Choosing The Right Location For Your Office: Four Things To Consider
Whether you are renting your first commercial office space or you want to expand to a bigger space, you'll want to make sure that the location you select is right for your business. The following considerations, along with your real estate agent, can help you to find the right office to meet your needs.
Travel Times
It's important to take travel times into consideration when you rent a commercial office space. If you'll be moving several miles or more from your current location, make sure that the new office is still accessible to your employees. Look for locations that are close to a freeway or expressway so your staff can get to work conveniently, or look for offices close to train or bus stations for easy access to public transportation. You don't want to lose valuable employees because the commute time will be too long for them to continue working for you.
Nearby Businesses
Your employees might not want to spend their lunch breaks inside of the office each day, so take a tour of the areas surrounding any offices you are interested in. Look to see how many fast food or fast casual restaurants are nearby so your staff has access to a variety of lunch options. It's also helpful to find a location close to a dry cleaners, grocery store, or shopping center, as this gives employees a convenient way to run errands on breaks or after they leave work for the day.
Community Safety
Community safety is both important for protecting your business from potential crimes and making your staff feel safe while at work. Take some time to investigate the local crime rates, and consider talking to the local police department about challenges other local business owners face. As you tour the neighborhood, look for warning signs, such as graffiti or an unusual police presence on the streets. You may also want to look for an office in a building that has 24-hour security guards for an added sense of safety.
Business Visibility
If your office is open to the public, you want it to be visible and easy to find. Look for a location on a main street or near a busy intersection instead of inside of an office park. Some office buildings have signs near the road where businesses can post their company names to increase visibility, and you may even be able to find an office with a storefront-style layout that lets you put your business name on the windows and doors.
Work with your real estate agent or broker to find locations that meet all of these requirements, and partner with your team to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy with your new location before you sign a lease.