6 Things To Consider When Moving Office

It’s fair to say that moving your business from one zone of operations to another is a big deal. You might even consider it to be harder than a household move in your personal life, because there are so many more moving parts to consider, and downtime you have to try and avoid or limit at all costs.

While the financial matters may not be as immediately and personally pressing, they still do matter, and are essential to consider responsibly. Moreover, it’s essential to make certain you’re not being exploited or falling into a bad multi-year deal thanks to a lack of foresight or scrutiny.

Perhaps you’re on the cusp of planning for your next step, but you’re not certain if now is the right time, or if you have the full budget to account for every cost. But maybe the need is great, such as the landlord of the building you rent serviced offices from selling the building to a developer, who needs you to leave.

In this post, we’ll discuss how to plan your forward approach to not only justify but succeed in that final office move:

Negotiating Favorable Contracts

Most landlords expect you to sign a lease quickly, but you have more power than you might think when it comes to negotiating terms that work for your business. Landlrods generally like businesses with promising options, it could help increase the prestige of their own building and possibly its value. You could begin asking about rent-free periods for the first few months, or staggered payments, especially if you’re signing a longer lease, because landlords often prefer stable tenants over immediate income and they’ll usually budge on this if you present yourself as a reliable business that’s planning to stay put for years.

Break clauses are another area where you can negotiate, and they’re valuable if your business is growing or if market conditions are expected to change, so push for the right to terminate early if you give adequate notice. You could also negotiate on maintenance responsibilities, utility inclusions, and parking arrangements, all of which can add up to great savings or just a convenient time there.

Consider Moving Logistics & Timelines

The timing of your office move can can an effect for weeks or even months, depending on how much you have to bring with you, so you need to think about this carefully and plan around your busiest seasons, client deadlines, and staff availability. 

If you’re in retail, avoid moving during peak shopping seasons, and if you’re in accounting, stay away from tax season moves because the stress will compound and you’ll end up with unhappy clients and overworked staff. Those are just a couple of examples, but you may need to rejig an entire manufacturing output too, so the timeline can really vary.

Put together a detailed timeline that includes everything from packing and IT setup to updating your business address with suppliers, banks, and government agencies. Also book your moving company well in advance, and certainly if you’re moving during busy times, or consider doing the move in phases if you have the luxury of overlapping lease periods, because this can reduce downtime too.

Planning For Downtime & Limited Servicing

No matter how well you plan, there will be some period where your business can’t operate at full capacity, so the smart approach is to prepare your clients and staff for this reality well in advance. Send out communications to clients explaining the move timeline and how it might affect service delivery, and you might even begin offering incentives or discounts to maintain goodwill during the transition period.

Set up temporary solutions for essential services like phone lines, internet, and client meetings, even if it means working from home or renting a small temporary space for a few days. Train your staff on contingency plans and make sure everyone knows their responsibilities during the move, because confusion needs to be managed like a possible fire.

Affordable Furniture Planning

You don’t need to buy everything new when you move offices, and in fact, mixing new pieces with refurbished or second-hand furniture can create a more interesting and cost-effective workspace, so consider these Affordable Office Furniture Solutions.

You can also use modular furniture systems that can grow with your business and be reconfigured as your needs change, or you could look into furniture rental options for pieces you might only need temporarily. Some other options also include office clearance sales, job lot auctions, and online marketplaces, which could help you with excellent deals on quality furniture. Now could be a good time to really invest in the ergonomics and health of your staff as a result.

Staggered Departmental Structuring

Moving your entire operation at once isn’t usually a good idea, so consider moving different departments or teams in phases, especially if you have the option to maintain your old space for a few weeks or months. Start with departments that are less client-facing or have more flexibility, and save critical operations like customer service or sales for last when you’re confident the new space is fully functional, then you can get up and running quickly.

It also allows you to test systems and processes in the new location with a smaller group first, identify and fix problems before they affect your entire operation, and as such, give some continuity of service throughout the move. The last thing you want is to wait two weeks after moving everything because the rewriting and internet access needs work.

Location & Proximity Benefits

The location of your new office will be certain to affect some elements of employee retention to client relationships, so think a little more deeply than just the rent price when making your decision. You’ll find that proximity to public transportation, parking availability, nearby amenities like restaurants and banks, and the overall business environment of the area will determine how people stay with you, because these factors will impact your daily operations and your ability to attract and retain good staff.

Think about your clients too and how the new location might affect their willingness to visit or do business with you, or even whether the move might open up new opportunities for networking, partnerships, or customer appeal. Sometimes a slightly more expensive location pays for itself through increased business opportunities and improved employee satisfaction, as many companies setting themselves up in the city centres of any major marketplaces will know.

With this advice, you’re just to justify that final office move in the best sense.