up your options and weigh the risks of an office move against the potential benefits.
