The digital era and the pandemic have enabled employers and managers to organize the work process so that employees can work from home completely, occasionally, or a few days a month. This is especially pronounced in industries whose main occupation is based on the provision of Internet services, such as IT (information technology), digital marketing, consulting, and so on. Many businesses were forced to switch to working from home in 2020, and those that didn’t survive suffered heavy losses. As much as working from home is tempting for all parties involved, we cannot ignore the fact that the office is still very important for the company’s reputation.
In the text below, we will present several good reasons why we are convinced that the office is an essential part of every company and how it affects the company’s reputation.
Business Presentation
Business is a complex system, the whole of which is branding – the way it is presented to users, employees – the market as a whole. The office, that is, the business premises from which the business performs its activities, is certainly part of the image that the business builds. The office is the embodiment of business. Through how the space will be arranged, designed, and organized, the company communicates its identity, ethics, and values. The office space is a center of events where co-workers, partners, clients, employees, and even media representatives can come and experience the atmosphere your business creates and the values it cultivates and that itself is enough reason to buy or lease a commercial office space, which will undoubtedly attract more clients. The feeling that will be awakened in them when they enter your business premises can be a decisive factor for the success of cooperation and the creation of relationships. Of course, this can also affect whether you acquire new clients or acquire and retain quality staff.
Office Enables Higher Quality Cooperation
The office, the workspace in which employees work, is a natural environment that facilitates collaboration and communication. When working within the same workspace, employees can see how colleagues feel and behave and what values they have – and this is the essence of quality relationships and forms the basis for building a good team. In addition, they can ask for support or help from colleagues. Finally, this kind of business atmosphere strengthens responsibility. The reason for this is that the possibility of an individual neglecting their work tasks due to other colleagues, as well as the fact that they are aware that there is supervision by the management and the team, is reduced.
The proximity of collaborators reduces the possibility of a message/task/information being misinterpreted and opens up space for faster clarification of conflicts and/or misunderstandings.
Culture
The way a company treats its employees can have an impact on what kind of reputation it will have in the labor market and the market in general. That reputation will certainly affect the overall success of the company as well as the ability of the management to acquire and retain qualified professional staff. Without an office or workspace, it is difficult to convey values and establish a system that will allow employees to understand what benefits the company provides, as well as what behavior is desirable within the team.
The Office Encourages Professional Development
Business space creates an environment where everyone is enabled to be faced with different situations that can be both professional and personal. This is the basis for the development of the individual in both senses. The experiences we gain in the workplace are an integral part of life and influence how we will further develop and form attitudes, habits, and beliefs. The exchange of knowledge and experience enables us to learn faster, solve problems more efficiently and develop new ways of thinking. Of course, today there are online education, seminars, and courses that can be of great help when we need to acquire new knowledge or skills. However, this does not provide us with the necessary practice that we acquire by actually working on different projects. Having someone on the spot who can help us learn something and apply what we learned right away is invaluable.
The same applies to situations where employees need support or help to solve a problem or when they are faced with a difficult situation. Instead of having coffee with HR or having a live conversation with a supervisor, telecommuters are forced to use more formal means of communication, like email, if they want to talk to someone.
Taking all of the above into account, it is clear that the office is necessary, useful for everyone, and still provides several benefits that create a basis for the development of both business and all employees.
We hope that this text has helped you to see how the office affects the reputation of a company.