What To Expect From A Furnished Office Space

For small and medium-sized businesses in Aberdeen, making the move to your own office for the first time can be exciting and terrifying in equal measure.

It's a big step: moving out of the dining room or spare bedroom and away from home, or moving from the casual set-up of a coworking space into the grown-up commitment of a proper, self-contained office. Whichever stage you're at, one of the smartest moves an Aberdeen SME can make is to look for a furnished office space instead of a bare shell that needs fitting out from scratch. Here's what to expect.

What Is Furnished Office Space?

Furnished office space is often referred to as serviced office space, and the two terms are normally used interchangeably to describe an all-inclusive office where your furniture, equipment and infrastructure are already provided for a single monthly fee. Electricity, phone lines, internet connectivity, desks, chairs and kitchen facilities are already in place, which makes the dreaded office move far less of a chore and the ongoing office management a much less onerous task.

A furnished office is typically kitted out with desks, chairs, cupboards and drawers, all matching and in keeping with the décor and style of the space. You'll present a far smarter, more professional image with co-ordinated, quality furniture than with the second-hand, mismatched options that many cash-strapped Aberdeen start-ups have to rely on.

Furniture isn't the only benefit, either. A furnished office is also likely to come with broadband and a telephone system already installed, or at the very least the cabling to let you plug in easily. Energy bills are often included in the rent too, taking yet another admin task off your plate.

We say this to almost every first-time tenant who walks through our doors at AEIP: the businesses that skip the DIY fit-out can spend that time and money growing instead.

Flexible Office Space: Why It Matters More Than Ever

One way to minimise the risk of taking on an office is to look for flexible terms. The last thing an Aberdeen SME needs is to be locked into a five-year lease if things take an unexpected turn. On the flip side, you don't want your success limited by the size of your space if business takes off and your company expands faster than planned. Room for growth needs to be built into the plan from day one.

This is especially true in the aftermath of the shift to hybrid working. Building owners across Aberdeen are keen to find innovative ways to fill space that might otherwise sit underused, and many serviced office providers are willing to offer flexible contracts to tap into a market that's still reluctant to commit to long-term expenditure. According to CBRE research, landlords report that offering flexible space has allowed them to maintain relationships with tenants: they can retain the ones who need to downsize, while helping others grow strategically and efficiently within the same building or business park.

For employers navigating the move from home working to hybrid working, and still establishing new policies for how their teams will work in future, a flexible contract that doesn't tie them in for years ahead is always going to feel like the safer option.

The Advantages Of Furnished Office Space For SMEs

Costs

In times of high inflation and tightening budgets, cost is going to be high on the list of priorities for any Aberdeen SME considering an office move. Taking a furnished office space on a monthly rent eliminates the upfront costs normally involved in an office move. There's no need to set up contracts with utility providers or fit out your new space with desks, chairs and storage, as that's all provided. You won't even need to decorate, as your landlord is likely to freshen up the space before you move in.

Your monthly costs in a serviced office are also likely to be lower than expected, since you benefit from your landlord's buying power when it comes to services and cleaning. In many office buildings you'll also share facilities such as meeting rooms, kitchens, toilets, reception areas and other communal spaces, which keeps the outlay down. There are often deals available too, so it's always worth asking the landlord what offers are on the table.

Time

An office move can be very disruptive if it isn't managed carefully. If you're moving into a furnished office, however, the downtime can be minimal. Planning is key: get the internet connection and your IT set up, and make sure the layout is exactly as you need it before moving day, so everyone can be back up and running on day one at their new desks.

On a day-to-day basis, it won't take much time to manage the office space either. Cleaning and maintenance are taken care of by the landlord, and instead of juggling multiple invoices from different suppliers, you'll have a single monthly fee to pay. A quick phone call to a friendly landlord should be enough to solve most problems, from a malfunctioning appliance to getting an urgent parcel to the airport on time.

Image

A serviced office space ensures your business projects a professional image at all times. Keeping the entrance, reception and surroundings to a high standard is the landlord's responsibility, and regardless of what else is going on, the building itself gives the right impression to clients and visitors.

It can also help with attracting and retaining high-calibre staff, since you're able to offer a wider range of amenities than you could if you had to furnish and fit out the space yourself. At the Enterprise Centre at AEIP, for instance, the vibrant collaborative areas, alfresco seating, and dedicated games room all combine to create a highly attractive and engaging workspace.

Flexibility

Flexibility matters most to a growing SME, whether or not hybrid working is part of the picture. Nobody wants to be crammed into a tiny space if business is booming and staff numbers increase, so the option to relocate to a bigger unit within the same building, or a neighbouring one, is important when you want to scale. Equally, if you need to downsize, you want the reassurance that this is also an option.

It's worth looking for serviced offices that also have coworking space available, as that means you can spill over into extra desks in the short term while you evaluate your longer-term options.

Of course, furnished offices aren't just for start-ups. Plenty of established Aberdeen businesses enjoy the ease of renting a room, a floor or even a whole building that's ready to move into, with a range of services already available. They find their teams are more productive when office management isn't a distraction. And if they need extra space temporarily, for example to accommodate a short-term project team, the answer is usually on the doorstep.

Types Of Furnished Office Space

When people talk about furnished offices, they're usually referring to a serviced office suite: probably a unit within a larger building with a shared entrance and shared facilities such as a kitchen and meeting rooms. This type of office provides a professional space with a range of facilities for smaller companies, without the huge cost of fitting out a space alone.

