Outgrowing your current office is a great sign for your company’s growth. While it can be an outstanding opportunity, you may feel overwhelmed by all the possibilities.
What should you remember before switching to a new building?
1. Make Things More Collaborative
About 75% of employees value collaboration, likely because it’s an easy way to discuss ideas with peers and socialize with others. Working together can help a team feel more united, which can certainly help in significant events like moves. Plus, it shows you — as an employer — value everyone’s input.
When you move into a new space, you can design it however you want to. Implement more collaborative spaces to get your employees talking to one another throughout the workday. For example, set conference rooms up by putting the chairs in a circle rather than rows. You can implement these little changes in several forms once you see the space you’re working with.
2. Get Outside Help With Moving
Choose the right tools to help your employees and you feel less stress during the process. If everyone only has to be responsible for their own things, your employees can take a breath and focus on setting up their stations right. As a business owner, you may have to take on a few more responsibilities — including hiring the right tools to ensure your move is successful.
You may not want to hire a moving company outright. Movers can be helpful, but they can sometimes complicate things — especially if you have valuable information or fragile items. If you have large equipment, you may be better off hauling it yourself. A standard gooseneck trailer can carry up to 25,000 pounds, making it an excellent rental option for all your needs.
3. Listen to Employee Suggestions
Your employees will likely have suggestions on keeping everything moving smoothly. Listen to them when they bring up ideas that could benefit the company. If your employees are shy about bringing up their opinions, encourage them to suggest things to make the move more fun. They might even think of something you hadn’t considered.
Listening to your employees for something as simple as a corporate move will help them feel heard and might entice them to speak up with suggestions that will further your business. By involving them in every part of the moving process, your employees will feel valued.
4. Look for a Way to Save Money
Moving means new opportunities that can benefit you and your business. Office rent prices have grown by almost 30% in the last two decades.
When considering moving out of an office you outgrew, consider whether the area is the best place for you. Perhaps you don’t need to be on the main street of your city’s downtown. You might find a place perfect for you just a few blocks away with much lower rent, allowing you to profit more and give your employees raises.
Also, though you may want brand-new furniture for the office, you may have to scale back and use your old furniture until it wears out. Moving it to a new location might be a hassle, but using the same desks and chairs will be well worth it until you can feasibly upgrade them without negatively impacting your budget. Moving is the perfect opportunity to create an “office wishlist” for the future.
3 Signs It’s Time to Move
You may not notice it’s time for your company to move until it’s upon you. The truth is, you should try to identify the signs that you’ve outgrown your current office space well before your lease is up. However prepared you may feel, you must also leave room for spontaneity — sometimes, an offer may pop up that you just can’t refuse.
1. Your Company Has Grown
This news is one of the best “downsides” to a current office you can have. Outgrowing an office means you’ve gained enough business to hire more employees and increase your company’s efforts. If your office is now too small, it’s time to start looking for a new space to call home.
When you started your business, you may have had to cut corners to make things work well. You might have chosen a place that compromises some safety because of your budget. If you have the opportunity to move, you can ensure the place you move into won’t be hazardous for you and your employees.
2. The Expenses Are Too High
First, you should consider why your expenses are so high and why you’re not pulling in the profit you should be. One of these reasons might have to do with rent — so once your lease is up, you may consider moving into a different building or completely changing your location. Your move will also help you cut back on some of the furniture or technology you don’t need, which means you can sell the stuff that no longer serves you.
3. You Have Better Opportunities
Once in a while, life hands you an opportunity you know you have to take. For example, maybe a prime location opened up just as your current office’s lease was ending. A new opportunity could mean a fresh start for your business and employees. If something requires a leap of faith, it may just be worth it.
Saying yes to new opportunities as they come will help foster positivity in the workplace. You can set clear goals to help motivate your team for the move and other projects. A better opportunity could revolutionize your workplace and more positivity may make you a better boss.
Plan Your Move Thoroughly
Though some spontaneous things may throw off your plans, your business will only benefit from having a set moving date and a list of actionable items to do before that day. Every move is a chance for a new start and more growth for your enterprise.
I find it fascinating that there are experts who can help you pack and move your belongings into your new office. I have a friend who likes the idea of moving his startup into a commercial building. I should talk to him about finding a mover that can make this a seamless transfer in the future.