If you run a new business, or you’re preparing to launch a new venture in the coming weeks, it’s important to consider your working environment. Even small-scale businesses require headquarters that make it possible for staff members to do their job safely and effectively. If you’re looking for new premises or you’ve been in your office a long time, it’s worth bearing these considerations in mind.
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Health and safety
Every business owner is required to provide a workspace that complies with health and safety guidelines. People tend to think that health and safety has gone mad in the modern world, but there are regulations in place for a reason. Even in an office, which seems like a safe place, there is always a risk of accidents and injuries. By ensuring that you adhere to legislation, you’ll reduce your risk of work-related accidents, and you’ll be covered if an employee does have an accident at work.
Examples of measures you can take to promote health and safety include carrying out risk assessments, recording details of incidents and addressing hazards, providing the relative safety equipment, and ensuring that your staff has the relevant training.
If you’re concerned about health and safety, review the relevant literature, and highlight any areas where your workspace may be falling down.
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Accessibility
It’s always a good idea to think about the location of your office, and also its accessibility. Firstly, the location is important, not just for trade and interaction with clients and colleagues, but also for employees. If you’re in the middle of nowhere, you may find it hard to hire people, especially if they can’t drive. If you don’t need to get out and about on a regular basis, the location isn’t so important, and you could save a lot of money by moving out of town. On the flipside, if you do travel around or you host meetings or events at your office, it’s beneficial to have a central location.
Once you’ve chosen a suitable location, you’ll need to address accessibility issues. Is it possible to get in the building or move between floors if you have reduced mobility or you use a wheelchair? There are legal stipulations in place, so make sure you are aware of these. If you don’t already have ramps or elevators, click here for more information. If your office block is old, it may be necessary to bring it into the 21st century and make it possible for everyone to get to where they need to be.
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Productivity
As a business owner, you want your team to be firing on all cylinders at all times. An office shouldn’t just be a mundane space where people sit and work from 9 am until 5 pm every day. If you can inject some inspiration and excitement into the place, you should find that the workforce is more productive. If you search for fun offices, you’ll find all kinds of ideas. Some have slides instead of staircases, cafes with the all the latest mod cons and relaxed, sociable spaces for group meetings. You don’t have to go the whole hog and turn your office into an indoor adventure playground. But if you can inspire and motivate your team, they will give you more.
Have a look around, and see what changes you could make to brighten the place up, and make it a better place to work. Even simple touches, like hanging prints and pictures and dotting a few potted trees around, can make a difference. If you want to encourage collaborative work, consider adjusting the layout of the office and opening up the space.
Natural light is found to energize us, and workers who have a desk near the window are likely to be more productive than those who have restricted access to natural light. If you’re choosing an office space, look for rooms with large windows. If you’ve already got an office, maximize the light by sticking to light shades on the walls and locating desks next to the windows.
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If you run a business, you want to make sure that your base is fit for purpose. Whether you employ a team of 4 or 104, it’s essential to ensure that your office is a safe place to be. This is a basic requirement, and it should be a priority for every manager. Once you’ve ticked the health and safety boxes, you can then focus on interior design, and creating a space that inspires and energizes the team. Bear accessibility in mind when choosing an office or carrying out renovation work. It’s important to make sure that everybody is able to use the space.