The No-Nonsense Guide to Finding an Office

Hannah Watkins
Hannah Watkins|
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Let’s get down to business. We don’t want to make a daunting task like finding a new office seem any harder than it has to be, which is why we’ve put together this No-Nonsense Guide to Finding an Office, simplifying the process into five manageable steps.

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Step 1: Decide why you want a new office

First things first: why are you actually looking to move offices? It sounds simple, but it’s a question not to be overlooked.

  • Is your company increasing in size, but your workspace doesn’t have the capacity?
  • Is your present location inconvenient for employees and/or clients?
  • Are your current surroundings not conducive to creativity and productivity?
  • Do you think you’re not getting value for money at your current place?
  • Would flexible terms be more suitable for the growth of your business?

There are many possible reasons why you may be looking to move, but it’s essential to know your objective before you start looking.

We recommend making a list of the top five reasons why you’re looking for a new office. Once you’ve established that, you can move onto the details.

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Step 2: Determine what you want for your new office

Next it’s time to think about what you want from your office.

Of course, certainly things will be less (or non-) negotiable – like budget. Fix your figure (you can do this by using our handy office budget calculator) and stay firm. But most of the other decisions to be made will depend on the wants and needs of you and your team.

It’s essential to take your whole company’s opinions and preferences into account when relocating. At best, picking an office that doesn’t suit them will damage morale. At worst, it could cause some to leave the company. And picking an office with extra amenities no longer equates to spending more money. Plenty of serviced offices now come with a wide variety of perks – from onsite gyms to afterwork beers – in their standard monthly rental.

Luckily, it’s not a huge endeavour to include your team in decision-making; it’s easier now than ever to use an online form creator such as Typeform or SurveyMonkey to circulate a questionnaire around employees. Within it, we recommend asking questions such as:

  • Where would you most like to be based?
  • Is there anywhere you would actively not like to be based?
  • Would you prefer an open plan setup or smaller, more private offices?
  • Which 5 facilities would you consider essential in the office?

You can find more questions to ask here.

Once you’ve analysed the results, it’s time to begin the search.

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Step 3: Browse offices or call a tenant advisor

Depending on how you want to go about it, you can now choose between browsing London’s largest online inventory of office space at your leisure, or calling one of our knowledgable and friendly tenant advisors.

The best thing about having access to over 99% of London’s flexible office space on the platform is that you can explore the options knowing that you’re not missing out elsewhere. On top of that, our search capabilities allow you to filter according to location, budget, and a wide variety of facilities, leaving you safe in the knowledge that your results are unbiased and tailored specifically to your criteria. And with Hubble, you can search to your heart’s content 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – no opening and closing hours.

Equally, our highly-experienced tenant advisors are always happy to assist you if you need advice. They can also give you access to excellent off-market options that you won’t find elsewhere.

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Step 4: Pick your perfect office

Once you’ve narrowed the choice down to a shortlist (you have this feature with your free Hubble account), you can think about organising viewings. Before you arrive though, we recommend that you make a list of questions for you to ask your host. This may include:

  • What costs are included in my monthly rental?
  • When is the space available from?
  • How do meeting rooms work? Are they an extra cost?
  • Is it 24 hour access? If not, when can we access?
  • Who do we reach out to if there’s a problem? How quick do those problems get solved?
  • How fast is the WiFi?
  • Where are the best places for lunch nearby?

Don’t forget that lease and licence terms can also be negotiated. Don’t hesitate to loop in your tenant advisor if you’d like some advice on terms and/or pricing, and just to avoid disappointment, we’d recommend having a favourite and a backup, so that you can be sure you’re getting the best deal.

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Step 5: Move in and start working

Once you’ve signed on the dotted line, it’s time to move! Our office move checklist is a great place to start to ensure that you’ve done everything you need to before moving, from notifying utilities providers, to making sure that the whole team knows what’s going on and is ready on time.

If you’ve opted for a serviced office then you’ll now fully grasp the convenience of a plug-and-play setup. You’ll be well into your to-do list by lunchtime!

If your space is unfurnished and you’re looking to fit it out yourself, do get in touch with your tenant advisor – they have plenty of experience helping companies fit out new spaces, and can make the process as quick, easy, and pain-free as possible.

Download the full No-Nonsense Guide to Finding an Office here.

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Prefer to chat? Get in touch with our team of expert advisors:

Hubble Advisor
Hubble Advisor
Hubble Advisor

enquiries@hubblehq.com
+44 20 3966 6804