commercial office space for rent overland park ks

Office Space for Lease Olathe, KS: Finding a Space that Works With Your Employees’ Lives

An office has always been like a second home for employees – whether a desirable one or not – but recently businesses have started consciously trying to make a commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, feel more like the kind of home employees look forward to going to each day, shifting away from the sterile cubicles towards a more intentionally designed setup.

When you’re moving to a new office space for lease in Olathe, KS, and looking to attract a wide range of quality employees, think about characteristics of a space that could improve their quality of life. That’s not to say you have to go full Facebook and install a zen garden and an arcade, but here are a few easy ways you can make your office a little more convenient and welcoming, as suggested in the article “Top 5 Office Space Leasing Tips to Maximize Work-Life Integration”:

Collaborative and Flexible Spaces

Two of the main goals of redesigning the traditional office setup are increasing staff’s ability to work as a team and giving employees options for different settings for different tasks. Open spaces are a great way to furor the first goal by encouraging impromptu meetings, but this needs to be balanced out by areas designated for quiet work – meeting the second goal. Providing employees with laptops rather than desktop computers is another way to make sure they can maximize flexibility.

Accessibility

When you’re thinking about the location for your office space for lease in Kansas City, it’s important to think about how convenient a space is for your employees as well as your potential clients or customers. Consider the following:

Walkability. This is not necessarily about whether your employees can walk to work, but how pedestrian friendly the surrounding area is. Employees might not mind driving a little farther to work if they can walk to meet friends somewhere for dinner or drinks at the end of the day.
Public Transport. Not only is this convenient, but the Millennial generation is actually shifting towards preferring public transport, and this might factor into their choice of a company to work for.
Parking. Even if you have good walkability and public transport factors, it’s still important to have enough convenient parking for your staff; it’s frustrating to have to circle streets in the morning looking for a spot blocks away.

Amenities

Some basic things that you could either include in your office space or try to locate yourself near are restaurants, a coffee shop, a park with a walking trail, or even a gym. If you want to go all out, consider integrating in other business services, like kiosks, dry cleaners, spas, day care – or yes, even a zen garden might be nice. If it’s easy for employees to relax, grab a bite to eat or run some errands on their breaks, they will feel much more satisfied at the office and be able to reduce some overall stress.

Employees of all ages appreciate your efforts to consider their comfort and convenience, but this attitude towards work and life balance is becoming even more important to the younger generation in the workforce. If you’re looking to bring Millennials on board at your company, these are definitely factors to think about in a space if you want to be an attractive business to work for.

Interested in a Kansas office space for rent in the heart of Overland Park with all of the amenities and services the area has to offer? Give us a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our available office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS.

Rent Office Space in Overland Park: 4 Simple Ways to Transform a New Office Space

Early searches and negotiations for an office space for rent in Overland Park have to be about finding a design that accommodates your needs: the amount of square footage, the layout, any build outs you need, parking and accessibility needs, etc. But once all of those decisions are made, how can you take your office space for lease in Overland Park, KS, to the next level – with very little leftover cash to go on?

Making little transformations doesn’t have to break your budget, but this attention to detail can really have a huge impact on employee comfort and morale. Here are a few suggestions for how to spruce up a commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, on a dime, as suggested in the article “Improving Office Space: the Transformation from Blah to Huzzah!”:

#1 Increase comfort through little things.

Little things to improve employee comfort are noticed and appreciated by employees, and this can increase their satisfaction and productivity during the workday. Some ways you can make your office more comfortable include:

Furniture & Equipment – Ergonomic furniture and other equipment can improve employees’ health and well-being by reducing back and neck strain, as well as the risk of eye damage or carpal tunnel syndrome. Look for better chairs, ergonomic keyboards and comfortable lighting that employees can adjust – you might even be able to find this secondhand or rent it.
Break Room – Pay special attention to your break room. Is there a vending machine? Cold and warm beverages available? Comfortable chairs or couches to make the space an inviting area for recharging?
Temperature – A common complaint in offices are areas that are either too hot or absolutely freezing. An ideal situation would be to have different temperature “zones” in different parts of the office so employees can make adjustments to be most comfortable.

Studies have repeatedly shown that a comfortable environment can boost both morale and productivity in an office.

