Moving business premises is an exciting time of change and opportunity for any company, whether you are up-scaling to a larger site or settling into a busier city to grow your customer base. Before making the move it is important to do your research and find out exactly what you need to know before moving into a new business premises.
Take time to plan
Moving business premises is very different to simply moving house and requires careful planning and consideration to make sure that the process runs smoothly. Every business is different and will come with different tasks to complete so you should plan ahead and give yourself enough time (most businesses need around a year) to make the move. Also, consider your budget when you’re allocating you time to ensure that you can feasibly afford to spend the time needed on the move in question.
Follow safety procedures
For every workplace, certain requirements must be met to ensure the safety and wellbeing of any employees who will be working in the new building. These requirements include adequate air conditioning (you will need a TM44 inspection to check the quality of this), a clean water supply, access to toilets, windows that can be opened and a list of others that can easily be found online. Most of the time, buildings that do not meet these requirements are temporarily shut down until they have been altered to meet the guidelines. Closures can be detrimental to companies as they take time away from all aspects of the business. To ensure that your business does not suffer from these requirements, you should invest in high-quality appliances such as air-conditioning, water filters and toilets. To make sure that your air-conditioning is running to its full capacity (over 12kW), you can ask specialist inspection companies to check and give you an evaluation.
Take time perfecting your layout
For a business to work effectively, a great building layout must be put into place. A great layout will invoke a positive atmosphere and enthusiastic working environment for employees. It’s important to consider how spaces can be used to their full capacity and how employees will be able to move easily between departments to get to where they need to be. Other things to be taken into consideration include the placement of bathrooms, waste bins and social spaces. These should be separated from office spaces as much as possible to limit distractions and the disruption of work-place flow.
Security
Part of creating a great work environment is making your employees feel safe an protected in your new building. You may need to look into providing security cameras and changing any old locks that were used by the previous owners. Having a secure building will help your workers to feel relaxed at work and will also protect any expensive equipment or personal data that you may hold in the premises. Security cameras should cover all entrances of the building and any communal areas in which unsafe acts (such as workplace assault) may take place.
Internet connections
In 2020, all business will use the internet as an integral part of the working day. New buildings and larger spaces may require stronger, more efficient internet connections that are able to reach the entirety of your workplace. You may need to consider buying extensions for your internet to reach offices that are further away or hidden behind fire doors ect. Many internet providers offer packages for larger business that covers all of your needs. A strong internet connection will make the working day far more convenient and simple for employers and will prevent the loss of data or miscommunication that may occur during online calls with a poor connection.
Use the move as an opportunity to declutter!
Over the years, your current office would have undoubtedly collected a variety of old furniture and objects that you simply no longer need. Moving premises is a great time to sort through your materials and create more space for your new building by getting rid of what you do not need. Old furniture can be sold and the money can then be used to buy brand new, more efficient items for your new workspace. It is also important to keep your employee’s opinions and requests in mind, a declutter is a great opportunity to revamp your space and create an environment that it perfect for all members of the company.
Sources
https://smallbusiness.co.uk/moving-business-premises-2538617/
https://nexusenergysolutions.co.uk/tm44-air-conditioning-inspections-whats-involved/
https://www.workspace.co.uk/community/homework/growth-and-strategy/5-things-to-consider-when-moving-business-premises
Ruby Clarkson
