If you’re considering moving to a new office, perhaps to upgrade to larger premises to accommodate for an expansion, or to downsize as a result of staff preferring to work from home, there are lots of things you need to think about. Not only must you physically move your equipment and paperwork from one location to another, but you must do so in a way that does not disrupt your employees or clients. Below, we’ve put together some advice…
Parking and transportation
Perhaps one of the most important things you need to consider before signing a tenancy on new office premises is parking and transportation. Are your current employees going to be able to travel to your new place without too much hassle? Is parking free and readily available? If not, will you be able to compensate your staff for the extra time and money it costs them to get to work? Be clear on what it means and give your staff time to adjust.
Office maintenance and cleaning
If you’re moving to a bigger office, you might want to consider the benefits of facilities management services such as cleaning and office maintenance. It’s vital that your staff feel like they’re being treated well, and investing in a daily cleaning service can give them that confidence and reassurance – and indeed ensure that your office looks its best. Maintenance – anything from redesigning your office space to installing an “outdoor breakout zone” for the summer months can also be handled by an external company, saving you time and money.
Alerting clients to your move
If you have clients that visit your office space, you’ll need to be sure that they know about your move ahead of time. As well as sending out an email campaign to all of your clients (letting them know about the good news and showing off your new office space), you should update your address on your company website and on your Google My Business listings.
Dealing with telecoms and downtime
Another concern about moving from one location to another is telecoms. Will you be able to access the internet from day one in your new office? What happens to your phone lines and will there be any downtime that you’ll need to address? Moving to a new office over a quieter period such as Easter or Christmas can save you the hassle and ensure that you’re delivering the same level of service to your customers, but sometimes downtime’s inevitable.
Transitioning from one location to another
Finally, how do you plan to physically transition from one location to another? Do you want all of your staff to move over on a Monday morning or slowly trickle the transition over a month or two to iron out any kinks? The more strategic you are with your move, the less likely you are to run into major challenges, but of course, holding onto two offices can lead to increased expenses. Evaluate the pros and cons of both options before making a decision.
Whatever you decide to do, we hope that these tips have helped you. Let us know if you have any suggestions after you complete your office move – we wish you the best of luck!
