Just like an office refurbishment, an office relocation is not something that should be taken lightly. It’s a huge decision that is likely to require a substantial amount of time and money so having a strategic plan of action in place is paramount. This will also help you to stick to your budget and not indulge in any impulse decisions or office design gimmicks along the way.
Take the time to carefully evaluate the pros and cons of your current workplace and use this to inform a clear set of objectives on what you want to achieve from the new space. Once you’ve got these in place, you need to map out a timeline of events to ensure the project – and everything involved – runs as smoothly as possible.
Seek legal advice before signing any official documents
Before you go ahead and scribble your signature on any dotted lines, seek the guidance of a legal professional who can make sure everything is as it should be. You don’t want to end up tied into a lease contract that you haven’t carefully studied the fine details of, for example.
Do your research before picking a partner
As the saying goes, some things are best left to the professionals and while you’re concentrating on keeping the business ticking over through this period of transition, it’s nice to have the support and experience of industry experts on your side.
Do your research by asking around and reading testimonials or case studies on the internet before selecting your preferred partner. Hold meetings, visit their showrooms and check out who they’ve worked with before to see if they’re going to be the right fit for you.
As well as offering advice in the creative design process and overall workspace planning strategy, a good partner will also help make sure you remain Health & Safety compliant.
Think about culture and brand image
What does your current workplace say about your organisation? Do the companies leaders have an ideology about brand and culture that the existing space just can’t live up to? From creating the right first impression for visitors, to fostering a working culture that supports collaboration and innovative thinking, an office relocation is the ideal time to create spaces that will support this.
Use it as the perfect opportunity to embrace change
An office move creates the opportunity to assess current processes, roles and responsibilities, equipment and workspace design. When defining your objectives, picking out new furniture and considering the design and layout of the new office, don’t shy away from trying something new if you think it might boost efficiency or improve the wellbeing of your staff.
It could be a WorkCafe where workers can go to refuel and work in a more casual environment or more health-conscious ergonomic furniture. Maybe you’re considering adding more collaborative workspaces in order to encourage more creative idea-sharing. Perhaps you’re even considering the transition into an open plan workspace and feel you might need to introduce some commercial acoustic solutions.
Update your workspace technology
Relocating to new premises is the perfect opportunity to declutter and get rid of any paperwork, furniture or machines no longer in use and this includes your workspace technology.
Once you’ve streamlined what you do and don’t require from your existing space, there will be room to think about new AV and tech solutions you could implement within the new office. From interactive whiteboards and the media:scape family to things like digital signage and video conferencing, there is plenty to choose from.
Remember that strong communication is key
An office relocation normally presents a huge change for the business so communication and transparency with staff is vital. We recommend holding a number of workshop sessions where employees can express their feelings and opinions and stay in the loop with what’s happening and how it will impact them.
Bolstering communication across the business will hold you in good stead when it comes to ‘business as usual’ and a harmonious working environment where staff remain focused and motivated.