Planning an office move can be a daunting task for even the most experienced and successful of companies. It is well known that moving house is one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. Imagine the scale this could reach when co-ordinating a business relocation- juggling employees, paperwork, furniture and IT equipment all while continuing to run your company.
Establish your requirements – office builder calculator
One of the first and most challenging decisions businesses face when moving or starting up is establishing their requirements. Spend some time considering your current needs and how you anticipate your company changing and growing over the next 5, 10 and 15 years. Take some time to speak to business owners who have experienced relocation and ask for their advice and recommendations.
One way to approach this is by using an office builder calculator which can help you establish exactly how much space you’ll need. By entering how many employees and separate working areas you need (such as reception, meeting rooms, storage areas and offices), the tool will calculate the exact square footage you’ll require.
Next you need to consider your preferred location. Will your new building require employees to travel further or do your field employees need quick access to a motorway or main road? Are you close enough to your key customers and suppliers? Another essential at this stage is to confirm your budget and secure any loans you may require. Once all of this is in place, take some time to get some business relocation advice and decide your move timescale before beginning the search for suitable premises.
Finding suitable premises
Finding the right premises for your company can involve a great deal of time and know-how. While the price and location may seem perfect, it’s important to check that you are able to move in when you need to and that you are happy with the terms and conditions of the lease (if applicable). For expert advice and business relocation assistance it may be worth working with a commercial agent who knows the area well and can save you time. Once you’ve found your ideal location, the next stage in planning an office move is to evaluate whether your chosen site meets your needs. For expert business relocation advice and a fresh view, you may consider consulting a furniture and interiors specialist. They will help you establish whether you need to remove or add walls or partitioning and whether some areas would benefit from refurbishment.
Preparing for change
Before you go any further arranging works and procuring furniture, ensure you have a thorough contingency plan in place. Although detailed planning can help protect you and your company from any changes, the only sure way to prevent business from being disrupted is to plan for every eventuality. This can include having access to your current offices beyond your expected move date and arranging for key personnel to be able to work from home or remote offices should they need to. Now is also a good time to ensure all your systems are securely backed up so your data can be easily retrieved should things not go quite to plan.
Consider your structured cabling and power needs
Power and structured cabling solutions are an important consideration when planning an office move as they form the backbone of all your communication and information technologies. Encompassing everything from your server and comms room to phone lines, computers and security access, a solid cabling plan demands expert attention and is best managed by a company who can co-ordinate your furniture and power layout simultaneously.
Choosing your look – 2D & 3D Space Planning
Choosing your look and arranging the layout is the next stage of any business relocation. Services offering guidance and advice are plentiful here but it makes sense to consult a company specialising in both relocation and office design. As experts in the field, they will be best placed to advise on the most suitable furniture and storage ranges as well as producing 2D and 3D visualisations. These will help you to experience how your new environment will come together and should be produced free of charge. Further still, an office design specialist will help you use colour psychology to increase productivity as well as incorporating your company colours and branding. If you can, choose to work with a company and designer who have showrooms where you can view and trial their recommendations before you make any financial commitment.
Now is also a good time to involve your employees and get their feedback. Planning an office move successfully requires co-operation from everyone and the earlier people are involved, the easier any business relocation will be.
Moving day
Moving day is always challenging and you should arrange trustworthy and experienced business relocation assistance to help you complete the move both to plan, and within schedule. To reduce the number of contractors you are dealing with, choose a company that is also able to dispose of any redundant IT equipment. Before the day arrives, make sure you have identified any potential parking or access problems. Colour coding boxes by area will help you save time when you arrive on site and will ensure staff can be unpacking and working with minimum disruption.
Communication
An often overlooked area of business relocation is communication. As well as ensuring you have let your customers and suppliers know in good time, remember to update your website, headed paper and re-direct your post. It could also be helpful to set up a helpdesk dedicated to resolving any moving problems or concerns your employees may have.
acs office solutions is experienced in all areas of business relocation and is proud to deliver a comprehensive and thorough service comprising everything you need to make your office move both simple and stress-free.