#2 Maximize natural lighting.

This is another element of an office space that has been proven to hugely benefit employee mood. Try to make sure that everyone in your office has access to some natural lighting. If you have an open office plan, situate the workstations near the windows. If window space is limited, try to locate an employee break room or a common work area in a place with windows so employees can go there to soak up some sunlight as needed.

If you are still in the process of designing an office space, look into building in skylights or even a central atrium to spread light around the office. Full-spectrum lights can also imitate the effects of natural light if your access to window space is limited.

#3 Create flexible spaces.

The office space world has been overhauled in the past few years, moving from cubicles to more open, collaborative spaces – but that doesn’t mean creative chaos works for every employee, and open spaces can end up making a workplace noisy and distracting if it is the only mode of operation.

The ideal situation is to achieve a balance of open spaces for cooperation, along with quiet, private spaces for individual work, promoting both teamwork and tranquility. In addition to designating certain quiet areas, another practical way to do this is to find workstation desks that can easily be moved and rearranged. This makes a space perpetually adaptable to your needs and is an inexpensive way to keep things fresh.

#4 Invest in decoration.

No one wants to stare at corporate white walls and grey cubicle dividers all day, so check out some of these easy ways to spice up the decor in your office without breaking the bank:

Color – opt for splashes of bright color here and there to brighten up the typically drab business palate, either through painting an accent wall or looking for bright furniture pieces.
Art – some interesting art can give a space a unique touch – for example, an unusual painting by a local artist or a recycled sculpture. This can also be a way to express the values and culture of your company.
Nature – bring in some plants! Like sunlight, plants are also proven to boost mood and reduce stress. Some water fountains or other water sculptures can also add a natural element.
“Play” features – so many companies are embracing the idea that a little entertainment in a work space is a good way to fuel creativity and and boost energy. Consider adding some Legos to your break area or other whimsical items.
Personalization – the cheapest way to decorate is to let employees do it themselves. Give people the chance to decorate their own individual spaces, a practice that has been shown to improve productivity and satisfaction by as much as 30%.

Look for decoration that inspires employees and brightens their day and reap the reward of higher satisfaction and productivity levels.

Small efforts to make a space inviting can be a source of well-being and motivation for employees for years to come. So once you get through the big projects in a new office space, keep in mind the details as you shop for furniture, paint, lighting and other features of your office space.

Looking to rent office space in Overland Park? Give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about an affordable potential Kansas office space for rent and even schedule a tour.

Commercial Property in Overland Park, KS: Overlooked Costs and Ways to Save

Before you take the leap of signing a lease for commercial property in Overland Park, KS, the biggest question you should ask yourself is whether your business is financially prepared for this commitment. This means more than just being able to pay monthly rent, because there are so many more costs associated with commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS. Here are some hidden costs to be prepared for, as described in the article “Worried About Hidden Office Space Costs?”:

Rent Increases. Most leases for Kansas office space for rent stipulate that the landlord can increase rent annually as their operating expenses rise. These expenses cover things like maintaining the building, labor and materials costs, etc. It is important to avoid this sneaky clause from being a financial nightmare by negotiating so that the landlord can’t raise your rent over a certain percentage each year, or has to base the increases on an objective market index.
Taxes. Some leases require tenants to pay property taxes each year. If this is the case for your lease, double check that the percentage you are paying is in proportion to the amount of space you are renting in the building, and not more.
Pre-existing Condition Clauses. Look carefully for this clause in your lease, which states that your office has to be returned to its original condition when you move out. This means that if you made any improvements or additions to a space – walls, lighting, paint, etc. – you might have to remove or reverse those changes, which could be an expensive undertaking.
Maintenance. Building maintenance costs are passed along to all tenants in some way or another, whether it is built into the rental rate or is an additional monthly fee. Make sure you know what these costs are upfront and build them into your monthly budget.
Improvements. While you might have control over optional improvements, some upgrades you might be required to pay for – like a new sprinkler system or parking lot accommodations that meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Electricity. Some landlords conduct yearly electrical surveys to get an exact number for how much electricity your office uses, and then use this to determine how much to charge you for electricity. However, some firms who provide this surveying service base the measurement on what your office would consume if all of your equipment was operating at full capacity. This kind of measurement results in inflated numbers and unexpected costs.

