All You Need To Know About Office Relocation!

For many smaller businesses, moving offices may be an unnecessary expense. However, if your company is expanding and you need space for more employees, moving offices could be an option for you. If you decide to relocate, you’ll need to consider: Finding a new building Ensuring that you have the correct permits to move office Moving large items from the old office Managing the logistics of the move Ensuring that you meet health and safety regulations.

 

But how do you know if it’s a good idea? What are the pros and cons? To help, we’ve put together a list of a few pieces of advice to help you out!

 

Here are some handy tips for moving offices:

 

PREPARATION

Preparation is key to any successful office move. If you want to ensure that you minimise the stress of moving offices, be sure to give yourself enough time to properly plan the move.

 

GET A HEAD START AND PLAN YOUR MOVE

You should start planning your move as soon as possible. Give yourself enough time to: Find a new building and Search for your ideal new office space. These are the very basics that should never be compromised. A head start helps smooth out the process and lets you work more efficiently in the long run. Make a habit out of it.

 

COMMUNICATE

Make sure your employees are happy by communicating openly about the move and the reasons behind it. Hold an office moving team-building session so that employees who are already familiar with office relocations can offer advice to those who will be involved in the move for the first time. One way to improve staff retention is to have a say in the office move. Talk to your team members and get their thoughts on the proposed move. Find out if they have any suggestions for the new office layout, and make sure they know you’re open to their thoughts and ideas. This will not only make your staff feel more involved in the process but will also make them feel valued and consulted, which will encourage them to work harder – which is always a good idea in a business where profit is the end goal.

 

OFFICE EQUIPMENT

There are plenty of new gadgets that you might need to consider – from printers to iPads to electronic filing systems – so make sure you’ve got the budget to cover them. A pro-tip, in this case, would be to re-use as much equipment from your office as you can. Also factor in if moving would cost more or less than buying new stuff. Go wherever the results of this question tilt.

 

SECURITY DEPOSIT

Security deposits can often be significant sums, so it’s worth checking this out with your landlord as soon as possible. Always contact your legal team, and ask them to check on the security deposit clause in your contract. This way you can know in advance what you should do in time.

 

SCHEDULE BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE

If you’re moving to a new office in the same city, you might be able to skip this step, but if you’re relocating, it’s best to book business interruption insurance. This covers your business if you are unable to run it because of a major incident.

 

CONTACT SUPPLIER AND MANUFACTURER CONTACTS

Part of the decision-making process for your office move will be to contact your existing suppliers and manufacturers to advise of the change of address. If you’ve got regular business with them, you’ll want to stay on their radar and pick up where you left off when you return.

 

FIND NEW SUPPLIERS AND MANUFACTURERS

You’ll also want to start looking into suppliers and manufacturers you could work with while you’re there. If you’re in the process of relocating your business, there are some obvious logistical and cultural differences that need to be considered. We’ve put together advice for choosing new suppliers and manufacturers before and that’s worth keeping in mind.

 

STAGING YOUR MOVE

The beginning of your office move will involve some careful planning – in particular, when to begin the process. This could be dependent on your company’s budget. Think twice before the move. If you decide, then do it confidently.

 

 

Of course, office relocation planning will only be as efficient as you allow it to be. Get in touch with our experts at St Albans’ Removals today to discuss how we can make your business transition from one location to another as painless as possible.