There comes a moment for every growing business when there are people squeezing into meeting rooms that were intended for weekly meetings, desks are pushed so closely together that people are literally having to slide sideways between chairs in order to work, and the newest hire is forced to take a desk in the communal kitchen because there literally is no other place to shove him. It’s an exciting time in some respects. Growth is good! But it’s also complicated, expensive and if you don’t act fast, it can create really dire situations.
Yet few companies have a contingency for such an issue. They take out a lease when they’re small enough to make sure there’s enough space to grow into. Before they know it, they’re out of space, holding a contract and trying to figure out the best way to proceed.
Real Problems That Come from Outgrowing Your Space
Running out of space is not comfortable. It becomes a genuine nuisance that begins to affect how the business operates. When people are on top of each other, productivity is stifled. Difficulties emerge with phone calls due to the lack of quiet setting. Client meetings are awkward because a conference room isn’t feasible. Some companies even force people to rotate when they’re working from home just to make space better for others which defeats the purpose of bringing everyone on board to collaborate in the first place.
Moreover, space issues indicate further problems. Equipment can’t be properly stored. Filing systems become ineffective because there’s not enough space dedicated to such arrangements. The kitchen/break area shrinks down to a phone booth which might seem minimalistic until no one has an area in which to step away and get refreshed.
Plus, what kind of impression does it give to clients/potential hires? Walking into a cramped office hardly reflects a successful growing company and instead projects chaotic, desperate tendencies.
Why Traditional Solutions Don’t Always Seem Like A Solution
The best solution seems simple enough: get a larger office. But that’s much easier said than done, especially when considering traditional commercial leases. Most leases come with a three to five year minimum and breaking the lease beforehand comes with penalty fees in the thousands. Some companies are forced to pay for two offices while waiting out the old lease until it expires down the road.
Furthermore, moving offices is its own issue. There are movers to be hired, utilities to be re-established, new office furniture to be purchased if the layouts for the original items don’t work, an updated list of business addresses and collateral for marketing purposes. The process is tedious and can take years with costs far exceeding projected business efforts for an office move. In addition, if a business maintains growth, they could soon be in the same situation yet again in another year or two.
Then there are companies who forced everyone into cubicles wherever they could squeeze in more people just to make do and alleviate any drastic measures; yet this only prolongs what could have been more reasonably sorted sooner and stresses everyone out along the way when they could have been working more productively instead of feeling like sardines in a can.
Flexible Options That Make Sense
This is where alternatives to traditional office spaces become far more appealing options over time. Solutions like a private office for rent with flexible terms give businesses the breathing room they need without the burden of multi-year commitments. It’s easy for businesses to appreciate having their offices during times when they are concerned about having too much space, but with a flexible agreement, they have room to expand without worrying about taking on excess debt through a long term lease any time soon and if the businesses need to reconsolidate (which often happens), it’s possible without having a yearlong contract dragging them down relative to empty desks with payroll fees still applicable.
In addition, such setups come furnished as is which saves time from hiring desks, chairs, conference tables, etc. The costs often include utilities, internet and sometimes even reception services wrapped up in one monthly fee instead of spreading costs over various elements which can add up quickly. There are few hidden fees relative to office maintenance or unexpected communication/infrastructure developments.
Finally, the month to month or shorter term contractual arrangement means that when a business realizes it has landed a big new client and needs double the size of its team or that it lost a major contract and had to downsize, it’s easy for them either way. Traditional leases take years to make such adjustments, and offer very few as is, even when they’re practical and necessary. It’s this level of flexibility that’s critical amidst change but that stabilizes businesses that thrive but need more space without needing immediate solutions from day one upon hire.
Planning Ahead So You Don’t Outgrow Your Office Space
The best way to avoid outgrowing an office is not letting it become a crisis to begin with. This means being realistic about growth projections and padding any workspace development. If a business that’s newly opened is on a hiring frenzy every month, there’s no need to only project for existing headcount and NOT account for where they’ll be six months or a year down the line.
Furthermore, some businesses naturally do better with dedicated space for core team members while contractors, part time staff or remote workers only come in occasionally, which can help the cause until expansion becomes necessary down the line without worrying about relocation too soon, especially if there’s enough flexibility in existing arrangements that could service a bigger team for right now instead.
Additionally, it’s helpful for management teams and owners/CEOs who run the show to check in with physical spaces frequently to see if there’s anything floundering or mishandling space unnecessarily where they could make adjustments before needing to move down the line; sometimes conferences rooms sit empty multiple days per week or areas full of storage that never get used, and maybe some decluttering can help avoid that unrealistic pressure down the road.
How To Make A Move Without Stopping Time
When moving IS unavoidable, planning makes all the difference for companies transitioning into larger spaces. Those who handle moving seamlessly often take into consideration getting into the new space prior to anyone moving IN, from getting internet connected on day one through furniture set up and testing different options so the first day doesn’t become complete chaos trying to configure everything before even starting on work ambitions!
Communication becomes key as well; moving teams need updates relative to what’s happening, when it’s happening, and what they need to do while clients should be notified well before anything regarding updated contact information; thus, the more organized one can be about transition, the less hiccup there will be within daily operations!
Ultimately, outgrowing office space is both a good problem to have, but still it’s a problem that needs resolution. Whether it’s finding bigger spaces within traditional offices or making the switch toward flexible solutions or brainstorming how best current spaces can be reconfigured for optimum comfort, it’s best NOT to allow your employees feel cramped and chaotic just because they’re growing (because ultimately they might resent it), which makes working harder than it needs to work as well as making it harder bringing on good talent and impressing clients too! Growth should be progress, not an omnipresent scramble for space!