While these are some of the things that could sneak up on your business’s budget, fortunately there are also some ways to save money in the leasing process without cutting corners. Here are some tips to keep in mind, as outlined in the article “8 Ways to Reduce Costs when Finding an Office Space”:

Evaluate lease length options. Lease length is always a tricky aspect of negotiations and can have huge financial implications. The ideal situation is a shorter lease for new businesses, but try to give yourself a lot of options. Do you have an option to renew? What about subleasing or assigning the space? Ask a landlord these questions ahead of time, and factor the answers into your comparisons between spaces.
Create competition in negotiations. A little bit of competition between different landlords is a good way to raise the stakes in your negotiations and potentially get a better deal – whether you are negotiating a lease for the first time or re-negotiating your current lease. Let potential landlords know that you are looking into different options, but be careful not to reveal too many specifics.
Give yourself time to look. You never want your negotiations to be rushed by the impending deadline of an expiring lease. Give yourself plenty of time to search for new spaces – at least six months for small businesses and even more for larger ones.
Plan your space. Don’t wait until after you move in to think about what your ideal space design is. Thinking only in terms of square footage can be counterproductive if a space can’t be used efficiently to meet your business’s needs, so the current layout of a space and the usable square footage should also factor into your comparisons.
Assemble your own teams. Brokers, attorneys, architects and other professionals should all be picked by you so that you know that they are working solely for your business’s interests.
Negotiate for flexibility. A general good rule of thumb is to build in some room for flexibility and unknowns into your lease. Business can go up and down, and there are other extreme factors to think about that are beyond your control, like a natural disaster or the condemnation of the building. Build yourself an exit strategy if you can, and try to minimize the damage to your finances in any given situation.
Remember improvements. If you know you want to do some construction or a build out on a space, that should be factored into your bottom line moving cost as you are comparing spaces. Start seeking out competitive bids from contractors ahead of time so you can really see what you will be getting for a space.
Look at the big picture. Your costs and benefits in a lease encompass much more than your monthly rent. Think about other incentives a landlord offers, such as help with build outs or improvements, breaks on rent, or allowances for relocation, as well as any costs not directly covered by rent – maintenance, taxes, etc.

Renting a new office space is a big financial commitment for a business, especially a small business. Find out in advance what all of your costs are going to be, and be proactive about ways to save a little money without sacrificing what’s important to your business. Seek help where you need it – a good broker or a trusted contractor can be an invaluable ally.

Is your business interested in an office space for lease Overland Park, KS? Give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our available office spaces for rent Overland Park, KS, and even set up a tour!

Kansas City Office Space for Rent: 14 Common Lease Terms

Commercial leases can be full of terms and provisions unfamiliar to the average business owner, but it is important to have some knowledge of this jargon to be able to negotiate a good deal for your lease. Here are a few of the most common lease terms to have on hand as you begin your search for commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, as described in the article “Common Lease Provisions”:

Assignment or Subletting – Discusses the tenant’s right to assign the space to another tenant or sublease it temporarily if they cannot afford to stay for the entire lease term or want to rent out some of the space. In an assignment situation, the tenant passes all of the lease responsibilities to the new party, but in a sublease, the original tenant is still on the hook for making sure the lease provisions are honored.
Condemnation or Destruction – Outlines both parties’ rights in the event that the government takes the property through eminent domain. This clause stipulates that the landlord must rebuild if the property is destroyed, and it outlines rent reduction possibilities or the tenant’s right to terminate the lease if the property is destroyed.
Competition – Prevents the landlord from leasing nearby spaces in the property to your competitors.
Escalation – Common in most leases, this clause discusses annual increases in rent, either based on the landlord’s operating costs or an external index.
Enforcement – Discusses the enforcement of lease terms, who is responsible for attorney fees and possibly the course of action in a dispute, i.e. mediation or arbitration.
Grace Period – States specifically how much time the landlord or tenant has to comply with a lease term, for example to correct a defaulted rental payment.
Insurance – Discusses who should be responsible for insurance coverage and liability.
Landlord’s Solvency – Describes the rights of the tenant if the landlord is financially unable to keep ownership of the property.
Option to Purchase – Gives the tenant the opportunity to buy the property when their lease is finished, and should state the timeframe in which this purchase can take place and the price.
Option to Renew – Stipulates whether the tenant can renew their lease at the end of their term, and what the new term and rental rate will be.
Property – This clause describes in detail the rental property: square footage, means of measuring square footage, address, suite number, city, state and zip code. This section should be gone over carefully to check for any mistakes since the lease is binding, regardless of the correctness of this information.
Tenant Improvements – Discusses the tenant’s rights to improve or build out on the property, and who is responsible for the costs of those improvements.
Termination – Describes the termination of the rental contract and what condition the property should be in when the tenant returns it.
Use of Premises – Clearly states what the tenant can or cannot use the space for.

