Home Desk to Office: when it’s time to make the move

Working from home has always been the best and, sometimes, the only way to get your start-up going. With the rise in technology and on-the-go communications, it is now an even more effective working method than ever before. But, as your business grows and circumstances change, it might be time to start thinking of doing the move into an office.

Here are some ways you know it’s time to make the move:

The team has grown

If you’ve already taken on new employees, or are in the process of recruiting, it makes sense to have a communal office space so you can train and mentor them in their role. And, if you’ve got to a stage in your business where you’re stuck in a rut, having a shared office space will help you have more time for brainstorming and getting your heads together regularly to come up with ideas, and update your strategy.

The atmosphere needs to be professional

Working in an office space, away from the home, helps you get in the frame of mind for work. Working with a team around you will help you concentrate more – and if you stop for a social natter or a tea break, that’ll only stimulate your mind, give you more energy, improve your morale and help you perform better anyway! Working in a quiet office space will also mean you can take video calls and phone calls without background noise or activity, helping maintain the integrity of your business.

You need a little motivational coaxing

At home it’s easy to get distracted, lose focus or feel a bit unmotivated without the team and energy around you that you could have in an office. There are less distractions in an office and you can differentiate between your work-time and your home-time – using your breaks to make tea, read and relax, instead of putting the washing on, cleaning up the clutter or running to get petrol.

You are meeting with clients or customers frequently

Having an office and a team to introduce to your clients and customers makes a good and professional first impression. And presenting a professional front, even when you are a small business, will get you in good stead for when you grow.

You need to improve communication

Being in one space with your colleagues makes it easier to communicate, have adhoc meetings, brainstorm and get to decisions together quicker. It also helps the team understand what one another are working on and how workloads are placed, as a lot can be missed out or misinterpreted over email and text.

When your work life has seeped into your home life

Do you check emails and job-related social channel messages whenever you receive them – be it midday or 9pm? Do you pop to your home working space at evenings and weekends to “just do this”? Can you see your desk from your sofa or your bed? Does your significant other constantly moan about and trip over your piles of work-related documents? If you are yes to all of the above, it’s time to scope out an office.

When you need more space – physically and mentally

If your amount of paperwork, books, plans and work essentials are increasing daily, and your space appears to be decreasing daily, it’s time to make the move. You need to work in a tidy and organised environment; otherwise this will be reflected in the way you present yourself and, therefore, your business, and it won’t be able to grow and progress. If you have a job in which you need a quiet working space to gather ideas or to write, if it’s cluttered, you won’t be productive either.

When you’re expecting a new arrival

Are you about to have a baby or welcome a new puppy, who will be around you in your home office? You’re never going to work the same again if you stay here! There will be little jobs to do, distractions and noise – and it isn’t going to stop any time soon. If you work from home, whatever industry you work in, this isn’t going to work, so it’s definitely time to look for that external space.

I hope you found these pointers handy and they helped you determine where your working situation is currently, and what it needs to be! Both styles of working are successful, but if you work in a home office, there are several downsides that you need to consider when you are, either, starting out or trying to grow as a business.

If you’re ready to take that next step, why don’t you take a look at our site or call our team on the number at the top of this page. One of our team members will pull together a list of properties that fit your needs and guide you through the process – you’ll be in your new space in no time. Good luck!