Proving just how important it is for businesses to choose the right HQ location, 53% of British workers are left uninspired by their working environment.
With 78% admitting they do judge a business based on its premises to some degree, new research from ava confirms that the quality and location of a business’ premises affects they are perceived by consumers and their own workers.
A third (32%) of people added that the location of a premises is ‘very important’ or ‘crucially important’ from a reputational point of view.
Whilst companies will always look to make cost savings when choosing a suitable base, this latest research confirms that making economies can sometimes serve to be detrimental, as only 22% said they did not take a company’s location into account when deciding whether or not to buy goods or services from them.
A report from the World Green Building Council highlighted that the look and feel of working environments can directly impact on productivity, and with 53% feeling their current environment wasn’t designed to get the best out of them, this shows that many employers are currently coming up short in this regard.
Of those that were unhappy with their working environment, it is younger people who are the most dissatisfied. Those under the age of 44 showed the most discontent.
Lucie Greenwood, Sales Manager at ava, asserts that businesses might regret cutting corners when finding a new HQ, as the findings show that many consumers and employers still judge businesses based on their location.
Greenwood said: “Consumers and employees still put a lot of store in an organisation’s location. The money that you save on your rent could well be offset by the reputational damage that you suffer because you’ve chosen one town over another. Also, you could find it harder to attract the best talent if you’re in an unfashionable location.”
Lucie recognises that not all businesses have the same circumstances: “Every business has different needs depending on their size, the industry they work in and who their customers are. What works for one company might not be appropriate for others, but there are certain pieces of advice that are universal."
Finally, Greenwood shares her advice to businesses: “It’s always worth keeping an eye out for up-and-coming business areas that are cheap now but are likely to grow in value. Also, having thorough financial forecasts to hand will be a real advantage, as you’ll be able to choose a building that will still be fit for purpose in five years’ time, saving you from moving again as you expand.”
