Almost any business can benefit from having a bit more flexibility in its workspace, but it’s especially true for engineering consultancies. A lot of that is to do with the types of changes that can so often occur throughout the course of engineering projects – for example, a client might bring a new project on board, or extra engineers may join the team for a particular stage, or several people may spend more time working on site. Any one of these can quickly change how much office space the business needs, and how often the team uses it.
That’s exactly where flexible office space can be so useful, which we regularly see first-hand at The Base Warrington. A number of engineering consultancies already have their offices here, and their teams use the space in different ways depending on their current projects; with some needing room to grow, and others who value easy access to meeting rooms and shared facilities.
Here, we’ll look at some of the main reasons why so many companies in this sector specifically look for flexible office space for engineering consultancies – and the features that they tend to value most.
Engineering consultancy projects typically involve detailed technical work that requires a fine degree of accuracy and precision. Over the course of their normal working hours, engineers may be reviewing technical drawings, checking calculations, developing models or working through complex project documentation. Their working environment therefore needs to be able to accommodate a delicate balance of quieter, more focused areas, and open collaborative spaces, especially since people may need easy access to their colleagues for answers to technical questions.
Flexibility is another crucial quality when it comes to engineering workspaces. As we’ve touched on above, the way that consultancy teams use their office can change throughout a project. Engineers may divide their time between the office, client premises and project sites, so the number of people using the workspace can vary across the week. What’s more, some project workloads can also change quickly, particularly if a new contract is beginning, or an existing project enters a more intense phase. All this can have a direct effect on how much space the team needs, and how often they’ll need to work together in person.
A flexible workspace is much more useful for enabling the consultancy to adapt to shifting requirements while keeping the project on track, especially if leadership takes the decision to open up a regional office. (The consultancy may begin with a smaller local team and expand to accommodate work that it wins in the area.)
Engineering consultancies often need to get a project team working quickly once a new contract begins. A flexible office can give its staff access to a ready-to-use working environment, so they can easily meet with their colleagues, review the project information, and start working when ready. That can be especially valuable during the early stages of delivery, when the consultancy is assigning engineers to the project and building the team. At later stages, the consultancy may need more engineers to work from the same location, so it can be hugely helpful to have the additional space available to accommodate additional staff for when that need arises.
Regional offices can be hugely valuable for engineering firms, making it easier for engineers to reach client premises and project sites without having to travel back to a distant head office. This can be useful when a consultancy’s team divides its week between office-based technical work, meetings with clients and time on site. Plus, the location may also help the consultancy to recruit across a wider area and bring its dispersed project teams together when they need to work in person. And if the office is close to established road and rail links, then employees, clients and project partners can reach the workplace more easily.
We’ve already discussed changes in headcount and project requirements – one of the immediate follow-ons from this is that it can directly affect how much office space an engineering consultancy needs at different stages of the project. That’s another key reason why a flexible office agreement can be so useful; enabling the company to adjust the size of its office in direct correlation to how much space it actually needs.
As a bonus, the financial arrangement can also give the consultancy’s leadership an even clearer view of their workplace costs. For example, if the agreement includes regular property costs like business rates, telecoms charges, and day-to-day building maintenance (as our fully-serviced offices do here at The Base), that simplifies costs for the company and makes it easier to conduct more accurate financial forecasting. It can also give the team more time to focus on their client relationships, project delivery, recruitment, and overall business development.
Finding the right office space isn’t always an easy decision. First of all an engineering consultancy will need to ensure its general workplace requirements are all fulfilled, like private offices, meeting rooms, reliable connectivity, and an accessible location. What’s more, though, a consultancy’s senior team will also need to look closely at how the agreement will accommodate changes in its projects and workforce.
These include:
One final point – before committing, it’s always a good idea for the senior team to visit the space with the people who will use it most often. That can give the consultancy a clearer view of how well the workplace will serve the team during a typical project week.
If you’re looking for the right office space for your own engineering consultancy, that’s exactly where we can help. At The Base, we strive to provide everything that engineering businesses need, from private Grade A offices and 24/7 building access to an on-site concierge and professional reception services. Our offices accommodate capacity from 1 to 50 people, with agreements available from 12 to 36 months, while our on-site team takes care of the day-to-day property management.
What’s more, you’ll be joining a Warrington business community that already includes advanced engineering companies, giving your consultancy a natural home among businesses working across technical and technology-led sectors.
Take a look at our available office space, and find out what we can do for you!
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info@thebasewarrington.co.uk
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