As 2021 draws to a close, here from our office space at Oakwood Park near Harrogate, we look back at the lessons learned this year. It was interesting to read that working from home has not turned out to be the solution everyone hoped for.
The productivity, mental health and communication of employees has been impacted by the isolation and difficulties of working remotely and companies looking for office space near Harrogate may be searching for a new way to work going into 2022.
Working from home was wonderful for many for the first few months, it enabled greater flexibility, shorter commute times and a simpler lifestyle. However as 2021 progressed businesses started to report that this did not necessarily lead to an increase in productivity. Communication became a big issue for many, with customers unable to get through to businesses due to long waiting times on the phones, or, even worse, in some companies phones weren’t answered at all, meaning business suffered badly. Simple questions between colleagues which take seconds in an office became a ping pong match of missed phone calls. It has, quite simply, been a frustrating year.
Looking forwards, a possible solution for large companies in the Harrogate area, could be to reintroduce office working on a smaller scale. National and international companies are increasingly setting up smaller satellite offices of 700-2000sq feet to allow staff to work from the office in productive, but contained, teams. Some companies are bringing in staff on a rotating basis and others are bringing in more staff but spreading them over multiple rooms or suites of offices to allow for social distancing. Adaptations to the environment can easily be made as safety recommendations change.
Kitchenettes in larger suites mean that employees can keep to themselves and minimise mixing should they wish to. The multibuilding layout means that although there are many companies on the Business Park, they are self contained within each building to maximise safety.
When looking to relocate an office or set up a new satellite office location is a prime consideration. With a range of large office space near Harrogate, with options ranging from 500-2000sq ft, both open plan and more traditional ways of working can be accommodated at Oakwood Park. Central to Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough and only a short drive from the A1, many well known larger companies have taken offices here over the years, either shrinking back existing premises, or sometimes expanding them. Companies from the financial, medical, retail and recruitment sectors all relocated their offices here with great success.
Boasting features such as a stable, fast, fibre optic internet connection, with fast upload speeds as well as download speeds. Car parking which is more than ample and exceedingly easy, allowing you to park right next to your office. Excellent on site security and individually armed office space. High quality local shops and restaurants ensuring that the lunch run is a scenic break rather than a resented chore, and, of course, time and time again we hear how happy people are to come to work here.
The grounds are beautiful all year round, and even in Winter there are green spaces for everyone to enjoy, when it isn't white of course!
We'd love to hear from you! Get in touch and come and see which of our office spaces near Harrogate is best suited to you.
Oakwood Park Business Centre, Fountains Rd, Harrogate HG3 3BF
TeL: 01423 779216
Email: alan@oakwoodpark.co.uk