Why a new office should be your new year's resolution

As you embark on a new year for you and your business, what's at the top of your list of resolutions to help you start 2020 with a bang? Here are a few reasons why a new office space can enable you to hit the ground running this year.

1. Fresh outlook

A new office can give you a fresh outlook for your business - both metaphorically, and literally! 

Scenic views from your office window can promote wellbeing among you and your workforce and cultivate creative thinking. 

Plus, a change of scenery is a great way to boost motivation and energise you and your team to start the new year on a high.

We spend the majority of our time at work, so we should feel comfortable in and inspired by our surroundings. Is your current office ticking all of those boxes, or would a fresh start give you a fresh perspective?

2. Professional image

Many small businesses start life from a spare room or kitchen table, which is crucial when establishing a presence and keeping costs minimal during the early days. However, working from home has its challenges and there comes a point in the life of every business when moving into a professional office environment can offer substantial benefits.

A professional business address protects your home, while a smart and modern office with boardroom facilities provides potential clients with a memorable impression of your set-up. 

If you're at that stage right now, resolving to move into a professional office base for 2020 will be a business decision that will pay serious dividends throughout this year and well into the future. 

3. Improved morale

Makeshift business premises can be cold, miserable and uninspiring places to work, and even a professional office in an older or neglected building can make for an unhappy team. 

By moving into a fresh new office for 2020, you will not only make your team more comfortable but also boost morale and ultimately improve productivity across the board. A happy team works harder and gets better results for you and your business. 

4. Great deals

Many office providers may be offering special deals at this time of year, but make sure you read the small print to ensure your chosen office delivers genuine value and you haven't been taken in by a misleading offer.

Business First offers 50% off all offices for the first six months, to help you manage your budget and minimise overheads when setting up your new office space. There's only ever one simple price to pay, which helps you to take care of cashflow and plan your spending accurately.

5. Extra facilities

When considering moving into new office space, you may have already weighed up the benefits of having your own space for desks, chairs, office furniture, computers, printers and anything else you require to keep your business running. But have you considered the additional communal space that many professional office space providers offer that you could benefit from?

At many business centres, you can use communal services and facilities, like boardroom hire, conference facilities, training room hire and breakout spaces for catching up with colleagues or clients in a more casual space. If you choose a serviced office provider, you can tap into even more added value, like a centre manager on-site to welcome your guests and accept deliveries, as well as managing the premises and taking care of maintenance and upkeep. 

When choosing a new office space for 2020, a serviced office can add up to a great deal less stress for you, as you won't need to worry about finding places to meet clients, hiring a receptionist to greet visitors or remembering to stock up on toilet roll and hand wash.

6. Futureproof your business

Taking on your first member of staff is a huge step in the life of every business owner, as it often forces you to move out of your home office and into a professional office space. However, that doesn't need to be a move that causes any hassle or disruption to you if you choose the right office space for you and your business needs. Make sure you choose an office space provider who listens to your needs, keeps you updated throughout the process and makes the move as stress-free as possible for you, your employees and your business.

One key factor in choosing the right office space for your business which many SMEs forget to consider is how your chosen space can help your business to grow. If you choose an office with no scope to expand, you could soon find yourself planning another move to accommodate your growing needs. But don't panic - a good office space provider will celebrate your expansion and offer you an easy way to upsize your space as your business grows, without disrupting your work. Many of our office space tenants have upsized to larger offices or different centres within our network as their needs change, and we have a great deal of experience in managing this process to make sure it's a seamless and positive transition.

7. Make new connections

Networking can be time-consuming and daunting, so many SMEs shy away from attending traditional networking events, missing out on opportunities to connect with people who could help to further their business goals.

What many people don't realise is that moving into a professional office space can offer new opportunities to network with likeminded people you could soon be working alongside for mutual benefits. Thriving business centres can be the ideal environment to make new connections, chat about your business goals and explore ways to collaborate to smash your 2020 business targets.

Most of our business centre tenants work with fellow tenants either by using their services or providing products or services. Many tenants seek out suppliers within their own centre or the Business First network of centres first and foremost, only outsourcing work to external companies if they can't find a company within Business First currently supplying a particular product or service. This makes for a supportive, dynamic and positive business community - who wouldn't want to be a part of that? 

8. Work in a personalised space

If you're stuck in a drab office feeling uninspired, don't settle for it! There are plenty of office space providers out there (like us!) who will encourage you to put your own stamp on your office if you feel you would work better in a personalised environment.

Before you move into your new office space, speak to the business centre manager about your ideas on making your office your own, and see if they can help you to make this happen before you move in, saving you time, money and resources after you've moved in. At Business First, you're free to paint your office however you like, and if you want further changes - like creating or removing partitions - we'll be happy to arrange to have this work completed prior to your moving in date so it's exactly how you want it when you start work.

9. Update your image

Following on from the previous point, moving into a new office is the perfect opportunity to refresh your image and start 2020 with an updated look. Many businesses see moving offices as the right time to launch a rebranding exercise or to simply modernise their surroundings to demonstrate to staff and clients that they are forward-thinking and relevant. So if your business, office or reputation could be stuck in the past, why not take this chance to bring them bang up to date?

10. Find a new way to work

If your office is old fashioned, the chances are your working practices are stuck in the last decade (or millennium?!) too. The modern workplace changes all the time, so it can be tough to stay abreast of the latest trends, technologies and approaches. But there's no time like the present for taking a fresh look at how you work to see where improvements could be made. 

Every business is unique, so find the right solutions for you, your work and your employees. Lean working, open-plan offices, new software systems or even a yoga studio - research all the options out there and identify what will help you to maximise results and employee engagement. A shiny new office space is the optimum place to shake things up and find a new way to get the best from your work and your team. 

How to find your new office space for 2020

Now is a great time to do your homework and find the right office space for you and your business for the new year and beyond. Make sure you ask business-owning friends for recommendations and draw up a list of your essential requirements in order to find somewhere that meets all of your needs.

With business centres across the North West and in Paisley, Scotland, Business First offers professional office space to a host of diverse businesses who flourish within our dynamic communities. Find your nearest location here and drop us a line or call your local centre manager to book a viewing - then get ready to make 2020 your best year yet!