Space is one of the most expensive considerations for any business, whether you’re running a small office operation, or an entire warehouse. Sometimes, when you’re running out of space for stock, staff or equipment, there’s no other option than expanding or moving somewhere else, but before you decide to spend lots of money, you should properly work out if you can maximize the space you already have.
Modular office space is very common these days, as it allows you to be flexible. It’s very important to check whether you’re getting the very best out of it though, as poor layouts can be a complete waste. Consider whether all of those walls are absolutely necessary, and if you really need those separate offices. Open plan means more space, and you can fit desks and equipment into a wider variety of layouts if you don’t have walls in the way. It’s not usually a big job to rearrange them either.
Your supply chain is incredibly important if you’re working with a lot of stock, and you may find that better management might give you more room. You should never be holding more stock than you need, as it is a waste. If your analysis tells you that you could do without in one area, then you’ve found yourself some more space for something else. The easiest way of not having the problem of lack of space is to not actually have that much to store in the first place; only hold what you absolutely need.
Does your warehouse have a lack of floor space, but plenty of height? Stacking pallets is an option you’ve already taken, but if you need areas in which people can go, then it might be worth thinking about adding a mezzanine floor into your warehouse. This is much easier than adding a whole extension onto the building.
The next time you consider expanding your place of work, do a thorough assessment of what you’ve already got, and you may well be surprised at just how much extra room you can make. Floor plans are extremely useful here, because you can illustrate exactly what you need to fit in what space, and are easier to visualize than walking around your building. There’s plenty of free software out there that will help you with this.