There are few things more exciting than growing your business. Being able to see your business grow is one of the clearest and most gratifying signs that you’re doing something right. It shows that your belief in your business was well founded and that you’ll be able to push it even further. The growth of your business can take a lot of different forms. Whether it’s hiring more staff, expanding to new markets or increasing your line of products. All of these things are great signs that a business is doing well and can soon be doing even better. But if you’re running a personal business, perhaps one that you’ve been running from home up until this point, there are few things that signify the growth of your business more than moving it to a new office. For a lot of people, this is the thing that sets a “real” business apart from the thousands of bedroom startups out there. It gives an air of professionalism and legitimacy that you might not previously have been able to achieve. A lot of the time you’ll be able to get a lot more attention from clients and investors who previously weren’t interested. This is because an office is a clear sign to the world that your business is ready to be taken more seriously. But it’s not all positive. As exciting as moving your business to a new office can be, there are still a lot of things that you need to be aware of. With a new office come new problems and you simply can’t afford to ignore any of them. With that in mind, here are some things that you can’t afford to forget when you move your business to a new office.
Health and safety
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The need for a new office probably means that your business has expanded regarding personnel as well. This means that you have to make sure that you concern yourself with their well being. You can’t just think of your business as yourself, and perhaps a few friends, anymore. Your employees are your responsibility, and if anything happens to them that you could have prevented, you’re going to be liable for that. The best thing that you can do is to speak to a health and safety consultant. That way you’ll have a professional guide you through the steps that you need to take in order to minimize the risks in your office. Not only that but health and safety needs to become everyone’s concern. You can’t spend all of your time running around trying to make sure that everyone is safe. You need to provide training to all of your employees about correct health and safety procedures as well as how to follow them. Make sure that health and safety guidelines are in clear few of all employees at all times. Don’t assume that your office doesn’t carry risks just because you’re not working with heavy machinery. Even if you think that there’s no chance of an accident happening, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Infrastructure
Your business probably relies on some pretty specific infrastructure. Any dedicated software, as well as email and internet services, are all going to be extremely important to keeping your business running smoothly. You have to remember that a larger office is going to put higher demands on your infrastructure. Before moving offices, check on how easy it is to transfer these services. The last thing you want is any delays halting productivity. Moving offices is always going to delay your business to an extent but the more you can minimize this the better. If your IT needs are specifically designed to the size and specifications of the space you’ve been previously using then, that’s something you’re going to have to consider when moving to a larger space. Make sure that, once you’ve moved, you take the times to test your systems and make sure that everything works as it should.
Space
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If you’re moving from the spare bedroom to a full office, then you’re going to have to consider how you use your space in a very different way. Now it’s not just about having access to files and your computer. Now it’s about the ergonomics of working environments. This obviously applies on a very individual level. You need to ensure that your employees all have comfortable, supportive chairs and that any specific needs are catered to. But it also extends to the office as a whole. As yourself, what kind of office do you want for your business? Is your business particularly collaborative? Then there’s a solid chance that you’ll want to make your office open plan to allow for easy communication. If it’s more segmented, with various teams working more closely, then perhaps it’s easier to segment the office itself. Of course, you still want everyone to be able to talk to each other, but sometimes an entirely open office plan can actually do more harm than good. You should also be wary of any empty space. Empty spaces can make an office feel very lifeless. Think about how you’re filling those spaces to ensure that you’re using the office as well as possible.
Cost
It’s hardly surprising that moving to a larger office is going to cost more than working out of your spare room. The cost of renting the space alone is going to put a major dent in your finances. But let’s assume that you’ve already factored that in and allocated enough of your income to accommodate that. A larger space also comes with a lot of hidden costs that you might not have considered. For one, there’s the cost of powering the space. The amount of power that a business uses can vary, but a large amount of people using computers, lights, printers, air-conditioning and more can really start to rack up a serious power bill. Of course, continuing costs aren’t limited to that. You need to make sure that you’re properly covered, which means that insurance costs will need to factor into your budgeting. Not only that but security systems will need to be in place, both online and offline, to ensure that your business is properly protected. The best thing that you can do is to make sure that you’re doing as much research as possible so that you don’t come up against any nasty surprises once your business is fully set up in its new space.
Higher expectations
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As previously said, one of the best things about moving into an office is that it can make a lot of people take you much more seriously than before. But this comes with a flip side. It means that the expectations placed upon you and your business will be that much higher. Investors may be more interested in your business, but they will also probably be looking for a far higher return on their investment. Likewise, customers will be far less forgiving over any issues once they’re no longer dealing with a home-run business. Moving your business into an office is a sign to the world that you’re ready to enter the big leagues. That means that you can no longer get away with any of the problems that are more forgivable when your business is much smaller. You’ve got to be sure that your products are shipped out regularly and always arrive with your customers on time. You’ve got to keep your website up to date and well maintained. You need to ensure that if there are any issues, you have a dedicated customer service line that is ready to assist any customers with their issue. This may well result in a fair amount of extra work, but that’s the trade-off for being seen as a “real business.”
The most important thing to think about when moving your business into an office is whether or not it’s a good idea to do it in the first place. Ask yourself, does my business really need to expand this way? It’s just a matter of balancing the growth of your business with the potential costs and work involved in moving into a larger space. Of course, this is not meant to discourage anyone from trying to grow their business. But far too many companies stumble because they try to grow too much too quickly and end up falling apart. Growth is important for any business. You just need to make sure that you and your business are actually ready for it. If you are, then you just need to make sure that you’re prepared. Other than that, you shouldn’t let anything stop you from taking your business forward into the future.
