Before you relocate offices
Communicate your plans to your employees & customers/clients
Before your office relocation commences, the first thing you need to do is communicate your plans to move premises with your workers, first of all, and your customers and/or clients thereafter. These are the most important people when it comes to the running and success of your company, so keeping them in the loop with regards to an office relocation is more about courtesy than anything else.
It also gives people a chance to make personal plans, especially if you’re moving many miles away from your original location. You should give your employees and customers plenty of notice when it comes to relocation plans. The further away you’re planning on moving, the more notice you should give them. Transparency is key all-round, so keep the lines of communication open indefinitely. Organise a communication plan for the staff, customers, suppliers and service providers.
Ask a professional for help with office relocation
Just as domestic homeowners would seek help from professional movers, business owners will have to do the same thing when it comes to an office relocation. There are many different specialist firms out there who specialise in moving office furniture, no matter how small or bulky those items might be. Just as with domestic movers, office relocators can always be relied upon to get the job done efficiently without compromising office equipment.
This is something that FIT Interiors can help with. We have a team of dedicated experts who are highly-experienced in transporting even the largest of furniture pieces. By choosing a professional for help, you’ll be able to strip out all of the pressure and stress from an office relocation. You will have peace of mind that items will be transported with the utmost care when choosing FIT Interiors for office relocation services.
Make sure you have enough furniture to fill your new space (and know what to do with items you no longer want)
Whether you’re downsizing your office or upsizing, you need to make sure that you have office furniture available that will seamlessly suit your new commercial space. If you’re moving to a larger premises, then you will require additional pieces of office furniture. FIT Interiors will be able to provide you with high-quality pieces that will effortlessly complement your brand. Being both stylish and durable, there are many different options available to you when it comes to buying new office furniture. From desks to coffee tables, we can be counted upon to deliver the results you need.
Alternatively, if you’re downsizing and wish to get rid of furniture and equipment, think carefully about how you want to do this. It’s not recommended that you simply send pieces to landfill. You should always make provisions to recycle as much as possible. Most people will list items online for collection, either charging a small fee or allowing people to take those pieces for free.
Another thing you could do is send items to charity so that other people can get some use out of the furniture you don’t need. Lastly, you could always recycle them, especially if those pieces of furniture can no longer be used or are damaged beyond repair. The possibilities are endless when it comes to repurposing and recycling a variety of different items and that includes office furniture.
There might be some cases where your old office came furnished, so you don’t need to worry about getting rid of things you don’t want, but you will need to purchase office furniture if your new premises is unfurnished. On the other hand, you may not need to worry about office furniture at all if both your old and your new office space is furnished. Either way, it’s an important aspect of office functionality, so double-check that you have everything you need before move-in day.
Determine whether or not your company will go through any changes as a result of the relocation & liaise with our marketing team
An office relocation can be a turbulent time for both you, as the owner, and your staff members. There will likely be feelings of apprehension, so reassure everyone involved by telling them whether or not your company will go through any changes as a result of your office relocation.
It might be that your decision to downsize also means redundancies, but if you’re upsizing, then it could mean that you’re looking to bring on new teams or departments, for example. Whether the changes you’re looking to undergo are as considerable as that or not, it’s always best to determine how an office relocation will impact your business before you’ve committed. Liaise with the marketing team to ensure that all marketing collateral is updated, including stationery, website and brochures.
Ensure that your IT systems will be set up & ready to use ready for move-in day
Do you need to speak to the IT and Telecoms company regarding the movement of technical equipment? Your IT and telecommunications equipment is key to the continued running of your business and the decommissioning and relocation of these facilities should be considered before anything else.
You need to make sure that your office is up-and-running and fully-functioning for the first day in the new premises. Where you can expect some teething problems to start with, especially as employees start to use the new IT systems and technology you have put in place, it still needs to be in working order, ready for day one of operations.
Not only is this something that your employees will expect, but it’s also something that your customer and/or clients will expect. Communication still needs to be open between you, as a business, and the consumer. Make sure that, at the very least, the internet has been installed so as to answer emails and that telephones are wired up and ready-to-use.
Have interior office solutions in place, as well as a plan for a redesign/rebrand & the right storage solutions
If you’re a believer that a new office space means a fresh image and rebrand, then something you will have to think about is how you’re going to design your new commercial property. Consider the colours you’re going to be using, the fonts you want to use and the logos or slogans that you’re looking to implement by way of a rebrand.
You might not know where to start when it comes to an office redesign, and that’s where FIT Interiors comes in. We are able to make your every dream come true when it comes to an office refurbishment. We can also provide you with additional interior storage solutions, such as shelving. If you’re looking to redesign your new office space, then look no further than FIT Interiors. Consider your requirements for offsite storage and archiving requirements.
Follow an office relocation checklist, have an occupation plan & put a rota in place to make sure you don’t forget anything
- What needs to be done
- What has been done already
- The timescale you’re working to
You can make a checklist yourself, or you will be able to find templates online that someone else has done. The great thing about that is, even though those templates aren’t bespoke to your office move, they provide the bulk of the things that you need to get done. You can make additions to that checklist that match the needs of your business, whilst also getting rid of points that aren’t relevant.
In addition, make an occupation plan for the new office, regarding who goes where, what goes where and who gets what. You should also have a rota in place for who will be where and when, ensuring that everyone has a copy complete with contact details.
On arrival in the new office, you should consider the following things
- You will need a test plan to check all equipment, including phones, computers, networks and printers, to name just a few
- Check the condition of new offices on arrival and make sure that you take photographs to validate move-in condition
- Have a representative from each department on location during the move to ensure everything finds its right home as it gets delivered
- Set up a ‘lost & found’ area at both sites
- Keep a supply of refreshments available on both sites
- Distribute access cards and keys to all staff
- Ensure that the office relocation project leader signs off each part of the move
- Create a welcome pack for the staff so that they know how to use the new offices. It may be appropriate to include such things as where the stationery is located, how to use the telephones and instructions as to how to set up the task chairs, for example
- Ensure that your fit-out specialist provides the O&M manuals for advice on the products and services provided, including the maintenance requirements for the equipment
What are the next steps in your office relocation journey?
- Review – following your relocation or refit, it is essential that you review what you have achieved and measure this against your original objectives
- Evaluate the partnership – evaluate how well your partnership with the fit-out specialist has worked
- Consider the benefits – analyse the business benefits that you have achieved through the office fit-out. Do they meet the objectives that you set out to achieve at the beginning?
- Other improvements – Discuss these with your D&B specialist as there may be further (quick and simple) enhancements that you can make that will further improve your working environment
- Throw a party – once you’re enjoying your new working environment, it is an opportune time for publicity as you have something exciting to show your clients.
- Invite them to visit your new offices to see the investment you have made in your staff and clients