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By Meghan Belnap

The majority of big businesses you see around started off with small beginnings. Starting small is a strategy most startups use to stabilize their financial capital as they envision future growth. Luckily, within a short time of hard work, focus and dedication, your business should grow and expand its operations. Upon realizing some growth, you will have to consider upgrading to a larger office. But how do you know it’s time for an office upgrade? Well, when you notice the following signs, you should know its time for you to upgrade:

Excessive overcrowding

When you start experiencing frequent overcrowding at your workplace, that’s enough indication that you need an upgrade. When your business grows, the chances that you’ll hire more staff is high. However, if the number of your staff keeps growing in a limited space, then overcrowding will definitely be witnessed. In most states, the recommended space requirement should be 40 square feet per worker. Therefore, if you notice that you aren’t meeting the space requirement, then upgrading to a larger office space is recommended.

Insufficient storage

As your business grows, there will be an increased need to create more filling cabinets for the growing team. Also, the office cupboards will become fuller each day. Therefore, if you have filled cupboards and storage cabinets, you will end up spending more time finding the right files or documents. As such, you can think of having to relocate to a larger office room. Since your storage cabinets contain confidential files and documents, it’s good that you engage a professional mover.

Remember to stay organized with your documents while moving offices due to the importance and sensitivity of the information. Keep a list of each box or cabinet you pack. You’ll also want to arrange a mail forwarding service. This is vital to prevent private client and company information from ending up in the wrong hands. The forwarding service will make sure that all mail that is supposed to get to you actually gets to the right place.

Reduced productivity

Employees are more productive if their environment is optimized. Therefore, if you notice a decrease in production, that indicates that the staff is struggling to cope with the work environment. Small or overcrowded offices tend to have more distractions such as noise. As such, relocating to a more spacious and peaceful office can help provide your staff with a fresh breadth and motivation to work harder.

Scheduling business meetings off-site

If you find yourself scheduling more meetings away from the office, it could indicate that your office space is limited, uncomfortable, or has disruptions. Generally, every business office should have a conference/meeting room, spacious and conducive enough to host clients. If you find your business lacking one, it could indicate that you need an upgrade.

Final thoughts

Growing a business takes time, focus, and dedication. Even with the growth and expansion, your strategy should be to find ways to remain sustainable. One of the factors that can affect your business sustainability and success is limited operational space. Therefore, if you experience the signs mentioned above, you should consider upgrading to a larger space.

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Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, and researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.