The go-to guide for any scaleup

Growth is arguably one of the most exciting times for any business, especially if you’re a startup. A bigger team = more resource + the opportunity to continue scaling up, up, up to exciting new levels.

But wait… You’re running out of space and need somewhere bigger, or more exciting, or both, to call home for those days you need to get everyone together. So, what’s next?

If you’re a growing business, having a dedicated space for the team is pretty much essential. We know a full 5 day working week in the office is generally unheard of now, but having the best of both worlds for people to get together, share ideas and generally buzz off one another is only going to work in everyone’s favour going forwards. 

Whether you’re looking for a bit of inspiration, or need deeper guidance to persuade internal conversations, we’ve collated 5 ways in which a new office can benefit any scaling business.

Grab a cuppa and enjoy!

👉 #1 - One team one dream

Investing in an office means you’re able to provide a working space where all the team can collaborate as and when they need to.

Like we said before, we know a 5 day working week in the office really isn’t common, and we totally get it, but having an area to join up can make all the difference with a growing team. Not only does everyone get to see one another - a bit of human interaction goes a long way (!) - but it also means they can get their heads together on fresh ideas and new concepts. Much better face to face than the classic “can you repeat that one, you broke up a bit” via virtual means.

When a team’s growing, it makes sense to invest in a dedicated space for the perfect hybrid balancing act - you can use the time together to focus on wider meetings, creative brainstorms, and it gives any new recruits the opportunity to build relationships with other team members at scale.

Plus, you can make a day of it with other fun stuff - organise some food & drinks after work, a speed dating style coffee morning so everyone can catch up, or even lunchtime Deliveroo (if that’s not an incentive then we don’t know what is!).

⏰ Explaining to others? 10 second download - Hybrid working benefits greatly from a dedicated working space; face to face time for relationship-building, whilst keeping the head-down focus time at home.

👉 #2 - Attract (even more) talent

So you’re growing a team, but if you’re stuck in an office too small, it can be a bit of a turn-off when recruiting. 

Office design can have a hugeeee part to play in this. Imagine you’re on the hunt for a new job; one of the questions you’ll likely ask is about the working from home policy, how many days a week you’re expected to be in, and whereabouts you’re based. It’s not unusual for candidates to do their own research on what a brand’s office looks like, and where it is, so you want to make sure yours is on point.

Layout-wise, it’s enticing to have a variety of areas the team can make full use of; breakout spaces for ideation, phone booths for solo calls, little nooks for focussed work time with a change of scenery away from the standard desk areas. Not forgetting the potential for outside space - imagine logging on with your morning coffee whilst the sun is beaming down on your own little terrace. The dream!

Location-wise, when people ask ‘where are you based’ how great does it feel when their reaction is A) one of recognition and B) positive (faces lighting up is always a bonus!). Being based somewhere where there’s loads going on, as well as easy access to transport links, is pretty important when it comes to bagging new team members. 

Plus, think about the audience you’re recruiting as you scale - Millennials and Gen Z are big, big, big on brand purpose and ensuing who they work for, interact with, and purchase from aligns with their own values, and if this translates into where they actually do their work as well as how they do it, it’s a big tick.

How can your office be more sustainable? Is it as accessible as it can be for everyone’s physical wellbeing? All important considerations when scoping out a new workplace. 

⏰ Explaining to others? 10 second download - Securing that new office is great for attracting new talent, and layout, size, location and office design all play huge parts. 

👉 #3 - Build that brand identity

This is the most exciting part! Think of your favourite brands, now check out what their offices look like. The likelihood is they’re not going to skimp on their surroundings, right? As a growing brand you need a place that can evolve as you do, a place which aligns to your brand personality and values, which can be reflected in the design & location. Plus, if you want your brand’s office to be a focal point of any content you produce (think social videos especially), an aesthetic backdrop = essential. 

If you’re after a flexi office, you’ll be able to put your own stamp on it to an extent via decorating and design elements - you can paint it, add logos, signs etc, and they usually come with the option to add or remove various items if they don’t suit your needs. With flexi providers you can choose to go with one where the actual building itself also aligns to your brand identity - if you class yourself as innovative, you could ensure the space you’re in reflects that, same with if you’re more traditional. We work with an array of flexi office spaces, so finding the perfect pairing is a breeze.

For leased options, this can all be captured to a personal standard in the design phase - so you can pretty much tailor it to however you wish. We can help with all of this, as well as offer some sound advice when it comes to the fit-out stage.

(If you need any more info on flexi vs leased bookmark this to read later).

⏰ Explaining to others? 10 second download - Choose an office that can evolve as you do, which aligns to the brand’s personality & values, and if you need a proof-point, just think of your favourite brand and look up their workspaces. 

👉 #4 - Hostess with the mostest (or host with the most) 

Ok so having a base for the team is one thing, but having somewhere to meet and greet other industry bods, clients, or even investors is a huge tick when it comes to scaling a brand. 

Renting out spaces to do this has its own charm, but it’s much better when you can do it somewhere which aligns to your own brand values and you know you can be in control of the coffee machine. Plus, it opens doors to wider networking between the team. Of course, when you’re renting out a meeting space it means you can keep focus on the task at hand, but if you’re doing this in the office it means you can invite other team members in at various points, or organise a meet and greet at the end. 

Having a bigger office or even an office space in general can also help with brand fluency (or recall) & credibility; making you more recognisable as a business and having a place others can keep on coming back to. 

Need to grab a coffee with a client? Sure, pop into our new place, we’ve even got a drinks fridge if it runs into happy hour… 

Want to quickly whizz through a new concept? We have a break-out space we can do that in.

⏰ Explaining to others? 10 second download- Although renting out meeting spaces can have its own appeal, a dedicated office provides opportunities for wider team networking, brand fluency (or brand recall), aka making you more recognisable & memorable. 

👉 #5 - Beneficial for budgets 

Ahh, the b word. It’s a big thing for pretty much all of us at the moment. 

Naturally you’d think a bigger space automatically equals more cash, but surprisingly that isn’t always the case. If you’ve been renting out meeting rooms in co-working spaces - or anywhere else for that matter - it’s likely starting to add up. Granted, it’s probably cheaper than going all out on a new office, but if you tally up the other benefits of having that base for you and the team, as well as the amount of times you’ll need to hire out a space (probably quite a few), then it makes a difference.

With the cost of everything seeming to be skyrocketing at the moment, we’ll always help to keep you within budget throughout the process, and negotiate the best price to ensure you’re not spending more than you need to. We have great relationships with suppliers and asset owners so always ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck as it were, across flexi, managed and leased options.

⏰ Explaining to others? 10 second download - Renting out meeting rooms can feel like the cheaper option, but the benefits of investing in an office are usually greater in the long-term. We also help keep everything in budget, including getting the best price in negotiations. 

Phew - thanks for getting here. We know it was quite a long one, but we feel getting all the information is super important, especially if you need to inform others and get their buy-in. Need more help, or not sure where to start? We also wrote a piece on kicking off your office search.

Or, if you’re ready to get going, click on the top right hand ‘Find your next office’ yellow button, it does what it says on the tin.