Is Your Office Space Letting You Down?

 By Contributing Author

Business owners exert so much energy outward. They focus on new clients, customer acquisition, their competition, market trends, tech upgrades –– and all with good reason. Yet, since entrepreneurs spend so much time and money concentrating on things outside of the office, they can sometimes forget how important their workspace is. Indeed, the way your office is designed can have a major effect on your ability to recruit new talent, retain current customers, and inspire your current workforce. So how can you tell if your HQ’s appearance is letting you down? Take a look at these four signs here:

Years Without Renovation

Though your office may remain clean and functional without a full-scale retooling, years without significant investment will likely cause some issues. If it’s been many moons since you brought in a professional to refurbish your office, you may want to consider doing so now. Even updating the furniture, art, or decor can revitalize an old workspace.

Unsatisfied Clients/Customers

We don’t need to hammer home the importance of sound client relations and customer satisfaction –– successful entrepreneurs already understand that aspect of business. However, you may not realize your physical space is causing friction between your staff and your customer base. What’s more, any company that asks visitors to wait before a scheduled appointment needs to have certain accommodations available for their customers. With that in mind, places like healthcare facilities, car dealerships, law offices, and dental practices need to be equipped with modern conveniences to cater to the contemporary consumer. As such, anything you can do to improve your lobby, foyer, or dental office waiting room will also improve the way visitors perceive your operation.

Uninspired Employees

Do you find yourself constantly fighting an uphill battle to motivate your team? If so, your office design might be to blame. Lack of natural light, poor air filtration, and even some unflattering aromas can all put a dent in employee productivity.

 Lack of Foot Traffic

 Perhaps you’ve spent lots of time and energy making sure the inside of your workspace is clean, vibrant, and inviting. But what about the outside? Truth is, your building’s facade is part of your company’s image, and if it looks dirty or unkempt, people will assume your office is as well. This is obviously detrimental to companies that rely on foot traffic like bars, restaurants, and retail locations. Still, no business can afford to operate out of a building that gives off bad vibes from blocks away. It may be difficult to notice these details for yourself, so if you suspect elements of your office design are off, you may want to think about calling in a professional to inspect your space.