A change in your work environment is almost guaranteed at least once in your work life. Moving can be hectic; therefore, have to ensure that you are prepared. Preparation guarantees a smooth transition and enough time to settle in before diving back into your business. Here are five key tips for a successful office move!
1. Plan Early
It might sound like a cliché but planning should be on top of your checklist if you want it to be successful. Planning before moving enables you to see all scenarios in your timeline. This helps you prepare for issues that might arise in your timeline.
Planning also helps you set a budget for your moving exercise. Most transitions require hiring movers to do all the heavy lifting. If you are an employer, this allows you to concentrate on the well-being of your employees.
2. Visit New Premises
Set aside some time to visit your new premises. If you haven’t gotten one already, ask around for quotes and get someone relevant to accompany you for a second opinion. A second opinion will allow you to get common ground with a large number of people.
Assess your new premises to determine whether it’s suitable for your business. Always change the locks to ensure that only you have control of doors and windows. Most people who move usually change their new locks. Locks are changed so often that the United States Department of Labor had predicted an increase of 12% in the locksmith industry in 2020.
3. Communicate With Your Employees
Tell your employees about your plans starting from higher ranks. Including them in such decisions will make them feel like a family and an important part of the company. Ask them what they think about your moving plan and take their points into consideration.
Take an employee with you to view the premises and listen to what they have to say. Perhaps they wanted rooms with air conditioning, unlike the ones they might have been in. This is killing two birds with one stone: a happier workforce and a better working environment.
4. Ensure there’s Storage in the New Premises
When moving, you obviously want to settle down as quickly as possible. Having ready-made storage in your new premises would make this possible. Movers will find it easy to put your new office in order if you have storage in place. Don’t forget to take your employees’ suggestions into account when building new storage units, too!
5. Change the Business Address Ahead of Time
Ensuring that people reach your business easily is the reason you advertise and market your brand. Your address is part of your contacts and should always be accurate and up-to-date. Right before moving, change and validate your address with relevant stakeholders and Google My Business.
Online visitors spend 76 times more on advertised products and services online, so people hate misinformation and can sue your business for damages caused. Ensure that your clients, both online and brick-and-mortar customers, are notified of the move. A confidential letter from a client might get delivered to your previous address and the information in it leaked.
About 38% of premise moves are initiated by corporations. This shows that businesses eventually have to change office in their lifetime otherwise it is an indicator that they are stagnant, especially if it is located on rented property. Moving offices allows you to network with new businesses, change to meaningful working environments, and market your brand in new places. Making your employees happy while improving your business can be achieved by proper planning before moving and involving employees in decision-making.
