Does location matter when setting up an office?
Why does location matter when setting up an office? Location is an integral aspect of setting up your business. It influences your ability to attract talent while shaping your clients’ perceptions of your business. The location you choose for your business will also matter in terms of its accessibility to your employees and customers.
The location you choose has a direct impact on how your business operates day-to-day. It can influence commuting times, how your business is perceived, and how convenient it is for clients. A well-chosen location strengthens your business from both a logistical standpoint and overall positioning.
How to pick the right location for an office in Yorkshire?
There are several considerations you’ll need to make when it comes to picking and setting up an office. The ideal location will not only meet your current needs but will also support any future growth. When evaluating options, consider:
- Is the location easily accessible to staff and customers?
- What size is the space? Will it allow you to scale in future?
- What is your budget?
- Is the environment high-quality?
- Does the location and office environment align with branding?
- What amenities, if any, does the space have?
- What are the lease terms?
When deciding if Yorkshire is the right place to set up a business, it’s important to consider the regional economic strengths and infrastructure. Yorkshire is home to a diverse and growing ecosystem of businesses, supported by ongoing development and investment.
Leeds plays a central role in this landscape, contributing up to 40% of the staggering £70 billion economy that West Yorkshire has generated. Positioning it as one of the leading cities in the UK to start up your business.
Choosing Yorkshire as your business base is a strategic decision, offering strong growth potential alongside connectivity and access to talent.
Where brand meets workspace
The office is an extension of your brand, especially if clients, business partners or employees are using or visiting the space. That’s why when renting office space, it’s important to factor in the design, atmosphere and physical location to get a sense of whether it reflects and aligns the brand authentically.
For customer-facing businesses, the office is usually your first impression. So, environment matters; every detail contributes to the perception of your brand/ business. A well-presented professional environment can help to reinforce your brand’s positioning.
Internally, branding communicates to staff. Its layout, style and feel can influence company culture, collaboration and how people generally engage in work. Whether you’re trying to emulate something more corporate or creative.
The area you choose for your business can subtly communicate your values and positioning while allowing you to get closer to your target audience. Take a city-based business, for instance, a commercially-driven and fast-paced business is most likely to thrive and benefit from that established environment. Whereas somewhere rural may be what we consider a low-traffic business for creatives or agricultural administrators.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all either when it comes to location; neither is inherently better, but each sends a different message and caters to a different type of experience and interaction with a business.
Spotlighting Our Locations
Common mistakes businesses make when picking office locations
It’s not uncommon for businesses to make mistakes when picking an office, and being aware of some of the pitfalls that can happen will better allow you to anticipate and prevent them.
Budgeting
One of the most common mistakes is selecting a space that isn’t financially sustainable. If your office costs are too high, it can limit your ability to grow and adapt. Affordability is essential for long-term success.
Your office space is an investment in your business and team members. Therefore, investing in the right space for your business and team is crucial.
Striking a balance between the cost and value of the space allows you to pick somewhere that is not only practical financially but is also aligned with your goals for attracting and retaining talent. Aligning the location, cost and value with each other allows you to improve performance and positively influence outcomes.
Overlooking accessibility
From a literal standpoint, is the building accessible? Overlooking accessibility requirements can backfire on businesses. Not only do you want it to be easy and convenient for staff to commute, but you also want to mitigate the risk or impacts this could have on staff retention.
Offices should accommodate a wide range of needs, including step-free access, lifts, and inclusive layouts within the office environment. Overlooking these factors can risk alienating and excluding staff who need these design adjustments to work.
Not touring the premises.
Another frequent mistake is business owners committing to a space without going to tour it in person. Touring the premises allows you to assess:
- Location suitability
- Space and layout
- Accessibility and facilities
You can explore some of the other common mistakes in our 5 Mistakes You’re Making in Your Search for a New Office.
Conclusion
Deciding to set up your business in one of our WorkWell offices removes much of the uncertainty from the process. Our spaces are designed to support growing businesses, offering flexibility, scalability and a professional environment from day one.
With three location-based between Leeds and Harrogate, WorkWell provides access to some of the North’s most well-connected and commercially active hubs.