If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, you may have started your business from the comfort of your own home. But as your business grows, you may need to consider moving to a commercial office space. This can often be the case when you’re ready to start hiring more employees or when you want a space to hold meetings and collaborate in. Yet, the idea can feel quite intimidating at times.
In short, making this move isn’t necessarily easy, but it can be made easier if you know what to look out for and what tasks you need to focus on. So in this blog post, we’re going to run through ten tips for making the transition from a home office to a commercial office space.
1. Determine Your Needs
Before you even start looking at potential locations, it’s important to make sure that the new space meets all of your criteria and needs. Think about how many people will be working in the space, how much room is needed for equipment, how long will the lease be, and so on These are all important factors that need to be taken into consideration before signing any contracts or leases.
2. Research Different Locations
Then, you’re able to start considering different options. Take some time to research different areas that would fit your needs and budget best. Consider location in relation to public transportation as well as proximity to other businesses or amenities that could benefit your team, such as restaurants or shopping centers.
3. Calculate Total Cost
Once you have narrowed down potential locations, it’s time to get into details regarding cost of rent and any additional costs that may come with renting an office space such as maintenance fees or association dues. Make sure these costs are calculated into your budget accordingly so there are no surprises later on down the line.
4. Tour Spaces
When looking at potential spaces, take notes and document everything! Pictures and videos can help capture specific details which can help make decisions easier later on when comparing spaces side by side. Additionally, don’t forget about parking availability. This could be a major factor depending on where you live and who will be using the space most frequently, such as your clients and employees.
5. Hire Professional Movers
When it comes to actually making the move, it’s always best practice to hire professional movers whenever possible. After all, they know exactly how things should be packed and unloaded which saves time when having items moved from one location to another! Additionally, professional movers are insured which can provide peace of mind in case something goes wrong during transport of items between locations.
6. Get Necessary Insurance Policies
This is another key thing not to miss! Be sure that proper insurance policies are in place prior to moving day. This includes insurance policies covering general liability issues as well as employee health or accident issues should something occur while employees are working in the new space.
7. Update Contact Information
Once everything has been successfully moved over into the new office space make sure contact information is updated with customers so they know where their next meeting will take place! This also applies for directories online (such as Yelp) which should include updated contact info including address and phone number so customers can easily find directions when searching for services offered within the area code specified by the company name being searched for online.
8. Consider Design Options
Next, consider design options for decorating and furnishing the new office space. Think about what type of furniture is needed, what storage would be useful, and different decorative ideas too. Here, you’ll need to focus on office desking, meeting spaces, and even any communal areas, such as a break room or kitchen. This step also involves considering any additional equipment needs such as computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, and so on.
9. Hire the Right Help
Next, we have the kind of people you might need to bring in to keep the space running! From cleaners and porters to electricians, plumbers, and even a building manager, it’s important to acquire the services of experienced professionals who can efficiently assist in the set-up and maintenance of your workspace. After all, first impressions count – a neat office environment will inspire confidence in any potential customers or business partners. Who you need will all depend on the side of the space, the type of office, and what your needs are.
10. Set the Tone
Finally, you’ll want to ensure that the space feels right too. Creating the right environment for staff starts with setting the tone and culture in your office space. This could be as simple as choosing to play music (or not), setting key boundaries around ways of working, and also managing communication. Another effective way to do this is by setting clear expectations for behavior and creating an atmosphere of respect and support. Establishing a good level of communication between colleagues is also essential, as this can help foster an understanding of how each individual contributes to the team’s success.
Making Your First Office Move a Success!
Moving from a home office to a commercial office space is not an easy task but it can be done with careful planning ahead of time. Knowing exactly what needs must be met before signing any contracts or leases is essential, weighing up the right spaces, and getting professional help can all make a difference.
Just be sure that you don’t forget about updating contact information online so customers can easily find directions when searching services offered nearby, along with getting the right furniture and atmosphere in place. When you follow these steps, you should find that moving from a small startup office in your basement to a commercial premises is a success!
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