Our newly refurbished Enterprise Centre at Aberdeen Energy Park is a good example of what this looks like in practice. Suites start from 40 square metres for teams of around 8 or more, arranged over two floors around a shared breakout area, with a staffed reception, meeting room, kitchen and outdoor seating all included. Licences start from just £120 per desk per month, run from as little as one month, and can be broken at any time — and Grub café is right across the road for lunch.

A furnished office could also be an entire building looked after by a landlord, with all the furniture and facilities included in the rental cost. Renting an entire building can cost more than a shared space, but you have far more control over the way it looks and the first impression it gives, with the option to decorate or brand the space to fit your company image.

Furnished office space can sometimes mean a coworking space too, where you're renting individual desks, not an entire room or building. It's not the traditional idea of an office, but it's increasingly common for larger companies to rent whole sections of a coworking space to give them flexibility during periods of growth, without the concern of finding somewhere for new starters to sit. Our coworking space at Donside House on the Innovation Park offers desks from around £20 a day or £300 a month, with a range of meeting rooms and collaboration areas providing a well-rounded workspace. Tech start-ups and freelancers in particular tend to enjoy the collaborative, energetic feel of sharing space with other similar businesses.

Choosing The Right Furnished Office Space In Aberdeen

Aberdeen has a wide choice when it comes to furnished office space, so it's worth working out what you actually need before you start looking. Your checklist should include:

• How much space do you need? Check our guide if you're not sure where to start.
• What's your budget, and is there room for negotiation? As a benchmark, AEIP's own serviced desks start from £120 a month and coworking desks from £20 a day.
• Where do you want to be located? The city centre isn't always the obvious choice given traffic and parking. AEIP, for instance, sits in Bridge of Don just off the A92, with quick access to the AWPR, the airport, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and both universities, which is worth bearing in mind if your team or clients travel from across the city.
• What amenities do you need? Meeting rooms, breakout space, kitchen facilities, parking spaces and so on.
• What sort of contract do you want, in terms of length and flexibility?

How To Get The Most Out Of Furnished Office Space

While you won't be responsible for decorating or maintaining your office space, you can still make it your own with on-brand accessories, plants, pictures or other personal touches, to create a comfortable and motivational place to work. Keep it tidy to make it easy to focus, with communal spaces set aside for conversations and informal meetings.

If you're sharing a building, make the most of it by getting to know your fellow tenants and exploring any collaboration opportunities. You might even want to organise networking events or lunch-and-learns to find out more about the other businesses around you, or purely social events to bring everyone together outside of work.

On a more practical level, it's worth periodically checking how much space you're actually using and renegotiating your agreement if the way you work has changed. You may be able to add an extra unit, use some coworking desks, or move to a different space altogether if that would suit your business better.

At AEIP, we've seen plenty of Aberdeen companies start out in our serviced office space and move to larger or smaller premises within the parks as their needs change. For example, EODEX, a company which specialises in the safe and environmentally friendly removal and disposal of unexploded ordnance (UXO) around the world. After a year in the Innovation Centre, the business grew from three to eight people with further expansion expected. They decided to move to an office suite in the Enterprise Centre which has space for the whole team as well as meeting space. Their new lease gives them the option to scale up again if they need to.

When you choose a furnished office, the ease of moving in, the flexibility and the minimal admin will let you focus on looking after your own customers without distraction and help you move towards your goals. Speak to our team if you'd like to find out about the furnished office options at AEIP.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is furnished office space?

A: An office where the furniture, IT cabling, phone lines and often broadband are already in place, so you can move your team in and start working straight away rather than fitting the space out yourself.

Q: Is furnished office space the same as serviced office space?

A: The two terms are normally used interchangeably. A furnished office covers furniture and infrastructure; a serviced office usually goes further, adding extras like reception, cleaning, meeting rooms and catering, all wrapped into one monthly bill.

Q: What's included in the rent for a furnished office space?

A: Typically desks, chairs, storage, phone lines and internet cabling. Many landlords also include energy bills, cleaning and access to shared spaces such as kitchens, toilets and meeting rooms in the monthly fee.

Q: How much does furnished office space cost in Aberdeen?

A: It varies by building and location, but you avoid the big upfront costs of a standard lease, such as fitting out the space, buying furniture and setting up utility contracts. Ask the landlord about current deals, as these change fairly often.

Q: How flexible are furnished office contracts?

A: Most furnished and serviced offices offer shorter, more flexible terms than a traditional lease, so you're not locked in for years. You should also be able to move to a bigger or smaller unit within the same building as your needs change.

Q: How quickly can my business move in?

A: Much faster than a standard office fit-out. As long as your IT and internet are arranged in advance and the layout is set before moving day, most teams are up and running from day one.

Q: What types of furnished office space are available?

A: Three main types: a serviced suite within a shared building, an entire building furnished and managed by a landlord, or individual desks within a coworking space.

Q: How do I choose the right furnished office space for my SME?

A: Start with how much space you need, your budget, location, the amenities that matter to you (meeting rooms, breakout space, parking) and the contract length and flexibility you want. Our checklist above covers each of these in more detail.

Q: Does AEIP have furnished office space in Aberdeen?

A: Yes. The Enterprise Centre in Aberdeen Energy Park and the James Gregory Centre in Aberdeen Innovation Park offer furnished, serviced office suites in a range of sizes, starting from £120 per desk per month on licences as short as one month. Both are in Bridge of Don, close to the AWPR, the airport and the city centre.