Remember that commercial leases for office spaces for rent Overland Park, KS, are negotiable, so you can push for more favorable terms on things like assignment or subletting, escalation clauses, grace period or the option to renew. Working with an experienced commercial real estate attorney might also be in your business’s best interests, especially if you are new to the commercial real estate market. Commercial real estate can be complicated, and you don’t want your business bound to a lease with mistakes or stuck in unfavorable terms for the next few years.

Is your business interested in office space for lease in Kansas City or office space for lease in Olathe, KS? Give one of our commercial real estate brokers a call at 913-685-4100 for more information or to set up a tour of a Kansas office space for rent.

Kansas Office Space For Rent: 4 Parking Questions to Answer

While parking might not seem like a top priority in your search for office space for lease Overland Park, KS, it does merit some consideration. This easily forgettable necessity can impact the number of customers who can access your building, so if you are looking for Kansas office space for rent here are a few ways that you can make sure your parking needs are met at your commercial property in Overland Park, KS, as suggested in the article “Transportation Options for Office Spaces”:

#1 Is there enough parking for employees?

One thing that absolutely can’t happen is not having enough space for employees when you move into your new office space. No employee wants to drive around the block a few times looking for that precious spot that just opened – only to realize it’s too small. This is not the way to start strong in a new space, and might mean the loss of valuable employees if you can’t address the problem quickly.

#2 Is there enough parking for customers?

Whether you are the kind of business trying to attract new walk-in traffic or you only need visitor parking so that clients can drop by as needed, you will still need to make sure parking space is always available so that new clients feel welcome and old ones feel that it’s no trouble for them to stop by and speak to you face-to-face. Having a limited parking that is mainly taken up by either employees or other pedestrians going about their shopping could drive these visitors away.

#3 Does the amount of parking space allow for growth?

If you are a new business, you might want to keep growth in mind – both in terms of parking for your employees and for potential clients. It is easier to make arrangements inside a property to expand your actual office space, but parking capacity has a more definite limit, so keep that in mind in your initial lease negotiations. If you do think you might need more parking space, here are a few different options you could consider:

Do any employees bike to work? Some might be interested in this possibility if they live nearby, you could consider offering incentives to encourage employees to bike to work.
Is there a bus or a subway/light rail station nearby? Again, this might be another thing you could incentivize for employees to allow for more parking space for customers.
Are there other nearby parking facilities? Any potential for the development of some in the next few years?

#4 Is the parking lot accessible?

This means both in terms of being easy to find and turn into, and easy for disabled customers or potential customers. Ideally, a client shouldn’t have to deal with a mess of one way streets and U-turns to get into your parking lot, or they just might not bother. You should also ask your landlord if the property meets state requirements for disabled parking and offers easy wheelchair entrance into the building.

Parking does involve a few different points of consideration, so make sure to have a conversation about it with your landlord as you negotiate your lease.

If you are looking for commercial office space for rent Overland Park KS, give one of our commercial real estate agents a call at 931-685-4100 to set up a tour of one of our office spaces for rent overland park, KS.

Commercial Real Estate in Kansas City: 5 Clauses To Watch Out For

Leases for office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS, can be long and complicated, and often lessees focus on the wrong terms and miss some of the language that really does affect them. Here are a few of these lease provisions to be on the lookout for as you negotiate for a Kansas office space for rent, as outlined in the article “10 Commonly Overlooked Clauses in Commercial Real Estate Transactions”:

#1 Giving Notice

Make sure you carefully look over and note how notices and official communications should be exchanged with your landlord – can you do it by email, or does it have to be by certified mail? Failure to comply with this particular provision could result in consequences ranging from needing to issue another notice to losing certain rights listed in your lease. Here are a few situations in which you might need to issue notice:

Failure to comply with a lease term (i.e. missing a rental payment, not providing insurance, violation of usage terms, etc.)
Exercising an option or right (renewal or extension, renting additional space in the property, relocation, purchasing rights, etc.)
Government citation of property code violations
Hazardous spills or leaks

Make sure you are well aware of how to officially communicate with your landlords in these situations, or you run the risk of losing lease rights and protections.

