Whether your business is growing from a few employees to many, or there’s a need to expand your operation, a growing business should be celebrated. It’s an exciting time. Welcoming change and planning for the future are necessary for future success. But too often companies focus on the big things and the smaller details are thrown by the wayside. There are many elements of a business that should be taken into consideration. It’s important to step back and ask yourself, “What am I forgetting?”
The answer might not be anything. However, you might find yourself with more work cut out for you than you expected. Whether it’s staffing your business to welcome growth or providing employees with the tools they need to succeed, don’t forget to check all of the boxes.
How to Grow Your Business
Every business is different. The employees, the scope of work, and the business model are not the same across the board. What works for one business might not work for the next. This goes for the day-to-day and the future. Harvard Business Review wrote a detailed report about the stages of business growth, how to plan for that growth, and how to put those methods and ideas into practice. For a detailed study and the science behind developing a successful and sustainable business, you can find the article here.
As your business grows, the future will change. What you found important might not be what you need. And as the business changes, your wants might become needs and your needs might turn into wants. How do you get to the growth stage?
Let’s look at the different ways different businesses grow:
Organic Growth
Organic growth is growth supported by a company’s resources. One of the most resourceful ways to grow a business, organic growth is fueled by efficiency and innovative solutions in order to support growth internally. Rather than taking in resources, organic growth optimizes existing assets and growing while remaining self-sufficient.
Strategic Growth
Strategic growth is a grind. Instead of growth that’s supported by a company’s resources, strategic growth involves taking action to reach milestones and achieve its goals. This might involve capitalizing on opportunities. A company might find it can grow with new initiatives or deploying a new marketing campaign. Strategic growth involves a lot of proper execution and outside factors. While this type of growth might have a lot of upside, the future of a company’s growth can depend largely on the success of its strategic growth plan.
Partnering
Forming a partnership with other companies and organizations is a growth strategy that’s typically used by larger entities. Whether it’s two companies merging or one acquiring the other, this type of growth has the potential to create an immediate influx of resources. Although mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships aren’t always used for growth, the available resources or market insight can support future growth strategies.
Growing Your Office with Your Business
A growing business typically means a growing workforce. As your company grows, your employees will too. This usually creates a need for a bigger office, more room, and a different design. Going from having to satisfy a relatively small number of employees can seemingly be a daunting task. You have enough to focus on. The business, its success, and the customer are always at the forefront of a growth plan – as it should be. However, without sufficient job satisfaction from employees, it’s hard to see a clear path to success.
Taking care of employees should be high on the list. Employees should not be overlooked. Creating an environment that fosters creativity, encourages connection, and gives employees the work environment they need can ensure their success as a business. But how do you make sure their needs are not being put on the back burner?
Indeed recently posted an article on the importance of a successful office design. Spending the time to discover what your company needs to be successful and efficient can have a major impact on long-term success. The article on Indeed provides 16 tips on office design and how to boost productivity in the office.
Identify what Employees Need
When companies grow, the scope of work usually changes. New positions are created, new departments are formed, and that usually comes with new responsibilities. Even though employees find themselves adjusting to the new normal, there are certain elements of growth that employees can’t change. Their environment is one of them. Listening to the team, having a clear understanding of their job function, and identifying their needs can help you create the environment they need.
An employee’s work environment has a profound impact on how they work. Growing businesses that haven’t had to focus on office design might not understand its importance. Different types of work are accompanied by different work zones. Private working areas satisfy the need for focused spaces. Open, comfortable, and hospitable spaces encourage interaction. Multi-functional and flexible spaces accommodate small spaces and shifting types of work. The zones you create for employees don’t just help your company grow, they also create an atmosphere that helps them grow as well.
When Should You Grow Your Office?
The timeline for designing, redesigning, and growing your office can vary. Some companies are reactive to office growth and design, while others are proactive and have everything in place and ready to go for day 1. While creating a new working environment might be something that companies find dependent on the success of their growth, the design process and preparedness don’t need to wait as well. With all aspects of a growing business, the planning process is critical.
It’s important to have a plan in place. Ask yourself what the vision is. What do you ask of your employees? What will your business look like with a properly executed business plan? The answers to these questions will lay the groundwork for what you need.
StrongProject doesn’t just provide you with modern, top-of-the-line furniture. We help you through the design process. In the same way, you listen to your employees and their needs, we listen to you and your needs. We take your budget into consideration. We take the time to understand your vision. Most importantly, we help you plan. It’s never too early or too late to start planning for growth.
If your business is growing or you’re planning to expand your business, contact us to learn how we can help you throughout the process!
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