Running a business is always at its most exciting in the early days, as you make new decisions about significant elements of the company, and everything feels important. It’s almost ironic that once you’ve made all the key decisions and things are more or less running themselves, that can be when it gets a little boring. Certainly, the number of businesses that go under in their first few years attests to the difficulty of keeping your eye on the ball after launching.
One of the most exciting steps that you can take after your initial launch, though, is the move into new premises. There are few clearer signs that you’re getting it right than the need to expand the business physically into a larger space. However, if you do it too soon you can find yourself paying for space you’re not using and that you don’t need. So it’s important to have a checklist of conditions to satisfy before you can decide that it’s time to – literally – take your business elsewhere.
Noise is becoming a problem
Few things sound more unprofessional to a customer or potential business partner than a phone call that is constantly interrupted by “I’m sorry, could you repeat that, I didn’t quite hear you” and variations on that theme. A busy workplace has its attractions, no doubt, but when there are no free computers and people are having to shout to be heard, it’s time to move on. It will help people’s health and will lower employees’ stress levels – and it’s a clear sign that the business has grown.
You’re having to use common areas for storage
Your initial premises were chosen for their ability to handle a certain number of employees and a certain amount of product. As you start to produce more than you used to, it’s inevitable that you’re going to start outgrowing your old storage space. A new, larger, dedicated storage area with pallet racking and more warehouse staff will allow you to keep the “people” areas of the building for people. If employees are having to lean over or walk around items that should be stored away, it’s a health hazard and needs to change.
The office is unbearably hot even when it’s mild outside
In a full house, even without the home heating system being on, you’ll often find that the difference between the temperature indoors and the mercury level outside is as much as ten degrees or even more. The reason is because humans give off heat – both from their bodies and from appliances they use. Now imagine an office with space for 60-70 people, and it’s full… All of those bodies, all of those computers humming away, can make for a very unpleasant experience. And given that summer temperatures can easily break 30° in the UK, that can challenge even the most powerful air-conditioning system.
To make a long story short, if your employees need to be in the office or the workplace, you absolutely have to make sure the space is big enough to accommodate everyone. The consequences otherwise can be unpleasant and dangerous.
Disclosure: collaborative post
Thank you for reading - if you enjoyed this content, please consider buying me a coffee here or browse my Amazon wishlist I really appreciate your support and it helps to keep the site running and for my time 🙂