Many small businesses in Southwest Florida find themselves in a dilemma. They are trying to grow and maybe even expanding their teams, but growth means tighter cash flow and overly full schedules. Both these situations make it hard to think about the cost and complexities of setting up a traditional office.
Working from home is feasible up until a point, but as your team starts to grow you may find yourself exploring options to create a better team dynamic. One option is to telecommute – an appealing option because you cut down on commuting costs, save time, and money on rent in the comfort of your Cape Coral, Florida home.
However, one of the caveats of working remotely is that it is hard to keep your team on one page. Communication can sometimes suffer, and collaboration takes a nosedive. The solution to this problem is an affordable office space with shared amenities where your team can work together occasionally, or all the time, without having the cost and hassle associated with traditional office space. Here are signs that you need an office.
Your Team Has No Unity
Because your team is distributed in various locations, it can be hard to foster team unity. One of the most critical elements of a good company is when the staff work in synchrony towards one goal. Continue with a flexible policy, but become more efficient with a real office. Whether you decide your team needs to be there every day, or come in only a few days a week, you will all still benefit from rock-solid communication in a professional setting.
Your Office Culture is Suffering
Working apart from each other means you cannot cultivate a good office culture, so company productivity suffers. It is vital to promote a good office culture that harnesses the feelings of connection between co-workers. When your staff feel engaged and invested with one another, they feel more satisfied. The shared experience between teammates is an essential component of great collaboration, and this can be done when you gather in one place. You can get responsibilities and projects delegated efficiently if you have a fantastic office culture.
Your Team is Suffering From Miscommunication
It is so easy to misinterpret or miss what someone is saying when you don’t work together. Sometimes, email chains or chats get so long; not everyone bothers to read what transpired earlier. Because your responsibilities at home are always hovering a few feet away in a work-at-home situation, they can easily distract you and you may have missed something that was shared in your group chat. Having an office where everyone comes together makes it a lot easier for you to stay in the loop and track what everyone is doing.
Your Team Can Go On For Hours Without Seeing a Friendly Face
It is a terrible sign when you and your team can go on for hours without seeing another face. Sure, working from home can be freeing. You can also hide away in a quiet corner of a cafe or a library. However, this can be counterproductive because humans are designed to be social creatures. Everyone works better after being in touch with familiar and friendly faces. If you have an office space, you need only swivel your chair around ton chat with your team, and can even have lunch or coffee together every day.
Your Team Doesn’t Know Each Other
It is a scary thing to be working with people you know nothing about. It is time to set up an office when Google knows more about your teammates than you do. If you are working side-by-side with someone, it will help to know tidbits about them. Coming to work in an office allows you to see people on a regular basis. Having a real-world workspace means you can quickly gather info about your teammates, and feel part of something.
Bottom Line
Stay engaged with your co-workers in an office suite so you can boost productivity and profitability. An office is not just for work, but it is also a fun place where you can communicate constantly and freely, and separate work from home life. With so many features like meeting rooms, a coffee shop, and other amenities, there are many ways to bond with your team and other small business owners in an executive office building such as Twelve Twenty-Two Offices. It gives you an opportunity to improve your business outcomes.
Save yourself from the hassles of miscommunication, because of a lost email or a long chat thread, by hanging out in your private office space. Aside from making your inbox feel less cluttered, you can make meaningful connections with your teammates. As you become more familiar and engaged with each other in your new space, you can work better and help each other stay motivated.