No one likes to make an effort for no reason. Changing a house can be a very hectic and time-consuming process, and changing an office is way more difficult. Since you have decided to move and it involves so much hard work, you should know all the dos and don’ts to make it as easy as possible. This article discusses exactly that.
Is It Worth the Cost?
Before you make this decision, sit down and consider if it is worth the investment. You would know that it is not just hectic but also very expensive. You will find a new office, pay an advance, and then have it decorated. You will have to buy a lot of new things and interior designing also doesn’t come cheap. The new office will need all the facilities you had in the old and many new things that make it look like a professional workspace. This is why you should weigh the pros and cons before you take this step and, if possible, discuss them with someone who can provide a neutral third-person view of the situation.
Take Help of Movers
You will have to move a lot of stuff from your old office to the new one. You might also buy many new things that can’t exactly be transported in a car. This is why you will need the help of professional movers. If you try to do everything yourself, you will end up messing up. A professional service would take everything from the exact location and deliver and install it in the new place. You won’t have to worry about getting anything damaged. Besides, it is not easy to lift stuff from and to the vehicles. All this will be done by those professionals, which makes their service worth every penny.
Issue a Press Release
It’s important to let the people in your industry know that you are moving. It includes your customer, potential customer, suppliers, and fellow businesses. This is important so no one can use that location to do something bad for which you will have to take responsibility. No one will go to the old location looking for you, saving their time and your image. Besides, it’s a professional practice to write and issue a press release whenever a new change happens at your company. If possible, take the help of a professional to write the press release as it can also help improve your brand image.
Consult with Employees
Although you are a decision-maker, you should not ignore your employees when taking such a step. When they are a part of the organization for which you are deciding. Anything you do will impact their lives, both personal and professional. Discuss it in a meeting and share all the pros and cons. You should know who is on board and who will be leaving you. Besides, they should not feel like you don’t value them as a resource of the company. They will feel respected and valuable when you ask for their opinions.
Calculate the Cost
Make a list of the things you will have to buy and how much it is going to cost to install them. This would include furniture and the partitioning you will have to do in the new office. You might not find some of the facilities in the new office that were provided to you in the old one.
This means you will have to invest to get those necessities. Make sure you have an exact number in your hand before you take any step. This will allow you to manage your expenses accordingly. Normally, these things cost more than you expect, and it becomes difficult to arrange finances later.
Prepare for New Hiring
If you are relocating, many of your old employees might not be able to continue with you. This means you will have to hire new staff. Even if no one leaves, you will still need new people to help manage that new office from that area. You should prepare in advance and start the hiring process before you start properly operating from the new office.
Check for Good Parking
A workplace gets a lot of traffic. All employees and the administrative staff will have to keep visiting every day and they will need to park their vehicles somewhere. It will be very difficult for the employees and causes security concerns if there isn’t a proper parking space. Remember, no employee likes to pay a parking fee every day at their workplace. You should make it easy for them and don’t let them feel like second-class citizens by finding a workplace that has a good reserved free parking area.
Test the Wireless Connectivity
Some areas don’t get as good wireless connectivity as you would find in the cities. Even in the cities, some plazas have some issues which make it difficult to find the internet or other signals. Make sure you get some reviews and test the place for yourself. No matter how good of an internet connection you get, if the area has an issue, it will keep causing problems for your business. After all, no business can operate without the internet today.
It Should be Safe for Employees
Make sure there aren’t any security issues in the area. If the crime rate is high, you should look for another place. No matter what, you should not ever compromise on the security of your employees. They should feel safe and protected when going to work. You might not be able to attract skilled employees if you are located in an area with a bad name.
Office Should be Spacious
You must get a space that is spacious and looks cool. People feel exhausted and uncomfortable in congested spaces. Get a bigger place if you have to, but don’t settle on a smaller space. Your business is going to scale with time and you will have to hire new people. Having a bigger place would mean that you won’t have to move to a new location again.
Also Read- Solution to Open-Plan Offices Noise Problems