#2 The Parties and Signatures

It is so important that the names of the parties are correctly identified on the lease, especially where the signature is concerned. An unnamed or incorrectly named party might not be legally bound to uphold the lease, and where the signature is concerned, if an unauthorized party signs or the information is incorrect, the person who signed could be held personally liable for the lease, rather than the business.

#3 Definition of the Premises

Clearly defining the premises is essential to enforcing your rights and protections if any issues occur with your space. For example, if there is a leaky water pipe, the definition of premises will determine whether it is your responsibility or your landlord’s to fix it. Make sure your lease clearly states the exact square footage of your space, as well as defines the common areas you will use, as this will affect the CAM fees you pay.

#4 Indemnification/Hold Harmless

In this part of the lease, the landlord and tenant go through the potential risks and identify who is responsible for remediation in various situations. Possible situations to identify include:

Water damage
Fires
Natural disasters
Cars crashing into the building
Fallen trees
Street construction that affects the property

Sorting out who is responsible for what costs is a complicated question, and is best addressed with the help of legal guidance. The indemnity clause addresses situations in which one party will be financially responsible for dealing with the other party’s losses. This should specifically address cases of negligence. The hold harmless clause is connected to indemnification, because it stipulates that the party who has to deal with the other’s losses may not sue the party responsible for those losses. Needless to say, this could have enormous financial consequences for your business, so work with a lawyer to make sure you are getting a fair deal.

#5 Resolution of Disputes

It’s not uncommon for disputes to arise between parties in a lease, so be prepared with a step-by-step process for resolving any problems – taking issues to court is extremely expensive, and it is in everyone’s best interests to have a speedy and cost-efficient plan in place. Here are a few steps commonly included in dispute resolution provisions:

Negotiations – informal discussion of the issue between the two parties, possibly with legal counsel present.
Mediation – an objective third party hears the dispute and makes suggestions leading both parties towards a solution. Professionals mediators can do this for a fee.
Arbitration – similar to mediation, but in this case the objective third party is authorized to make a formal binding or non-binding decision at the end of the process. Again, professionals can be hired to do this for a fee.
Litigation – a case is filed in a Superior, Federal or Justice court, in which case an individual may represent themselves, but a business would need counsel. This process involves hearings, producing a lot of documents, legal fees, possibly depositions, and overall a serious commitment of time and money. Cases that go to trial might not yield a decision for about two years.

If your lease does not say exactly what steps should be taken, consider proposing just negotiations and mediation. Solving things legally is much more expensive and should be treated as an absolute last resort.

Focusing on only the immediate business-related aspects of your commercial real estate in Kansas City lease could be dangerous to your business in the long run. Seek legal assistance, and make sure that you go over every every aspect of your lease so that there are no surprises down the road.

If your business is interested in office space for lease in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS.

Rent Office Space in Overland Park: Everything You Need to Know About Lease Length

Lease length for Kansas office space for rent is one of the trickiest but most important issues to address in lease negotiations. Sign a lease that is too long and you could be stuck in a space that you’ve either outgrown or cannot afford, but signing a short lease could mean that you give up a good space sooner than you want. Here are a few different ways lessees approach this problem in their search for office space for rent in Overland Park, as described in the articles “Short Term Leases – How To Find Flexible Leases and When To Go With A Sublease” and “Extending Your Office Lease: Should You Sign a Lease Extension Agreement?”:

Short Term Leases

Truly short term leases can be hard to come by, with the minimum typically being about three years. This could be too long for a lot of start ups, who need just a small space and short term to give themselves flexibility – but even if they do find such a lease, it often comes with strings attached.

