When it comes to negotiating professional perks most people assume that includes salary, vacation days, flexible work schedules, and stock options. However, one perk many people don’t think about is negotiating for a bigger or better office space. For many people, having plenty of space to organize their things can make them more efficient and productive workers. After all, there’s nothing as disruptive as piles of clutter and a disorganized work environment. Working in a private and more spacious office can improve your productivity and can ultimately be more beneficial for you and your company. When it comes time to negotiate better perks for your position, don’t be afraid to start by asking for a bigger office. Here are some tips for approaching your boss about improving your office setup.
Explain Your Dilemma
When you approach your boss to ask for a bigger office, you need to have a reason why this is so important. Provide a general overview of the issues you are currently experiencing such as lack of space to organize paperwork and files or difficulty concentrating in a cubicle with other workers so close. Describe the impact this bad working office space has had on your productivity and ability to reach your company goals. Make sure your boss is aware that your sole purpose for wanting a bigger office is to improve productivity and efficiency in order to become a more valuable asset.
Describe Your Idea and Possible Solution
Explain to your boss that you have put a lot of thought into this issue to try and resolve these problems and you think the best solution is moving into a bigger office. Be clear that you have considered the pros and cons as well as some alternative options and be prepared to give your opinion on these. Finally, offer to help move furniture, set up your own computer, and do whatever else is necessary to minimize the workload for transferring spaces.
Discuss the Benefits
If you focus the conversation on the benefits of your idea, you are more likely to succeed in getting what you want. Use concrete examples to back up your ideas including increased productivity and efficiency. When you have more space to organize all of your work related belongings, you will feel less stressed and overwhelmed and more prepared to conquer your daily tasks. You will also have fewer distractions which translate into better performance throughout the workday. In addition, since you will be spending less time looking for misplaced documents, you can focus more of your attention on collaborating on important projects.
Know Your Value and How This Relates
Finally, be prepared to brag on yourself a little bit. Share some of your most recent accomplishments such as a successful project you worked on, a presentation you delivered, or a new client that you brought on. Be prepared to show tangible examples of these successes so that your manager can see how valuable you are to the team. Let them know that you can bring even more value given the right working conditions. If your boss sees what an asset you are to the company, they are more likely to meet your needs in order to help you succeed.
