Relocating your office can be exciting yet stressful at the same time. There’s a lot to consider and prepare for, as well as coping with the possibility of things falling apart without warning. But a big move can come with great benefits and rewards for your company.
Relocating can be a source of growth for your business, opening you to a whole new market to explore and claim. Of course, you must have considered these benefits before deciding upon shifting your office location.
However, there are some things you need to consider before you choose when relocating an office.
Consider your space requirements
Before you choose an office, you will have to consider the space it offers. The area you need depends upon your working requirements. For example, if your employees need separate cubicles, you may need more enormous halls for that. If you need creative stations, you may need more sunlight or maybe no sunlight at all.
Most requirements will be unique to your work’s nature. Hence, before you choose a location, observe these requirements and then start location hunting.
Set aside a budget
Moving the entire office from one place to another isn’t cheap. You will need to set aside a significant budget for the move. For starters, you will need money for renovations at the new location. Apart from that, you will need space to store all the extra office furniture and accessories till your office is ready.
You might be confused about storage spaces as a whole, but don’t be. If you’re relocating to a new office, you’ll need storage space where you can keep your stuff while the new place is getting ready. In a state like Washington, search for the term olympia self storage on Google to find affordable storage units.
It is always a good idea to set aside a budget to make relocation more manageable while avoiding unnecessary mess and losses.
Consider your expansion plans
One of the main benefits of moving from one office to another is that it allows you to expand your operations. With that said, moving offices every time you need to grow is not feasible. It will negatively mark your company in the market, and you are unlikely to gain customers if you don’t have a strong foothold in an area.
The reality is, no one wants to conduct business with a company that goes up and leaves every couple of years.
Instead, your new location should allow more flexibility. For example, if you need more employees, there should be enough room to set up new offices and desks. If you need to set up new machinery, your operations hall should be big enough to accommodate them. You should be set up for at least a decade of work.
Consider that your new office will become your headquarters when your company grows. Once you fill the space up to capacity, you can expand by establishing office branches in other areas.
Consider your workforce
One of the benefits of moving is that it allows you to find new talent and customers. Hence, when you are choosing locations, consider areas where the talent pool is. If you move into a place where there’s lots of talent to nurture, you can find suitable candidates for new positions in your office.
Apart from finding recruits, you must also retain your current workforce by considering their needs. Moving your office to a new state or city can be challenging for your existing team, and they may resign. This is why moving more than 10 miles from their current working space is not advisable.
It is a good idea to consider a location where you can retain your old team and find recruits simultaneously.
Consider technology
Your new location should not render you helpless in terms of technology. This is why you need to move to a place that supports your access to the technological infrastructure you need to operate your business. On top of that, consider the costs of establishing the infrastructure as simple operations should not put you in debt.
Apart from accessibility, you have to ensure that every corner of your location also has access to technology. Every small desk and meeting room should be connected to a network because blind spots can create problems for you.
The basic idea of this consideration is to align your technological strategies with your business strategy. If the location you choose fails to align them, your business will suffer.
Consider your culture and branding
Moving to a new place would require you to maintain the company culture according to the expectations and demands of that area. For example, if you establish your office in San Francisco, the employees expect that their company caters to necessities such as food, travel, etc.
In addition, the work and company culture expectations change according to the place and the people you recruit. Hence, when you move, maintain your current culture or work towards improving it.
Apart from keeping your employees happy, you also have to keep your customers happy. Branding your company in the same manner so that your customers set a standard for your services can benefit you in the long run. When you move, adapt your branding techniques according to the area.
Consider advertising your move
Moving is a big decision that every part of your business infrastructure needs to be on board with. Your customers and clients are part of that infrastructure. Hence, you have the responsibility of informing your customers about your move months before.
This strategy gives you time to prepare customers and vendors to conduct business with you at the new location. You can advertise your move on social media, set an event, announce it on a blog, set up posters, etc. Advertising will take a lot of time, but it will pay off as you will face fewer difficulties establishing your business at the new location.
Conclusion
Moving an office is a tremendous and beneficial step if you consider every aspect and make intelligent choices. Considering these aspects will allow you to prepare yourself, your employees, and your customers for the move.
But remember that you will need to do a lot of research before your move. Consider the demographics, market, and location. Only if the new site promises a bright future, then take this step.