It takes some serious effort to find landlords willing to consider a year-long lease or month-by-month rent, and when a small business does find a willing landlord, they trade off this benefit for any leverage they might have had in negotiations. This could result in anything from paying higher rent per square foot to losing tenant improvement allowances.

However, it is possible to find a good short term lease deal, and one of the best ways to expedite this process is to work with a good real estate broker and have an attorney assist your business in lease negotiations.

Subletting or Assigning

One way to sign a longer lease and ease your anxiety is to negotiate for the right to sublease the space if needed. Here are a few things to consider in your sublease provision negotiations:

Do you have the right to sublease some or all of the space?
How soon do you need to notify the landlord about exercising this right, and in what way should they be informed (i.e. certified mail or just an email)?
Will you still be fully responsible for enforcing lease terms if you sublease to another tenant? This is important – if you are still on the hook for the lease even if you are no longer in the space, you need to chose the new tenant wisely.

Another possibility is to ask for the option to assign the lease to a new tenant entirely if you can no longer afford the space. In this event, all of the rights and responsibilities of the lease would be transferred to the new party.

Negotiating for one of these clauses could be mutually beneficial for both you and the landlord if it means you will sign a longer lease. The landlord will be happy because of a longer period of assured rent, and you will have the flexibility of keeping the space or a backdoor if you need it.

Lease Extension Clause

If you do sign a two year lease, for example, but you are worried that this will be too short, take advantage of including an extension clause or option to renew in your lease. This gives you the power to decide at a later date if staying in the space would be best for your business. Here are a few things to consider about exercising this option to extend your lease:

Start the process early. Don’t wait until three months before the end of your lease; you should ideally start thinking about it nine months early.
Determine if you want to stay. Take that time to think about whether it is best for your business to stay or look elsewhere. If you do not foresee major growth, downsizing or a need for a different location anytime soon, then renewing your lease might be your best and cheapest option.
Research the market. Do your homework on what other spaces are available in your area and what rates, privileges and other concessions they might be offering. This will give you more leverage in negotiations with landlords, both because you will have a basis of comparison, and because both you and the landlord know you have other options out there if the new terms are unfavorable.
Decide whether to hire a broker. The lease renewal process is one stage where you could forego a broker because you know the landlord and the space very well by this point. However, hiring a broker could communicate to the landlord that you are serious about negotiating for some big concessions.
Negotiate. You know the space, so you can talk nitty gritty details of what you want improved or what concessions you need. Be aggressive, but friendly, and remember that ultimately it’s cheaper for both of you if you renew the lease, so look for compromises and common ground.

The key to having the option to extend is to negotiate for it in your original lease and to be aware of the right time to exercise it.

Lease length does not have to be a death sentence for start ups trying to rent office space in Overland Park, but navigating this aspect of leasing does require a little more effort and research. Know your options, and don’t let yourself be backed into signing an unfavorable lease.

If your business is interested in commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, give one of our commercial real estate brokers a call at 913-685-4100 for more information about our office space for rent in Overland Park.

7 Ways to Make Your Kansas City Office Space for Rent More Comfortable

An office space for lease in Overland Park, KS, can be like a second home for a working adult, so it is important to consider what kinds of items you need to keep around your Kansas City office space for rent and what strategies you can use to make sure that you and your employees are comfortable throughout the day. Here are a few things you should consider keeping around your office, as well as a few strategies to increase comfort, as suggested in the articles “8 Items You Need on Your Desk” and “4 Tips for Working Comfortably at Your Desk”:

