Business considerations before investing in a bespoke garden office

5 Top business considerations before investing in a bespoke garden office

There is no doubt that the world of work is yet to settle in to a ‘new normal’. While there are reports of some big organisations supporting a return to traditional office life, many people have decided they either don’t need, or don’t want, to be part of that.‍

‍At Mybridity we believe you should define productivity on your terms and set up your working environment in the way that fires your creativity and energy. Some made these decisions long ago and are continually finding new ways to grow their business while others are figuring how to achieve this in line with corporate considerations.‍

‍Whatever your starting point, there is no doubt that a bespoke garden office appeals to most people as an expression of personality, achievement, and vision, as much as a quiet place to work, far from the distractions of everyday life.

Before committing to the costs of a bespoke project we recommend posing yourself these 5 questions about your business to help frame your precise needs.

1. The rhythm of work

Look at a reasonable period and consider how many days you could be working from a garden office. What do you see? If that is typical, is it enough to justify a sizeable investment? The idea of working from a garden office may appeal but it’s important to be honest about where and how business is actually done; how do you create those ‘wow’ moments that got you this far?

2. Success factors

In most roles, no matter the business profile, there will be recognised success factors. Great service, fast turnaround, speed of decision making, strength of personal networks are some examples but each business will have its’ own. Understanding this and figuring out if your planned investment enhances or detracts from these factors is a useful exercise. It may provoke obvious answers but will undoubtedly inform decisions about the scope and budget.

3. Nurturing relationships

Relationships are a key factor in business growth regardless of size or industry. Do you envisage maintaining strong relationships from the comfort of your garden office or is it more realistic to be on the road 4 days per week? The answer will most likely be a mix of the two, especially if your customers have a hybrid working model too, but, again, the answer will help to how your garden office will actually be used.

4. Customer experience

There is no business without customers and their preference for you to be on site most of the time or have regular video calls matters. Time with customers is an opportunity to manage the ebbs and flows of key relationships and uncover ways to influence how things progress. The point is not to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the investment in a garden office but to be mindful of why you are making the investment and how returns will be maximised.

5. Technology

I think most of us hreave experienced video fatigue in recent times. If a garden office is a realistic prospect let’s consider what audio and visual questions need to be answered. This will impact key topics like sound insulation, quantity, size and positioning of monitors and microphones as well as the overall layout of the workspace. Not a reason not to invest but a healthy reality check on space, utility, and budget before committing to a bespoke design.

There are a lot of choices for garden offices. Modular, prefabricated designs will be the lowest cost and most consistent option to meet standard and predictable needs. The budget will perhaps reduce any anxiety over how much use the build will see. A bespoke design will be built around you, your vision, and the needs of your business with these 5 topics informing choices of specification, layout, materials, and finishes.

For a free, initial discussion about your individual workspace, contact Wayne at wayne@mybridity.com.