Moving your business to a new office can be time-consuming and stressful. It doesn’t matter what the reason behind it is, whether you need bigger space or you are looking for the most cost-effective one, if an organisational error or skipped step takes place, it can be costly for your business.
Begin before you start moving your office
Find the right place and apply for a lease
Once you have found the place that suits your needs the most, you can start preparing for your move-in date if you haven’t yet secured your lease at the new location by going through the tenant background screening process as soon as possible.
Before moving in, inspect your new office to identify any damages, so you can make plans to fix them.
Your employees need to know beforehand
Make sure to notify your employees when you know you will move the office to a new location. They need to see if they need to move some personal items themselves and if the new office is further from their homes.
To make it easier for them, you can schedule email reminders for the date and place of the relocation. Keep in mind that not many people take changes quickly, significantly when they affect their daily routine. Notifying your employees long before the move and reminding them of it will minimise the stress for many.
Do not forget to review your current lease
If you are moving right when your lease ends, there are just a few things to consider. However, if you are breaking the lease early, ensure you are aware of the consequences. This might be including additional fees or a significant loss of the deposit.
Be sure the lease says who is responsible for damage to the property. This includes damages that may occur during the move. Make sure to notify your landlord of the date you will free the space, so they can put it on for lease again. That will be easier for you to organise your finances around the move.
Your clients and partners need to know you are relocating
The move should be announced to anyone who visits your office typically. In the same way, you will send email reminders to your employees, you can notify your clients and partners.
Ensure that your website also contains your new address so that people searching online can find you. It will improve your local SEO and make it easier for people who don’t have direct relationships with your business to find you if you update your website with new information.
Furniture and equipment
A new office means a new layout. Think about which furniture is in good condition and can be used on the new site and which is not. Do the same with the equipment. Continue with making a list of all the furniture and equipment you need to order for the new location. Make sure desk designs allow for easy access to data and phone jacks when choosing these workspaces.
Check the exterior
As well as making sure that you have all the necessary furniture and equipment, you should also take the time to do a thorough inspection of your office’s new exterior. Is the roof damaged in any way? If so, does it need the help of this Knox Roofing: Roof replacement in Boise company to come and repair it for you? Are the doors safe and secure, keeping out any potential intruders? If yes, then you can move in straight away.
However, if you notice any problems, contact your landlord or property manager as soon as possible to fix them before you move in. The sooner this is done, the better it will be for your business and employees.
A moving company is always a good decision
Using a moving company is a good decision because they do a lot of work you do not consider. They make packing looks easy, and nothing gets missed. Little tricks like labelling computers with respectful users will help you. Your belongings have insurance, and the heavy stuff is moved quickly.
Deciding the best company for you will also lower the stress for you and your employees. However, it is important not to hire just any moving company. To select a company to help you make sure to interview a few. Check some of their previous jobs and quotes and ask for feedback from the companies they worked with.
Consider storage options
The last thing you want to do when moving to a new office is clutter it with documents and files you seldom use. Your business will need as much space as possible as it grows in the new office, so make every inch count.
To maximise every usable square foot in your new office, an Office Space Planner might help lay out workstations, storage units, and IT infrastructure.
Once everything is cleared, consider off-site storage or a temporary storage unit. In the same way, if you choose a moving company, you can ask for quotes and feedback for a storage facility.
During the move
Set the office up the right way
Consider how your office will look from a client’s or partner’s perspective after setting up the computers, workspaces, standing desks, and machinery. Getting this done right away can allow you to make changes to the layout before committing. Furthermore, if a new location has not been used for a long time, a deep cleaning drive might be necessary with the help of a commercial cleaning service. Also, you may need to supply them with high-quality cleaning supplies (check out discounted cleaning supplies here) to make the cleaning process as effective as possible.
Test your equipment at the new place
Ensure everything is working properly by plugging in your phones, computers, Wi-Fi, and IT systems. As a result, your employees can begin working as soon as possible.
Time for cleaning up
Remove any rubbish made during the move or from the packing materials and equipment after the move is complete. Ensure your entire office space is clean when you are finished, so employees and clients can use it the following day. You could take the help of professionals from a Norristown janitorial service like Terran’s Spic & Span (or one at your office location) so that the job can be finished quicker and with less stress.
After the move is complete
Welcome party for the employees
A new location also means a fresh start. Celebrate this new step with your employees. This way, you will warm up the atmosphere and make their minds about the new place. You can ask them what will fit best for your teams. Is it a quiet lunch at the new place or a big party at the end of the first day there? Just make sure to organise a small tour of the new location and show everyone how they are stationed.
Get back to your usual work routine
The time has come to get back to work now that you’ve officially moved in, and your employees have returned. The idea of the new office is to make the workflow more productive and efficient.
Provided by Hammerschlag & Co., Inc.
Conclusion
A move to a new office affects your business immediately. Therefore, it is up to the upper management to organise and prepare everyone in the company to make the process as smooth and pleasant as possible. Maintain communication between the departments by creating an action plan that works for your business. Remember that seeking help is always better than risking problems.