A Good Chair. When you spend so much time sitting at a desk during the day, it is important to have the right chair to best support your back. Take the time to adjust the chair properly to your height. You want to make sure that your feet can touch the ground, and also think about bringing in a cushion for added back comfort. Reducing back pain can help increase focus and creativity, so it is well worth investing in good office chairs.
Healthy Snacks. Keeping healthy snacks handy, whether brought from home or even supplied by an office kitchen, is a great way to make sure you stay satisfied from nutritious food and your focus remains sharp throughout the day. As an employer, consider ways to encourage healthy eating habits in your office, whether through healthy potluck lunches or office snacks, or even though programs and competitions designed to encourage people to set and meet health goals.
Computer Monitors. Just as with chairs, subtle adjustments to computer monitors can also help increase comfort. Monitors should be directly at eye level to prevent the need to bend the neck and shoulders or to look up, both of which can cause pressure and pain. Use a stand or some thick books to adjust your monitor to an ideal height.
Lighting. The best possible office lighting situation is a lot of natural sunlight coming in through windows, but if this is not an option, softer light is the next best arrangement – for example, overhead lamps or desk lamps, both of which are much better than florescent lighting.
Health Supplies. It’s good to have necessities for various health situations around the office, such as a first aid kit with band-aids, pain killers, throat lozenges, eye drops, and whatever else you might want to have on hand. Other daily health staples include tissues and hand sanitizer to prevent and manage sickness, especially during winter.
Drinking Water. Staying hydrated is so important to general health and energy levels. Having a water bottle on your desk is a great way to constantly remind yourself to be drinking water. Employers could also consider good water bottles as a giveaway item at an office picnic or team-building session to promote good hydration in the office.
Headphones. Having headphones handy can be a great way for office workers to block out office noise and focus on work for a while. Plus, good music is a great pick-me-up to get through a post-lunch slump!

It’s important for both employers and employees to promote and practice good office habits that are geared towards well-being. Healthy, happy employees are much more likely to be productive than ones who are dehydrated, blinded by florescent lights, and hunched over their computers for eight hours a day,

Looking for commercial real estate in Overland Park? Give us a call today at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our available commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, or to set up a tour of one of our office spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS.

Moving to an Office Space for Lease in Kansas City: Planning Your Perfect Office Design

Moving to an Office Space for Lease in Kansas City: Planning Your Perfect Office Design

If your business is ready to find some new commercial real estate in Kansas City, one major aspect of the move to think about is the design of your space. Finding a new office space for lease in Kansas City is a great way to start fresh with a configuration and decor that will help improve the efficiency, comfort, and image of your office space. Here are a few steps to consider as you search for and plan a new office space, as suggested in the article “Aiming to Improve Your Office Space? Consider This Before a Move or Redesign.”

#1 Determine Your Needs

Before you can really begin to plan a new office space, you need to come up with some concrete facts and figures regarding your business’s needs. The most basic aspect of this is determining how much square footage you need now and potentially in the future. Look at your current space to see how efficiently you are using the space and realistically how much more you might need – don’t forget to factor in projected growth as well. Also think about ways that your office design could be restructured to make better use of space, as this could be factored into your new plans as well.

Another thing to consider is the current aesthetics of your office, particularly the ways that your design or color scheme could be adjusted to better reflect your corporate culture, promote the comfort of your employees, and impress visiting clients.

#2 Tour New Office Spaces

Commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, can range from move-in ready to completely empty spaces, so think about how much work you want to put into configuring your office space to help narrow down what kind of spaces you want to look at. If you want to be really involved in the design process, something that is more raw and has plenty of open office space might be a better fit for you, but if you are looking to get into a new space sooner rather than later, you might just focus on move-in ready listings.

Once you have a rough idea of how finished you want a space to be, consider the different ways you use your office space. Are cubicles, a few private offices, and a conference room enough for you, or will you need a more diverse range of amenities? Will you need a sizable reception and waiting room area? What about a kitchen, break area, or screening room? Try to make a ranked list of what is absolutely essential to your business and what you would ideally like to have to help you narrow down options even further.

#3 Put Yourself in Control of the Process

Finally, if you find an office space and decide to tailor it to your business’s needs, it is important to stay proactively involved in the whole process to make sure you achieve your intended outcome. The first thing you can do is start to assemble a team of people to help you, selecting the best construction and design professionals for your budget based on references, their past project work, and any other background information you can find. Here are a few roles you might consider filling:

Company Representative – Find someone from within your own office, possibly an office manager or even CEO, to act as a liaison between your business and any external construction or design services. This person does not have to be particularly well versed in technical construction concerns; they just need to be able to communicate your business’s interests, maintain regular contact with construction companies, and make decisions as needed.
Architect – It is a good idea to engage the services of an architect early on and ask them to join you on tours of potential spaces. This way they can have your needs in mind and give you a more accurate assessment of what you can accomplish with a space. Once you choose a space, they can draw up designs to pass a long to a contractor.
Small Project Manager – If you are only interested in a small buildout, you might be able to designate someone internally to manage the daily aspects of the project. However, if you are considering something larger, it might be better to go with an outside professional.
Contractor – A general contractor will be in charge of the actual construction project, including managing daily construction work and setting up the services of other vendors, such as plumbers, electricians, etc. The cost of these other vendors will be built into the agreed upon price for the contractor.

