Many Kent and London businesses started off as home based businesses and end up moving into Kent and London office workspace. In fact this isn’t something that just happens in Kent and London, businesses across the world, some very well known names started off small and based at home. Here are just a few of many examples: Microsoft was started by Bill Gates in his father’s garage! Amazon first sold out of Jeff Bezos’ garage. Michael Dell began Dell Computers in room number 2713 at the University of Texas (Austin) and Pierre Omidyar started Ebay from his own home.
There are very good reasons why businesses often start at home. When you first start growing a business you are probably looking to keep costs as low as you can however there comes a time when your small business grows to the point it’s no longer small and in fact staying at home is probably hurting your business more than helping it. At this point it’s time to consider moving into office space.
So how do you know when the time is right? The following outlines some of the tell tale signs that it’s time to move your expanding Kent or London based business into a commercial office:
Too Many Distractions
When you are working at home you may find that there are a great many distractions e.g. noise, music, video games, family and friends call or visit without “an appointment”; neighbours gardening, carrying out maintenance etc.
In the beginning it’s easy to ignore many of these distractions but as your business grows this becomes more and more difficult. When this time comes it’s definitely time to start looking for office space for space, a place where you can focus full-time on your business without your home distractions.
You Are Scheduling Client Meetings “Off-Site”
In order to present a professional image you find you need to tell clients that they can’t come to your office and instead start scheduling meetings at their home or another meeting place. When this happens it’s a good sign that having your own Kent or London office space is a must so you can start to meet clients at your place of business.
When it comes to meeting clients or when taking on new staff you’ll need office space to help make a good impression and sends the message that you’re a serious business. Without office space, you run the risk of not being taken seriously by other businesses or by your potential clients.
You Grow To The Point You Need New Staff
Once you reach a certain size you may find you need to take on new staff. The problem is, if you work at home where do you put them?
One solution maybe to also have them work at home and liaise with them remotely but this too can lead to other issues like keeping track of how many hours they are working and finding time to touch bases with them to update them and get updates.
Instead moving in to dedicated Kent or London office space may be the better solution especially if you find you have to start taking on a number of people.
Feeling Isolated
Working at home can result in people feeling isolated and alone. There is also vast evidence to suggest that many people work better and are in fact more productive when they work with others and as part of a team.
The importance of collaborative working was explained by Robert Hicks of Reward Gateway who said, ‘Workspace is one of the key elements to an engaged workforce and you have to cater for individuals and tasks. Having a workspace that’s designed to help build relationships between people and between teams will be key for companies in the coming years. For example, by having no fixed desks and no individual offices results in a reduction in hierarchy and builds relationships.’
It’s also great to be able to bounce ideas or look for solutions with other people who may have a different perspective from your own allowing them to see a situation or problem in a different way.
You Want To Feel Like A Professional Business
Very often working at home can leave you feeling like you’re not a professional business. If you’ve come from an office based business to start your own business this feeling can be even more prevalent. Moving to an office is very often the best way to give your business a professional feel and edge.
At home there is little reason to display your branding, after all who, other than you and your family and friends, will see it. Moving to an office allows you to showcase your brand and improve your brand perception. You can use your office space to say something about you as a business, creating your brand’s tone and giving the right message to help you attract clients.
Having an office also allows you to have your own phone system (separate from personal calls in the home office environment) and a recognised business postal address. These are important as they provide you with the infrastructure to help drive your business forward.
Home Office vs. Commercial Kent or London Office – The Choice is Yours
If you are at the point of thinking about moving to a commercial Kent or London office, if you are starting to hit some of the issues outlined above, then this article may hit a chord with you and it may be time to make that move.
Of course it’s a big step to move away from your home office and out into the commercial office world but there comes a time for many businesses when that decision comes around. If you are considering making the move then JBH Refurbishments can help you. We have many years experience in office relocation and office refurbishments in London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
As part of JBH Refurbishments service we can look any office locations you are interested in and can analyse the available space and provide sound advice on the most suitable office for your business needs. Our advice takes into account the future growth of your business.
We will work with you to ensure you have the office you need. To find out more contact us on 0333 207 0339 or via our contact form.
