They say that first impressions count, and this is especially true when it comes to your offices and company headquarters.
Even in 2021, when a lot of business takes place online and via electronic communications, it’s still fundamentally important to maintain a sterling brick-and-mortar presence.
How the Big Names Do It
Many of the world’s biggest tech companies have invested heavily in their physical offices, despite their services being predominantly online. For example, Google spent some $ 3 billion on property in Silicon Valley to set up the Googleplex, which is home to all its corporate offices. The company has also invested in various other offices in America and around the world, sparing no expense in creating a unique and state of the art presence. Google’s vast workspaces are known for their bright colour schemes, downtime spaces, video games, swimming pools, gyms, climbing walls, and even slides.
Facebook has also followed suit. Its headquarters occupies a campus with a focus on community, not just work. It includes cafes, a burrito bar, fancy restaurants, unique working spaces, impeccable design, and a range of quirky features. Spanning 430,000 square feet, it is one of the largest open working spaces in the world.
These multi-million and even multi-billion-dollar properties are not just to keep the staff happy. They serve the purpose of bolstering their reputation, attracting attention from the media, and giving credibility to their brand. This is essential when it comes to increasing their client and customer base as well as attracting investors. When stock traders and amateur investors start out, they automatically look for brands and companies that they are familiar with. This, combined with gaining more information from trading sites, such as how to build a trading plan, can increase confidence in trading in stocks and shares of that company.
Why Companies Need a Decent HQ
If you’re a digital firm or one that conducts most of its business online, you might think you can save money by working from your spare bedroom, or unassuming offices tucked away down a backstreet. After all, you aren’t Google or Facebook, so it doesn’t matter, right? Wrong.
While it’s likely that many of your customers will never set foot in your head office, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take pride in your location. For example, many prospective customers will scope out your HQ via online maps or will want to see photos of your site. This will often form a part of their decision to shop with you as it lends credibility to your brand and offering.
Even those who are engaged in physical services with clients should consider how their premises look. For example, a design or construction company should inhabit stylish and well-constructed offices that reflect the level of service they wish to offer as well as their core ethos.
Recently, housebuilder Miller Homes relocated its North West office to Birchwood Park in Warrington. The new premises provide a stylish upgrade and also boost their eco-credentials and waste management goals. With flexible informal and formal working spaces, they hope to foster a more collaborative culture and look better to prospective clients.
Operating an impressive physical headquarters is much more than just an investment in your employees. It’s an investment in your company, revenue, reputation, and future.
