Does Office Location And Ease Of Access Make A Difference To Employees?

Out of all the factors to consider when looking for a commercial property, the location is one of the most important. This matters not only for your customers and clients who would be visiting you, but also for your employees – and even potential workers you want to attract to your team. For these people, office location plays a big decision in how long they work for you, if they enter employment with you at all.

Making it easy to get to work not only makes life easier for staff, but reduces stress and worries that can come with commuting. Keeping employees happy goes beyond salaries, and ease of access to the office or commercial property is just one thing business owners can think about when they’re thinking of moving their business.

What’s Putting People Off The Daily Commute?

Making it easy for people to get to work has never been more important, with more reasons to not go into the office appearing every week. For some jobs, being in the office isn’t as important as it used to be, so understanding why workers don’t want to commute every day can help you find solutions.

Traffic Jams And Congestion

The daily commute can be a real drain on people before they even make it to work. Sitting in traffic every morning and evening feels like a waste of time and there’s little they can do while waiting for traffic to move. Even on public transport, people will find themselves in queues in busy areas – and because many businesses operate during the same hours, this is when the congestion is at its worst.

When people have so many other things they’d rather do, sitting in traffic for any period of time every day is not something that people want if they can help it – and there are options for them to avoid it now.

Taking Back Their Time

Not worrying about having to travel to work every day means workers have more time to themselves, creating a better work-life balance and giving them the chance to pursue hobbies and interests they normally wouldn’t. While reading a book on the bus each day is just one way people get around the boredom, it’s not as easy for drivers.

For families, it means more time spent together, or being able to get the kids to school each morning without having to stay late to catch up on the time missed – and there are many other examples.

Improvements In Technology

Technology has advanced in recent years, and changes in working habits has allowed workers in some roles to work from home. This not only eliminates the daily commute and the exasperation many feel stuck in traffic, but allows them to use that time as they see fit. Getting around this is a challenge for many employers.

While some people prefer and thrive from being in the office, others do better in a different environment. Making people give that up will also be a challenge, especially if their office location isn’t easily accessible.

Making It Easy For People To Get To Work

For employees, how to get to work is an important consideration. It comes up when a business moves location, when people move homes and when searching for a new job. Driving is an option for many, but it’s not always practical if there’s a lack of parking. Combine this with poor public transport, and it creates an unnecessary problem that can be solved by looking for work elsewhere.

When looking at a new office location, there are some ways to make sure that your workers don’t have a reason to find fault with the daily commute.

An Office Location With Good Transport Links

While driving is almost considered standard, there are plenty of people who don’t – whether by choice or for another reason. It can also be impractical to drive if living in a city where congestion is high and parking is limited. The cost of driving, parking, fuel and insurance can be replaced with public transport, which is why office location is important to consider.

While not everywhere benefits from transport links, if there are options, it will help give workers the options over how they get to work each day. You can control everything, but the further out from the centre you go, the fewer transport options there will be. Speaking to existing employees before a move can help avoid potential problems.

Having The Space For Each Worker

Public transport routes that run close to the office are certainly an advantage, but parking for those who live further away or can’t make use of this option will be important, too. In some developments, parking space is limited, making it a scramble to get a space. This adds stress because people will go out of their way to make sure they can park.

It becomes a distraction and can have an adverse effect on the quality of work they do. Any commercial property you look at should be considered not just on the inside but on what facilities are around it and how they can be used by your employees. Parking, electric vehicle charging points and more all matter.

Know What’s Around The Office

Know what’s around for your employees. Are there coffee shops, cafes and shops they can use when they don’t want to bring lunch from home or want a new environment for their break? Is there a park or green space to take a walk and clear their head? What about banks, bars or other amenities? They might not matter to the work they do, but could help with life admin or socialising.

Being able to sell your office location by what’s around can add a little extra to your employees, making them more likely to want to travel to work more often, even if it’s not every day.

Find An Office Location That Works For You And Your Employees

It’s clear that the right office location has a huge impact on your business. Not only does it need to be easy for your customers to get to you, but your staff, too. A prime location in a busy city centre is an option, but it may not be the right size for your team with their equipment. On the other hand, a bigger place in a business park or more rural location might be harder to get to, and this will make it harder to attract talent.

There’s so much to consider when looking for a new commercial property, and to avoid the pitfalls and mistakes, you should seek the advice of experts who know the best way to navigate your needs. The team at Williams Sillitoe can help with this, so contact us now and find out how we can help.