It’s not uncommon to hear of small businesses wanting to move into a new space. After all, if business is going well, you might find yourself in need of more space for employees or areas to meet with clients.

Finding a new office seems to be the easiest solution and for some, it may be the right decision. Before you make the decision to move, it might be time to sit down and think about how you can change your existing space to fit your needs. It might be simpler than you first think!

Two questions to ask yourself

Are all the areas of your office being used as you intended?

Whether you started your business three months ago or three years ago, it’s likely that the way you use the space you have has changed. Spend some time analysing how the space is being used. Are there areas in your office which become overcrowded at certain times while other areas hardly see any traffic at all? Do you have a boardroom you use once a month or less? Re-evaluating these areas may see you deciding to hire space off-site for those infrequent board meetings or reorganising the space so traffic is consistent in all areas.

Is your office a space for individual workers or teams?

This question might seem obvious, but it’s important to assess whether your space is working as well as it possibly can for all your employees. If they work in teams but the teams aren’t seated together, this might call for some reshuffling and reorganising. If they work individually but their desks are oversized and bulky, is this the best use of space or is it better to find some slimline desks to maximise the space you have?

Two questions for your architect

Are my ideas feasible?

After you’ve evaluated your current space, your head may be spinning with ideas, but it’s best to take a moment before diving into anything and ask an architect for guidance. Your grand plans might look great in your head, but they might not be possible on paper or in reality. An architect can aid you when it comes to the functionality and safety of your initial plans – two things that should be at the forefront of your mind as you redesign.

What is possible for this space?

Perhaps you’ve realised your current office space is not working in its current form, but you have no idea what you can do to fix the problems. An architect can tell you exactly what’s achievable for your space. Not only can he or she advise you on the functionality and safety of a potential redesign, but they can also give you a plan that takes the current and future needs of your business into account as well as offer up products and services that will work best for your space.

Your office space should be functional and promoting productivity, so no matter the changes you decide to make, each decision should be carefully considered to take every employee, client and job into account.

If you’re unsure of where to start when it comes to thinking creatively about your office space, it might be time to get an architect in to see what’s possible for your space.