What Growing Businesses Should Look for in Modern Office Space

Your business is growing. The team has outgrown the home office, and you can see that your people need a place that provides structure, community and room to collaborate. Finding the right office space for rent is one of the most important decisions a growing company makes, because the workplace you choose affects everything from productivity and culture to your attractiveness as an employer. Yet many leaders find the process of finding the right office space confusing: What should be included? What does it really cost? And what separates an office that works from one that holds the business back? In this guide we walk through what to prioritise when looking for office space in Stavanger and in Forus, so that the choice supports your ambition rather than holding it back.

Why the choice of office space is critical for growing businesses

For a start-up or a growth company, the office is far more than four walls and a desk. Figures from NHO show that small and medium-sized enterprises make up 99 per cent of all businesses in Norway and account for nearly half the value creation in the private sector. Many of these companies are in a phase where they are hiring quickly and need office space that can grow with them, without tying up capital in long leases and empty square metres.

From home office to a permanent workplace

The SSB Labour Force Survey shows that 45 per cent of Norwegian employees had the option to work from home in 2024, but only 7 per cent actually worked from home half the time or more. That means the vast majority still need a physical workplace, and for a growing company it is essential that the workplace gives people a reason to show up. A modern workplace is about more than a desk and an internet connection: it is about creating a place where the team performs better than it can from home.

What makes a good location for office space?

Location is the first thing most people think about, and with good reason. Office space in Stavanger and in Forus provides access to one of Norway's most dynamic business areas. A report from Forus Næringspark and NORCE shows that Forus was home to 2,871 companies and close to 37,000 employees at the end of 2023, with a combined value creation of more than NOK 1,650 billion. That density of business activity offers many advantages for growing companies.

Access to transport, parking and community

A good office is one that people actually want to come to. Check that the location has easy access to public transport, sufficient parking and that the surrounding area offers something beyond just buildings. At FOMO in Forus there are, for example, more than 550 parking spaces, plus a campus with a gym, food from Soi21 and a community of over 200 companies. When all of this is gathered on one campus, employees spend less time and energy on logistics.

Flexibility in lease and space: office space that grows with you

Many growing businesses find that their need for office space changes quickly. In January you might be eight people, in June fifteen. Traditional leases with five or ten-year commitments rarely suit companies at this stage. That is why flexible office solutions have become increasingly important. Check whether the landlord offers the option to scale up or down without having to renegotiate the entire agreement.

Office rent with and without a commitment period

There are several ways to rent office space at FOMO, and they are designed to fit different stages of a company's growth. An All-Inclusive workspace gives you a move-in-ready office with a flexible commitment and everything in one monthly price, which works well while the team is still changing size. An Enterprise Office gives you a dedicated, defined area on a longer lease and more control over your own premises, which suits a business that has stabilised and wants to make the space its own. Many companies start with an All-Inclusive solution and later move into an Enterprise Office as they grow, without leaving the FOMO campus. The key is that the solution fits where your business is right now, with room to change.

The ability to scale up or down

Always ask whether there is available office space in the same building or on the same campus that you can expand into. At FOMO in Forus, the campus covers 50,000 square metres with 1,800 workstations across four buildings, making it possible to move from a flexible All-Inclusive spot to a larger Enterprise Office without changing your address. Being able to grow while staying on the same campus saves you time, relocation costs and disruption to daily work, and it is one of the clearest advantages of choosing an environment built for businesses that are changing.

What should be included in office space for rent?

It can be tempting to choose the cheapest option, but the sum of all the additional costs often means that a 'cheap' office for rent ends up more expensive than expected. Internet, cleaning, reception, meeting rooms, electricity and maintenance can come on top of the rent. An All-Inclusive solution bundles everything into one fixed cost, making it easier to budget. Always ask what is actually included before you compare prices.

Meeting rooms, gym and catering

Facilities such as meeting and conference rooms, a gym and a café are practical tools for growing businesses. They make it possible to hold client meetings, run workshops and give employees a reason to enjoy being at work. At FOMO there are 15 meeting and conference rooms in various sizes, a 400-square-metre gym and food from Soi21, all gathered on the campus in Forus. You do not need to search for an external meeting venue or a gym nearby.

Why is a strong business community important for growing businesses?

Renting office space is about more than square metres. Who you share the building with can be just as valuable as the office itself. In a strong business community you meet other companies across industries and growth stages, and that can lead to new clients, collaboration partners and ideas you rarely find in an isolated office. At FOMO in Forus, more than 200 companies share the campus, from sole proprietorships to large corporations. That community has been built over time and provides real networking value every day.

For growth companies that want a structured approach to scaling, FOMO also offers the growth accelerator Slingshot, which connects ambitious companies with mentors, capital and networks. The value of being in an environment where you can learn from businesses that have been through the same challenges is hard to put a price on, but it is often just as important as the square metres you rent.

How to choose office space for rent in Stavanger

Once you have mapped out your needs, the next step is finding the specific office. Here is a simple checklist you can use when evaluating office space for rent in Stavanger and in Forus:

Location: Is the office easily accessible for employees and clients, with public transport and parking nearby? Flexibility: Can you scale up or down without long notice periods, and are there different lease models to choose from? Facilities: Are meeting rooms, internet, cleaning, reception and other services included in the price, or do they come as extras? Community: Is there an active network of other businesses you can benefit from? Growth potential: Is there room to expand within the same building or campus as your team grows? Total cost: What is the real cost when everything is added up, compared with an All-Inclusive solution? This checklist helps you compare different office space for rent in Stavanger in a structured way, so that you make a decision based on the whole picture, not just the price per square metre.

Find office space that matches your ambitions

Finding the right office for rent in Stavanger means matching the space with where your business is now, and where it is heading. That means prioritising flexibility, facilities, community and location, not just price. At FOMO in Forus, you will find everything from flexible All-Inclusive workspaces without long commitments to private Enterprise Offices for larger teams, all gathered on a world-class campus between Stavanger and Sandnes. Want to see what is available? Book a tour and experience the campus for yourself.