In addition to assembling an expert team, make sure you regularly check in to confirm that deadlines are being met and all projects are staying within your budget.

You do not have to be an expert to smoothly execute a buildout or renovation of a new space, just make sure you consult the right people, both internally and externally, to ensure that your business’s needs are being fulfilled and you are getting the best possible services for your budget!

If your business is interested in finding an available office space with commercial property management in Overland Park, KS, give one of our commercial real estate agents in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100!

Commercial Property in Overland Park, KS: 6 Leasing Mistakes to Avoid

Leasing commercial property in Overland Park, KS, can be a big financial risk – one that is necessary and worthwhile, but one that can have serious and lasting consequences if not done properly. Research and planning are key above all else, but here are a few common leasing mistakes that tenants make to learn from as you start your own search for an office, as detailed in the article “10 Leasing Mistakes Office Tenants Commonly Make”:

#1 Going into leasing without a plan.

If you don’t have a good idea of your company’s space needs, you need to hit the breaks on you leasing process. Before you even begin to look at offices, have some hard numbers for what you need – square footage per employee, projected growth and the need for space that goes along with it, and what kind of space you want. Do you need open space with cubicles? A few conference rooms? An impressive reception area? These are all questions you should have a firm answer to before you look for a new space.

Make sure you also have a solid business plan in place, particularly if you are a new business leasing space for the first time. A lot of landlords will want to see your financial history or at the very least a professional and fact-based business plan as reassurance that you will be a reliable tenant.

#2 Not working with experts.

At all stages of the process of acquiring a new Kansas City office space for rent, it is important to speak expert help. This includes talking to a real estate broker, a legal representative who will represent your interests as a tenant, and an architect to help you plan for any modifications you need to make to a space. It’s tempting to cut corners and do things yourself, but if you are not an expert in any of these fields, you could be causing bigger financial complications for your business down the line.

#3 Not considering lease termination possibilities.

It’s strange to think about upfront as you are just starting out in a space, but you need to consider exit strategies before you ever sign a lease. This is particularly important for new businesses, who cannot afford to take a serious financial hit by paying rent during a rough patch. Terminating a lease is never good, but work with experts and negotiate with your landlord to try to mitigate consequences as much as possible. This requires some give and take, but most landlords are willing to allow for some kinds of relief possibilities, such as subleasing or reassignment, in the event that your business cannot afford the space.

#4 Not factoring in growth and the need to expand.

It was mentioned in the need for a plan before leasing, but it bears repeating: think about what your projected growth is and how much space your business might need in the next few years. It’s a risk to rent more space than you need, but being trapped in an office that is too small and does not allow you to develop can be just as detrimental to your business. Talk to your landlord about the possibility of expanding into other available spaces on the property if it becomes necessary, and try to opt for shorter lease terms with options to renew so you can consider after just a few years whether you have outgrown your space.

#5 Waiting too long for negotiations and a losing good offer.

Don’t leave negotiations until the last minute. These are so important, and you should not allow yourself to become set on a space until you are sure you can negotiate for favorable terms for your business – and the longer you wait, the more leverage the landlord has.

In addition, while you want to give yourself plenty of time to compare spaces and be prepared to walk away from an offer that is less than ideal, don’t wait too long on something you know is a great opportunity. If you find something good, hesitating too long could mean that you lose the opportunity to someone else, and then you are back to square one.

#6 Considering only the finances.

While budget is one of your most important factors, and you have to be prepared to walk away from even a dream space if it is way out of your price range, there are other factors to consider as well, such as the location of the space and the incentives a landlord is willing to offer. Remember that the most affordable office does you no good if your location will not attract new clients or your staff is unwilling to commute, so give yourself a price range to work within and then let yourself consider other merits of various spaces.

If you are starting the process of finding an office space for lease in Overland Park, KS, don’t fall into these common pitfalls!

Interested in commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS? Give us a call at 913-685-4100 to learn more about our available offices spaces for rent in Overland Park, KS!