9 Signs your Business Needs More Space

When you start a small business, you usually start off with a relatively small office space so you can save money and invest more in your products, marketing, and building your brand. 

That is absolutely fine when you are starting out, but once your business starts to gain a bit more traction, it is not always the most practical solution, However, you don’t want to waste money moving your office space when there is no need to do so, so what do you do?

Look for these very clear signs that your business needs more space, that’s what!

1. Employees don’t have any personal space

If the employees in your office space are practically giving one another a lap dance when they are working, then that is a clear sign that you need to secure more space for them. 

Having your team be close is one thing, but not providing them with their own personal space is likely to not only hamper them from working as efficiently as possible, but also more likely to result in arguments and a bad atmosphere, so it may well be tie to start looking for a bigger workspace if you spot this tell-tale sign.

2. Your paperwork is all over the place

When your office space is too small for the operation you are running, there are only so many filing cabinets and drawers you can fit into the space, which means that you end up with papers stacked on desks, floors, and crammed into too small filing cabinets, which not only makes the office look messy but also makes it much more time-consuming for you and your employees to find the papers you need, which does not make for a particularly productive company, I’m sure you will agree.

3. Employees are leaving

This is a tricky one because employees can decide to leave your business for many reasons, but if you already suspect you have a space issue that is making it uncomfortable for people in the office, and they start deciding to leave, it could well be that they are doing so because the lack of space is making them uncomfortable, and making it more difficult for them to do their jobs. So, this is definitely one sign that is worth exploring more.

4. You’re embarrassed to invite clients 

If you are too embarrassed to invite your clients to the office space because you know that it will be messy and that you will have to squeeze into your office to have a meeting, then it is a clear sign that you need more space. Being able to invite clients to your place of work is really important because not only can it save you money on those working lunches, but it can also show them who you are and what your business is about. Of course, a cramped workplace will not give off the best impression, so it is something that you really do need to dort out as soon as possible.

5. Your business is doing really well

If your business is doing really well, there is a good chance that you will need to expand your office space if there is no room for the extra equipment you need to be able to meet the demand. However, if you are able to continue meeting the needs of your customers and your employees still feel pretty comfortable in the office, it is likely that you can save money by holding off on finding a bigger space for a little longer.

6. It’s a mess

A messy workplace is never a good look. It can bring your business into disrepute by giving it a bad reputation for being sloppy, and it can demoralise your employees who do not want to have to work in a messy environment day after day. 

However, if your office space is too small, it can often be really difficult to keep it clean and tidy, even if you employ excellent cleaners, simply because there is too much stuff in too small a space. So, if your office is always a mess, it really is a good idea to think about the possibility of expanding to a bigger workplace in the near future.

7. Productivity levels have fallen

If you know that you have hired the best, most capable team to work for you, but you have also noticed that productivity has started to fall off a cliff, then it could be that you do not have enough space.

A lack of space can, as we mentioned above, lead to a more claustrophobic environment and a more messy workplace, and both of these things can hit the productivity of even the best workers because, as they say: a messy room makes for a messy mind. The money you spend on expanding will, then, be more than offset by a boost in productivity levels in the long term.

8. You have to turn down work

As a small business, turning down work is rarely a good idea because you want to build as many relationships with as many clients as possible so that you can make as much money as possible. However, if you simply do not have enough space in your office to complete that work, it is something you might have to do, and yet another reason why calling the moving company in to take you to a bigger space would be a good idea. If your office is costing you business, then it really is a big problem!

9. You’re unhappy

If you are unhappy in your workspace, then this is another key sign that things might need to change, and you should definitely start looking at your options as soon as possible so you can fall back in love with your business.

If you spot several of these signs in your workplace, then it is almost certainly the case that you need more space, and the sooner you find it, the better it will be for you, your employees, and your business too.