Have YOU found YOUR perfect office yet?

(If not, then this is for you)

Did you know that in Glasgow, around 20 new businesses were created every day, according to the most recent figures available.

During the first six months of 2022 nearly 3750 new firms came in to existence in the city. That’s almost double the number from just three years earlier.

For many of these startups, no matter how small, working from home is not a viable option.

There could be any number of reasons why that option is unattractive. Being cut off from like-minded individuals, which often leads to a sense of isolation, is perhaps the most common.

Businesses owners thrive on connecting and interacting with other business people.

Meeting and chatting with a variety of entrepreneurs can spark ideas and may lead to mutually profitable partnerships.

Those who need an office will require a flexible workspace that’s collaborative, productive, and fully equipped – all without breaking the bank.

And this is exactly what we provide at OUR HQ. We believe we have the perfect office solution for any startup.

In our office space in Glasgow, you’ll be able to host meetings, take private calls, communicate and brainstorm with your team or other entrepreneurs to come up with new ideas, or spend time on your own focusing at a desk.

And we offer a complete range of serviced office space – hot-desking, co-working space, individual private office space and larger offices for your team.

And since we’ve done all the hard work in designing and furnishing the perfect office solution for your requirements, you don’t need to waste time searching for it.

Nor do you need to worry about being tied into a long-term contract.

Our terms for hiring an office space are the most flexible available.

You can have the coolest premises in Glasgow for the length of time which best suits you.

At OUR HQ you can even rent an office for just a single day in the form of a co-working day pass.

We’ve also taken away the fear about the cost of doing so, because we offer the most flexible and affordable packages tailored to your individual needs.

With a hassle-free signing up process and no hidden costs, the pricing structure for our serviced offices has been designed with you in mind.

On top of that, our office is close to good transport links with free parking right outside.

We’ve conducted a great deal of research in order to help you find the best office space for your new company.

We’ve looked at a variety of important factors which we think will help sustain your new business and help it to succeed.

Office space designers are realising that creativity is the key to improved performance and satisfaction.

The goal now is to turn your office into a pleasant space where you and like-minded people want to spend increasing amounts of time.

Not a place that sees an exodus of staff anxious to get away as fast as possible at 5pm every night.

A place which helps generate ideas and success through improved communication, coupled with a higher level of social interaction.

It all adds up to greater efficiency and higher profitability.

So, what are the most important features of a contemporary office for today’s new entrepreneurs?

Here’s what the experts think:

OPEN SPACE AND SOCIALISING

Striking a balance with space can be quite difficult, in particular when it comes to modern office design ideas for small spaces.

Having an office layout that encourages collaboration could help bring projects together more easily, but can limit space for those who need to shut themselves away to concentrate. 

Generally, having enough space to allow for both is the sweet spot for most companies.

In a flexible workspace you gain instant access to a huge network of like-minded entrepreneurs and small businesses.

It’s a great environment for startups who want to expand their network, make new connections and grow their business through personal contacts.

We realised that in terms of open space office design, the best solution is to provide options.

We’ve created breakout spaces and areas that invite lively discussion but also allow people to complete their work in areas that are quieter so they can focus.

We already knew that old fashioned tightly-packed workspaces don’t cut it any more.

Rows upon rows of cubicles and compartments crammed together like a factory production line have been found to contribute to stress.

Working in cage-like conditions impacts negatively on efficiency and happiness. Yet an open style office with areas in which to socialise improves communication and the flow of ideas.

At OUR HQ we put a great deal of emphasis on the design of our office space. We wanted to establish a social hub where entrepreneurs could come together in a common space and also enjoy a coffee lounge atmosphere.

If you’ve got a small business, and you want to bring other people in to talk shop with you, the coffee lounge approach gives you a more sociable alternative to taking them into your office.

Many more businesses are leaning towards this more relaxed approach.

Having said that, we also offer you the option of booking private meeting rooms for discussions of a more confidential nature.

