Small Office Spaces And How To Make The Most Of Them

If you’re in the process of finding a new office space, you’ll have an idea about what your ideal square footage will be. Perhaps this is your first commercial office space, or maybe you’re seeking to relocate to a more accessible location. You may even be expanding your business with an additional office to increase the locations you cover.

At Curchod & Co we manage and represent office spaces of all sizes across Surrey and Hampshire. While large scale HQ buildings certainly demand attention, the more diminutive spaces have a huge amount to offer. The appeal of location is such that many organisations are very uncompromising when it comes to where they wish to be. This could mean that the ideal office space is slightly smaller than you had in mind. So why choose a smaller office space and how do you make the most of it?

Location

Smaller office spaces are certainly found in key town centres such as Woking and Camberley. The situation of these towns offer huge benefits to their resident businesses. Firstly they benefit from easy access to the M25 and M3 so clients, suppliers and staff can easily reach your business. Surrey and North Hampshire towns are also located in between Gatwick and Heathrow airports, making global demand on a business more attainable.

Layout

Once you’ve identified your ideal town, then, how is best to lay out a smaller office? It is key to consider how people will move around the space. If you are using multiple floors of a small building, consider how mirroring the layout from floor to floor may help or hinder the flow of your workers. Open plan layouts are great for fitting in desk space, but remember to maintain some buffer room for increased headcount in the years ahead.

Mix and Match

If space is limited, it’s important not to ditch the social areas. This will have a detrimental affect on the life balance of your workers, and you may find a negative impact on productivity. Instead, implement multi-use spaces. A reception that becomes an after hours social area, for example. Or dedicate more space to your staff kitchen to make it a social lounge too. If a meeting room is vital to your business, ensure that your chosen office includes this area. However use it flexibly for quiet hot desk working as well as meetings.

Natural Light

Even in the smallest of spaces, it is important to maintain some level of privacy. When partitioning a smaller space can make it feel poky and claustrophobic, what’s the solution? Glass is an ideal material to use in kitting out a smaller office. It supports the diffusion of natural light that is great for the wellbeing for your workforce. Office managers should ensure that external windows are regularly cleaned. You will be amazed at the difference that this can make in the environment of your smaller office.

Storage and Clutter

The most direct challenge for businesses working in smaller office spaces is that of storage. It’s vital to factor in sufficient storage space in your ideal square footage. Have you considered space for archiving? Cluttered working environments have a significant detrimental effect on workers’ productivity. So ensure that you use the full height of your office space when kitting it out with cupboard storage. Keep desk clutter to a minimum by providing sufficient under desk storage for office workers.

The key to choosing a small office space is in ensuring that it offers significant benefits in other areas. This may be its central location, or perhaps access to shared facilities or flexible space. Take advice from your experienced property professionals, like us here at Curchod & Co. We understand the demands of a business and can help to guide you in the right direction.

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