How to Handpick Your Perfect London Office Space
Finding the perfect office for your business isn’t easy, but it is something that is unavoidable when scaling up, or have a lease expiry approaching.
If your employees are falling over each other as they make their way to the scanner, or you’re sick of hoovering crumbs out of your keyboards as there is nowhere for your employees to eat, then it may well be time for a change.
But with over 20 million metres squared of office space in inner London alone, how can you find the right office for you?
Well, luckily One One One have you covered, with our new build your office page.
But which categories will you be picking from? And how can you make sure you make the right choices?
Let’s find out.
The Essentials
Offices come in all shapes and sizes and are packed with features that you may feel you need, and some that you may not.
No matter what business you operate though, there are some things that you will definitely need to have in an office, including these:
Desks
When renting office space, desks matter.
Get too many, and you’ll be wasting money on furniture that isn’t been used. If you’re paying per desk you’ll also be wasting money on your rent.
Get too little, and you’re sure to have some unhappy staff on your hands.
If you’re scaling up, you must factor this in and plan for this. Work out how many members of staff you will need to seat, and work from there. It’s always better to have a little too many than be short, so don’t be afraid to be extra generous and find the best small or large space for you.
Monthly Budget
How much you have to spend has a major effect on the kind of offices you can rent.
But don’t worry if you don’t know your exact budget, as we can help you work it out.
Office space is available in a range of prices, for example, you can rent a managed office in Fitzrovia for £65 per sq. ft. and you can also rent an office on King Street, St. James’s for over £2,000 per desk per month.
Your budget is important because renting an office involves agreeing to a contract. If you can’t keep up with payments, you may be in trouble.
But it is also a good idea to not spend too little. Office space makes a big difference to a business, from the way people see your brand, to the morale of your staff and their productivity, so spending a little more (while still in budget) could be well worth the money.
Contract Length
How do you see your business going in the next ten years.
Of course, no-one can know the true answer to that question, but it is worth thinking of the roadmap when signing your contract and deciding on the length.
Do you want something short term, such as a 6-month lease? Or are you looking for something more long term? You could sign a ten year lease if you really want to make a place a home.
Think about what you want from an office. If it’s somewhere you want to make your own and really solidify your business there, then don’t be afraid to sign on long term. If it’s simply somewhere to put up some desks, then maybe don’t sign for too long.
Serviced, Managed, or Leasehold?
The decision of choosing between Serviced, Managed, and Leasehold is a big one, as they mean very different things.
- Serviced – This is perfect for a business who are short on time and want to turn up and have everything ready for them to sit down and get straight to work.
- Leasehold – This is when a landlord will lease you a property (often on a long term basis) and then the business is expected to decorate, maintain, and care for the space.
- Managed – This is a mix of the two. It is a property leased by another business, that offers it out to other businesses to rent, taking control of most of the liability and upfront expenditure.
There are a wide range of all kinds of office space throughout London available in our portfolio, so choose which one would work best for you and take a look.
Extra Features
The above are all big decisions, but there are other decisions that while not being as essential, could still make a big difference to your business.
Extra Floors
Office space can be spread across one, two, even three or more floors, so which one would work best for you?
Do you want your employees close together and all on one floor, or do you think a more spread-out approach, perhaps with different floors for different types of work (a quiet floor and a collaborative one for example)?
While this may not seem like a huge decision, it could make a big difference and change the working environment for the better, or the worse.
High Up or Low Down
There are some tall office buildings in London.
Take One Canada Square for example, which stands at a whopping 235 metres tall.
These offices offer a stunning view right across London, but it’s a long way up.
If you feel this may be the ideal place for your business, then why not ask for a higher office space. Alternatively, you may think something nearer the bottom floor would work better.
This will make it much easier to access your office, so sum up whether it is worth sacrificing the views for this ease of access.
Extra Amenities
There is a wealth of extra amenities available in London office space.
For example, are you a health-focussed brand which would benefit from bike storage, a gym, or a meditation room.
Do you believe in letting dogs in the workplace or not?
Things like CCTV, parking, air conditioning, reception, showers, meeting rooms, and outdoor space, are all featured in some offices, and not in others, so it is always a good idea to create a list of what you think you will need.
It’s also a good idea to ask your staff, so you can see just what they will need to enjoy working in their new office.
Finding Your Style
So, now you have your ideas of what you want in your office, how will you style it for your brand?
The Location
The location of your office space can have a big effect on your brand.
For example, if you’re a technology company you may want to be part of the growing scene in King’s Cross.
Or if you work in finance, why not head over to Canary Wharf and rub shoulders with some of the biggest businesses in the world?
London is, in our opinion, the best place to work in the world, but different locations have very different cultures, so choose where you want to work wisely. Why not check out our location guide page and take a look at some of our London office locations where you could take your company.
Fitted Out or Blank Canvas?
Do you want to make your mark on a place, or are you looking for somewhere that is already decorated and ready to go?
If you are a creative brand who really want to make a mark on your office, then you may want to start from a blank canvas which allows you to let your imagination run wild.
Alternatively, you may just be looking for somewhere you can get straight in, be comfortable, and be able to get straight to work.
While fitted out may be better option for a short-term lease, the cost may be higher than if you decorated yourself, so spend some time working out which will suit your business the best.
Fully Furnished
This is similar to the above point but focuses more on the essentials.
While a fitted-out office may also look the part, a fully furnished one might not be decorated, but will still contain everything you need to get to work.
Desks, chairs, pedestals, filing cabinets and more should be included in a fully furnished office. If you have everything you need to start without any extra help (this is often the case when moving offices where you own the furniture) then you may want to miss the initial costs and stock it yourself.
Create Your Ideal London Office with One One One
So, if you feel you have all you need to answer the questions (and even if you don’t yet) then head on over to our build your own bespoke office page and create your ideal working space.
I have covered every section on the page, apart from the last one, which says let us know anything else.
When we say anything, we mean it.
Here at One One One, we have access to Every London Office, and we have seen the wackiest and weirdest offices and requests, so don’t be shy and tell us exactly what you want.
We can’t wait to hear from you.