Indeed, Workplace specialist Mark Eltringham says: “New offices will feature a core surrounded by break-out spaces, cafes, collaborative environments such as meeting rooms and private pods for working.

“There will be a range of facilities to create an environment that people actually want to go to.” 

LIGHTING

Lighting is one of the most critical aspects of any office environment.

Lack of lighting can affect your productivity and energy levels, so it makes sense that there should be plenty of light surrounding the work area.

It helps your positivity and wellbeing because we operate better under natural light.

Recent studies have shown that exposure to natural light has been consistently linked to improved productivity.

It helps regulate circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep patterns and higher alertness levels during work hours.

A well-lit environment also reduces eye strain and headaches, allowing for prolonged focus and efficiency.

Natural light significantly impacts mental health.

It increases the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with mood elevation.

Consequently, natural lighting can lead to lower instances of depression and a more positive, energetic work atmosphere.

We have plenty of natural light coming through our bank of windows.

However, in order to enhance that further we made sure there is ample overhead lighting in the office to avoid any dull or poorly lit corner spaces.

Lighting was a special consideration for us and was carefully chosen by our design team.

In the Meeting Rooms we have different features. In the offices, rather than just having panel lights, we went for pendant lights because we thought that gave the space a more interesting look.

Normally in an office situation you would just have the square panels in the ceiling.

This building lends itself to this pendant feature lighting because of its high ceiling. It has a lofty kind of look, especially with the exposed brickwork.

COLOUR

The paint on office walls doesn’t have to be all eggshell, white dove, pearl, cream, or cotton.

A pop of colour on an odd wall or two can enhance a work environment and make it more conducive to productivity. 

Clever use of colour can also open up the room and make it seem larger than it really is.

And colour isn’t only applicable to walls. Colourful office furniture, chairs, or tables add some life to the space.

Furniture colour is an important factor.

In our common space a lot of it is quite monochrome, quite neutral.

That’s to contrast with the meeting rooms where we have red chairs. The iconic telephone booths where calls can be made and received in private are also red.

These are just pops of colour and not overwhelming. Apart from that everything is quite muted in terms of colour.

The meeting rooms all have different themes and colours to distinguish them not just from the rest of the office but from one another.

For example, the Record Room is decorated by multi-coloured vinyl records. The Ideas Room features people who have introduced good ideas as an inspiration.

In our experience, people get a bit scared of colour because it can be overpowering. They can be distracted by it and we have tried to avoid placing them in that situation.

Apart from the phone booths, we have incorporated various hideaways into the design, enabling anyone to go and have a more private conversation, instead of having it in your office or common space.

Studies have shown that introducing vibrant colours through furniture, walls, or accessories can transform the energy of our space.

Using splashes of colour here and there is a great way to shape the mood and stimulate brain function.

It all adds to the great flexibility we offer.

GLASS PARTITIONS

The use of glass partitions is regarded as essential when it comes to modernising and improving contemporary office spaces.

According to some experts, they might even be one of the most important design considerations when creating the space.

We wanted OUR HQ to be full of glass so that it was all quite open, with no part of the office too shut off.

The glass also lets the light come through because natural daylight is so important.

They also deliver transparency across the space which helps to promote our community ethos.

However, while teamwork and accessibility is important, it’s also vital for businesses to be able to get on with their tasks without too much distraction from other areas.

Business meetings with clients or visitors require privacy. There is a worry that glass partitions might not guarantee that.

Yet even single-glazed glass partitions can offer sound protection of up to 44 decibels, keeping conversations only between those who need to hear them.

Glass panels with frosted sections or coloured films applied offer visual privacy without compromising on light flow or team transparency.

That’s why our distinct glass partitions are split in half with the bottom section opaque to deliver privacy between offices.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL

A comfortable climate in the workspace is essential for happiness.

A lot of offices are either too hot or too cold. This can cause upset and frustration leading to unhappiness and, possibly, a search for new premises.

It’s vital to have the option of turning the temperature up or down.

