Lucy - BQ Magazine EditorThinking of moving to new business premises? It’s an exciting time since it signifies change for your business, and usually for the better – whether you’re moving to bigger premises to accommodate growth, or you’re downsizing and switching to a work-from-home policy, changing business premises can have a big impact on the prospects of your business.
But of course, while it might be exciting, that doesn’t mean that it’ll automatically be smooth sailing from beginning to end. You’ll need to work to ensure that your new premises are ready for action when you finally move in. Below, we’ll run through a few handy tips that’ll ensure the move works for your business.
It’ll Take Time
It’s best to think of your move to new premises as a medium-term project. Even if you think you’ve found the ideal space, it’ll likely take a fair amount of time – and often more time than you might expect – before you’re fully settled in and ready to begin trading from your new home. It’s best to be conservative with how much time you allocate to the move; if you move in faster than expected then great, but at least you won’t be rushing around trying to get everything done if it takes longer than you imagined.
Choosing the Right Location
Your new business premises might look and function well, but if they’re not in the right location, then it’s likely that you’ll end up regretting the move. Some business owners are drawn to a building because of its aesthetic or because they’ve been offered a good price, but if the location isn’t the right fit, then those opportunities are worth passing up on.
So, what counts as ‘the right location’? The answer is that it depends. Ideally, you’ll want the location to be near your customers and be easily accessible for your employees.
Getting The Space Work-Ready
You’ll need to do a bit of work to make your new premises ‘work-ready.’ What this looks like in practice will depend, in part, on the infrastructure that’s already in place. If the premises have not been updated in a while, then you might need to get in touch with an electrical company such as WFP Electrical to ensure that you have a safe and functional system in place. It’s also worth checking the available internet connection, since you may need to upgrade to ensure your internet can meet the demands of your work processes. There may be a few details that you can handle after your company has moved into the space, but the electrical system and internet will have to be taken care of beforehand.
Branding Opportunities
You don’t necessarily need to brand your business premises, but it’s recommended that you do so. There can be significant business advantages to creating a branded space. For instance, it can be an effective way to market your business — you can get a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ content from branded spaces, much more than you could get from unbranded spaces. Plus, studies have shown that businesses that brand their premises tend to report higher employee engagement.
Get Your Employees On Board
And talking of your employees – you’ll find that the move to your new location runs much more smoothly if management engages with the team before the move. After all, this move will impact them in one way or another, especially if the building is in a different part of town that will affect how they get to work. Hopefully, your employees will be excited about the move, but it’s always worthwhile making sure. For instance, you could ask them what they would like to see in the new office.
Get a Grip On Costs
It’s recommended to put together a robust budget for the move – and then do whatever you can to stick to it. The costs of moving to new business premises can be significant, but there are ways to keep them under control. Also, be mindful of how transitioning to the new premises won’t impact your ability to work, since the move will cost you more if you’re unable to generate as much profit while you’re moving.
Expect Teething Problems
Finally, it’s best to expect some teething problems when moving offices. Not everything will run smoothly at the first time of asking. As such, it’s recommended to plan your move for a quiet time of the year when you don’t have as much work as during busy periods since you’ll find it easier to find solutions during that time.