The good news is your client’s company is taking off like gangbusters; the bad news is their office space is already stretched beyond capacity. If your clients have found themselves bumping elbows a little too often, they’re one of many companies being limited by a lack of office space. When first setting up shop, it can be difficult for a company to determine how much space will be needed in the future. Considering that rent is often the second largest expense a company will have after payroll, many choose to err on the side of caution, and go with a smaller (and less costly!) office space.

Since none of us have a crystal ball, it usually takes something dramatic - like tripping over makeshift file “mountains” on the floor - for your clients to realize they miscalculated their office needs. If the boss is feeling the squeeze, the employees are likely feeling it three times worse.

Office space impacts your clients more than they might realize. Especially when you consider factors like…

Employee Morale

If employees have to “hot seat” the same workstations throughout the day, there is always a line at the copier, or your client actually presented an employee with a hallway and told them “We can set up a desk here,” news flash: nobody’s having a great day at work.

The flow and layout of an office has a huge impact on employee morale. If basic tasks become hindered by overcrowding, lack of workspace, or disorganization, employees will become frustrated. In the minds of employees, these are addressable issues that are being ignored by senior management. The employees start to feel forgotten and unsupported, and company morale takes a nosedive. It won’t be long before an exodus begins as employees decide to seek greener pastures, taking their skills and training with them.

When you take the necessary steps to redesign a crowded work area, you make an investment in employee well being and morale. By offering your clients a solution to their overcrowding, you continue to position yourself as an expert.  

Productivity

Nothing runs smoother than a well organized and intelligently laid out office. Of course that also means nothing runs less efficiently than a jumbled, disorganized workplace. Think of it this way: if you knew you would have to physically dig through scattershot piles of paper in order to find the file you need, would you approach that task with enthusiasm?  

Of course not! That’s an office nightmare. What’s more, every minute employees spend in search of supplies, in line at the printer, or wandering the office looking for enough space to spread out a large project, is time not spent being productive. By putting employees into a position where they can’t work, your clients are only digging themselves into a deeper hole.  

Throw them a rope. Give your clients the chance to work to their full potential by considering an office redesign.

Presentation

Your clients want to meet with an important business prospect, but they are hesitant to invite them into the office.  Maybe the conference table was repurposed as extra workspace, the furniture is a little too dated, or they’re simply worried that the prospect will see the slapdash setups the employees are in and associate the company with disorganization.

Much like you wouldn’t host an event at your home before tidying up first, you also wouldn’t want to host important clients in a messy space.  What your clients need is an office design to encourage interaction - not just with outside guests, but also among their own employees.  People are far more likely to interact in a comfortable environment, so help your clients let their employees relax.

If your clients’ capability is being restrained by their workspaces, you need to provide a quick, affordable, and intelligent solution to improving productivity. Use this guide to help determine when your client needs to rethink its space. Hint: that time might be right now.