That’s why we have introduced air conditioning rather than heaters. This way we can cool the space down in the summer, if necessary, while keeping it warm and cosy in the winter.

An optimal temperature improves comfort levels.

It also helps to improve air quality because it filters out dust, allergens, and pollutants.

But perhaps best of all, air conditioning can help boost productivity because everyone works better in environments with regulated temperatures.

EATING, DRINKING AND PARTYING

The experts say that a kitchen furnished with the basic commodities can come in handy.

They advocate a never-ending supply of tea, coffee, water, and snacks.

In fact, quality coffee and tea facilities can make a significant difference in terms of satisfaction.

Also, providing a comfortable area to enjoy the coffee or tea, can show that you value the importance of downtime and tastes.

Little luxuries like this can have a huge impact on morale.

In addition, they say it’s important there is a definite space set aside for eating and drinking for those who don’t want to stay at the desk the entire time they are at work. 

And finally, they think having a party area for after-work events would be the perfect addition to any office.

Socialisation is a key component of creativity. In an office environment, it usually takes place in a designated lounge area.

There, individuals or team members can take a break, unwind, converse with others, and get inspired.

Setting up a socialisation area to be flexible in design can transform a chance meeting of four colleagues into an unexpected collaboration that brings about new ideas and new solutions.

We agree wholeheartedly.

Our bar area is highly unusual.

It provides a multi-functional space so if we wanted later at night time to turn the office into an event space we could do so with the minimum of fuss.

The idea behind that specific design is to ensure it doesn’t look too much like a kitchen. It’s more like a bar.

We can move all the tables, desks and chairs away to provide greater space for an event crowd, which would most likely be larger.

We’ve had parties here and we just moved everything out of the way to make space for a DJ and a dance floor.

The tables and chairs were placed at the side for people to sit.

We don’t have an alcohol licence but if one is needed for an event, it can be applied for on an individual basis.

Throughout the day we offer snacks, soft drinks, tea or coffee. There’s a payment machine there and we operate an honesty system because it’s unattended.

SUITABLE FURNITURE

Ergonomic furniture is essential.

All desks and chairs need to be fully adjustable, without exception, so that they are comfortable and well-suited to each user.

This will help minimize injuries such as RSI, sore backs, and stiffness.

A quality functional office chair that can support the lower back and maintain perfect posture will make everyone happy.

As far as we’re concerned, the days of having big massive bulky office desks are over.

We don’t need them anymore.

They were popular in the days when we had massive computers. Now we’re working with smaller laptops and desktops and hardly any paper.

We purposely brought in smaller desks.

We tried lots of different chairs to make sure they were designed to be sat on for a full day without discomfort.

You need to have that ability to move your chair up and down. Ours also have a slight recline feature. They cater for all shapes and sizes.

Any design has to have a range of materials and textures. Here the flooring gives us that extra warmth.

It also makes it easier for chairs to manoeuvre than on carpets.

ELECTRICAL OUTLETS AND CONNECTIVITY

Somewhat surprisingly, one area which is often overlooked in the office is a plentiful supply of electrical outlets.

It’s vital to avoid draping extension cords from one end of the room to another. Not only can this hinder workplace activities, but it can also pose serious health and safety risks.

When in doubt, more electrical outlets are certainly better than less.

We followed this advice to the letter, even though doing so made life difficult for our suppliers.

Sourcing the style of the partitions we required involved redesigning the originals

We got bespoke partitions made so that we could have electric sockets embedded in them.

We saw the manufacturer’s design and adapted it.

It took longer and cost extra but we knew it was worth it.

You might think that the issue of connectivity could be taken for granted.

But adequate Wi-Fi connections are not found everywhere. And if your Wi-Fi isn’t up to scratch it becomes incredibly frustrating.

As part of our vision to design the perfect office for new businesses, we provide the fastest and most reliable connection speed available in our area to our entrepreneurs and start-ups.

So, if you’re still asking yourself if you’ve found the perfect office space, then look no further than OUR HQ. We’ve created one just for you.