Are you looking to launch a new business or growing your existing one? Then, you’ll probably be on the lookout for a bigger and newer office. An office is more than a simple base, it should say something about your business and give you and your employees inspiration and impress your clients.

If the above applies to you, here are some important factors to consider when designing an office space:

1. Space.

The size of an office is an important consideration for most businesses. If you have a large team, small offices aren’t going to work. If you have a small workforce, there’s no point in paying over the odds for space you won’t use. Don’t waste time viewing spaces that aren’t suitable. If you think you’re likely to grow in the future, choose a space that comes with extra space if you need it.

2. Location.

Location is essential for many businesses. Do you need to be close to road and rail links? Are you going to be hosting meetings with clients or colleagues? Do you desire to be in the centre of a town or city? If your staff need to come and go all day, it’s sensible to be central. If you’re based in an office with no direct contact with clients, you may wish to enjoy the benefits of cheaper rent rates out of town. Consider the options according to what suits your company best.

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3. Practicality.

When you’re designing your office, think about practical issues. Your office may look fantastic, but does it work? You need a layout that is conducive to working collaboratively. Is there ample room for meetings or group sessions, for example? Before you start thinking about accessories and colour schemes, it’s best to get the important and practical matters sorted. For Office Fit-out Companies, visit mobiusatwork.co.uk

4. Health and safety.

All employers are required to comply with health and safety measures, which protect employees from injury or ill health, and you’ll want to ensure your office fulfills these regulations. Once you’ve completed building work and decorating, you’ll need to keep on top of the maintenance jobs. Electrical appliances and gadgets should be checked frequently, as well as boiler and heating systems monitoring. Your office should be clean and tidy to reduce the risk of accidents, slips, and falls.

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5. The atmosphere and visual appeal.

Your office says a lot about you as an individual and your company. If you are inviting clients, customers or colleagues into your office, make sure it looks visually appealing. It’s also beneficial for your employees to work in a space they find inspirational. Try to create a welcoming atmosphere and create a bit of visual interest. It’s important to remain smart and business-like but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a bit of colour, some art or nice desk accessories.

The new Packaging Regulations are coming into force at the start of October. Is your business ready? The new rules will affect all businesses that bring packaged products to market, from initial packaging through to the elements used when putting products through packaging wrappers. The regulations are aimed at minimizing the amount of packaging that is used. However, with many businesses unaware that the regulations even exist and very little enforcement currently taking place, what impact will the changes really have?

The Problem of Waste

In this country, we generate an extremely large volume of waste every year. Just in England, this amounts to 177 million tonnes each year, and a vast quantity of this is sent to landfill. This increases the cost of dealing with waste and leads to environmental issues. If we want to work towards becoming a ‘zero-waste economy’, we need to dramatically reduce the amount of rubbish that we generate. It is not possible to completely remove waste from our lives, but the new regulations should help us to value our waste more by reducing levels, reusing and recycling what we can and then only throwing away items if we really have to.

The New Regulations

From 1st October 2015, the changes that have been made to the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations will come into force. However, many in the industry may be unaware that these regulations were originally implemented on 1st January 1999 to follow an EU Directive. Since that time, there have been very few prosecutions for businesses that have failed to comply. UK enforcement agencies have not adopted a strict enforcement strategy against those who don’t comply.

With the regulations now updated, it is generally the role of the brand owners or importers to comply with the regulations.  It’s imperative that they feel they have a moral duty to reduce the elements of waste within their product, as it is unlikely that we will see any further enforcement of the regulations.

The new Packaging Regulations are an important step towards achieving a ‘zero-waste economy’. However, it will take a concerted approach and more enforcement for the regulations to have a real impact on waste levels.

Security guards aren’t just beneficial for nightclubs, bars, and banks; they can be a valuable asset for many kinds of premises, including offices. Security guards don’t just protect your staff from unwanted intruders but from theft too. They can also carry out roles that are currently undertaken by office staff. Whether you need security guards in Gloucester, London or Glasgow, the UK boasts some of the most professional security guards in the world.

Theft Prevention

Early in the morning or late in the evening, your offices may remain open with few staff on-site. This is the most likely time theft will occur. Even if your office has no ‘stock’ as such, it will still be home to a large number of expensive assets such as computers, printers, and laptops. Thefts personal items such as phones and wallets are not unknown in urban areas. A security guard present during these hours will prevent opportunistic thefts.

Peace of Mind

Peace of mind amongst your employees is a valuable thing to have. Despite the fact that attacks of any sort are rare in an office, they do sometimes happen, and whether that’s a threat from terrorism or individuals, workers will feel safer in the knowledge that a security guard is located near the entrance of the office.

Extra Jobs

When security guards are hired for offices, their role may include extra responsibilities which are vital for the running of your office. In this HSE Executive Risk Assessment example, the security staff is responsible for checking all areas at the end of the shift as well as locking up and opening up the building. Many security guards are also expected to check and assess the building’s general security, such as surveillance, locks, and alarms. Leaving these jobs to a professional security guard leaves your other employees free to get on with their own roles too.

As you can see, a security guard can be a wonderful asset to your office-based business premises, providing peace of mind and theft prevention and even covering extra responsibilities.