Home Improvement
4 Things to know before Office Relocation
Creating an office environment that works for you and all of your employees is something that every company aspires to. It also holds many advantages, such as increased productivity and efficiency, better relations between you and your employees, and overall high morale across your office space.
One of the most important factors of a great office environment is the office space itself. While you may have used the same space for a while, and it may have served you well, there are many reasons why you consider relocating. Maybe the place isn’t big enough anymore as your company grows, or, on the contrary, you may want to move to a different location due to unforeseen circumstances or dips in profit margins.
Regardless of the situation, it’s always a good idea to plan out your relocation strategy so the process can go as smoothly as possible. The more you plan your move, the better the process will be. It may seem like an unnerving task at the beginning, but it’s better to have a plan beforehand and gather as much information as possible before you relocate. The following tips and advice may aid you along your relocation journey:
Create a Checklist
Making a checklist of various duties and responsibilities is a good way to start planning your relocation. For example, if you’ve struck a deal on office space in Westchester, one of the first things you would want to do is get the place cleaned up, disinfected, and sanitized thoroughly, perhaps hiring some professional cleaning services to help you along the way. Run a Google search on Commercial Cleaning Services Rockland Westchester New York to get a head-start on getting your office space ready for the next stages of relocating.
If you haven’t made a deal for a place yet, determining the needs of your employees gives you an insight into what is lacking in your current workspace and may give you some ideas about what to do in the new office. Running a list of general office requirements and space will help you determine what office would work best for you and your workforce.
Other things that could be included in your checklist are getting any repairs done, purchasing furniture and equipment, keeping your employees and office staff in the loop of what’s going on and on, and the list goes on and on. Jotting down all these responsibilities will help you remember what needs to be done to ensure a smooth relocation process.
Determine your location
Location plays a huge role when relocating your office. Sometimes, there are a lot of strategies that go into selecting the location of your new workspace. For instance, you would want a place close to the subway or bus stops to make it easily accessible for your staff, or you would want to set up an area where networking with institutions like yours becomes a bit easier. Getting space in an area that works best for your organization, but if you’re able to find one, there’s nothing like it.
As time goes on, there have been many changes to creating a proper workplace for you and your employees. The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown brought a trend of remote working possibilities, another factor to consider when picking the ideal location for your office.
Security is also really important when determining where you set up shop. Ideally, you would want to relocate to an area with low crime rates. Plenty of security measures are taken to protect your employees and any assets or valuables in your office. Still, it’s also a good idea to determine what security measures your future landlord has taken to tighten security for your office.
Get Feedback from Employees
When relocating, keeping your employees in mind is an excellent strategy when planning what goes into setting up your new office. Taking their feedback and advice could help you make purchases that will benefit them and their work.
For instance, if you’re planning on getting new computer systems for your office, different departments will require computers with different specifications. In most cases, the employees working on those computers will tell you exactly what they require so that you don’t make unnecessary purchases.
Using this approach also shows your willingness to cooperate and work with your employees rather than just dictating terms for them to follow. Getting them involved in the relocation process will boost morale and create a work environment catered for them to perform at their best. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to satisfy everyone’s individual needs, but if you’re able to create an environment with a floor plan that works for most of your workforce, consider it a job well done.
Plan according to your budget
Before moving out of your current office space into a new one, it’s wise to ensure you’re not going over budget with some of the things you have in mind for your new workspace. If you’ve selected a place that is completely run down and needs a complete overhaul, you may not have the money to implement some of the interior design ideas you had or purchase any of the equipment you’ve lined up. If the place you’ve selected is in a reasonable condition, you still need to keep some of the budget aside for fixtures, transport costs, and utilities.
When moving into a new location, it’s always a good idea to keep referring to your original plans and checklist. Suppose you’ve already considered everything you require within your budget. In that case, it becomes useful to make sure you don’t go overboard with some of the decisions you make, keeping aside some budget for any unforeseen expenses that may be incurred during the process.
In a nutshell…
Relocating your office can be tedious and may seem like more work than you thought it would be. A lot of planning goes into moving into a new place that you hope will suffice for a long period and coincide with your long-term goals for the company.
As mentioned before, the more you plan, the better the process. There are plenty of ways you can approach relocating your office, and hopefully, the tips mentioned above can also guide you along the way. The key is not to stress about the move too much and to trust your instincts when making any decisions for your new space.
Once you’ve moved into your new office, take a step back and appreciate what you have been able to accomplish with this task. It helps you to refocus and get back to working towards expanding your business even more.
