Collaborative Post

To move offices is an exciting time for any business. It usually represents growth, a change for the better and relocating to somewhere that better suits your company’s needs. But like any move, it can be a hugely stressful time with a great deal to organise, particularly when you want to keep disruption to a minimum so your business can continue to run effectively. 

As well as making sure your new premises meet the company’s and its employees’ future requirements, it’s also essential to assess the property itself. For example, will clients be able to find it easily? Does it have parking? Is there room to accommodate more team members? 

Does it meet the necessary health and safety regulations? No doubt, relocating to a new building gives everyone involved a great deal to think about, so here are some valuable pointers to get started:

Cost

Like most things in life, our decisions often come down to money and moving premises isn’t a cheap exercise. Even with the best intentions, problems can occur, hidden costs can present themselves due to delays and oversights, and before you know it, your budget is a thing of the past. But as well as the physical cost of moving to a new building, there are extra responsibilities to consider depending on the nature of your business. 

For example, do you have any chemicals or materials that require expert handling? Or any specialist equipment that needs professional attention? Safety should always be a top priority, whatever the situation, so professional advice is worth consulting and factoring into the overall budget. 

Relocation plan

To keep disruptions to the business at an absolute minimum, you must have a structured moving plan in place. This includes answers to questions such as ‘do clients know about the relocation?’ ‘Who will pack and dismantle the office furniture and equipment?’ ‘Do the new premises need cleaning, and who will do it?’ And ‘have the relevant experts been identified to make a move as smooth as possible?’. All of these questions get a lot more complicated if you need a specialised building, so you need to consider what your premises are going to be used for. If you’re moving to a new healthcare facility, for example, you’ll need to hire a Healthcare Architect to ensure rooms are accessible, spacious, hygienic, well-ventilated and full of natural light.

Whether you’re moving home or business premises, relocating will always be a challenge, but having a strategic, well-thought-out plan will reflect positively on you as a company and how you present yourself in a demanding situation. 

Health and Safety

A health and safety checklist is a must-have part of the relocation plan. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that employers’ legal responsibility is to ensure the workplace is a safe environment for its team members and everyone on-site. This means that the relevant risk assessments must be executed before the big move, and all health and safety features should be in place. If you’re unsure which protocols to follow, it’s worth seeking the advice of professionals who can complete a Health and Safety audit on your behalf. This will highlight any risks, hazards and non-compliant areas of legislation, so you know what actions to undertake before employees start work in their new workplace. 

Communication

As obvious as it might sound, people need to be told when you move business premises. Unfortunately, because the logistical side of moving takes priority, the job of communicating the news to others is often overlooked and ends up being rushed. However, it’s important to remember that moving to a new office is a powerful PR story and should be used to your advantage. You can use PR & digital marketing agencies to help you get the visibility you need so that you can tell your story. 

After all, it signifies that your company is growing, planning for the future and needs new premises to reflect its success. This news can be posted on social media channels, sent by email campaign, a designated blog post or as part of your email signature. It’s also important to remember that the business stationery will need changing so that all letterheads, comp slips and marketing material are up to date too.