So, after all the legal and contractual hoops and hurdles, you’ve finally got your new lease and you’ve finally, actually, for real, moved into your new City of London office space. You’re really pleased with the deal you got, as well as the facilities, the amazing transport links and the quality of the coffee machine!
However, moving your business into a new office isn’t so far removed (geddit?) from moving house. Let’s face it, you spend upwards of eight hours a day there, five or six days a week, so it’s kind of like a home. You miss the creaky third stair, the friendly people in the newsagent next door… It’s a big deal to up sticks and start somewhere new and you can feel a bit disorientated for a while.
To help you with this feeling, here are four tips that will help you settle into your new office in no time.
Take some of your personal items with you to the new place
Moving office doesn’t mean a complete change of identity – you’re not going into a witness protection scheme! If there were some personal effects that you used a lot in the old place – a kettle, a set of mugs, a print or even some old furniture – take them with you if possible. You might find that the landlord of your old office is willing to sell or give you your old desk or chair. Don’t try to recreate your old place, though – you moved for a reason, even if it wasn’t your choice – you have to move on a bit. It’s a balancing act.
Buy some spanking new equipment and furniture
Chances are your new office might look a bit bare, despite your old mugs and prints. If you’re walking into a blank-looking, empty-feeling space every day, this isn’t going to help you feel settled. If you’ve got a bit of spare cash, buy some special “new office” items, like a new framed print, or a bright set of filing cabinets. A splash of colour will be welcoming and it’ll symbolise your bright new start.
Get to know the people who are sharing your new office building
One of the first things you should do once you’ve unpacked all your gubbins and plugged everything in is to go and knock on a few doors. Take some muffins or cakes and introduce yourself to your immediate neighbours. Some of them might be missing the old occupants of your office, so saying a friendly “Hi!” is a good way to build bridges. Not only that, but you could be making some important business contacts.
Get out and explore
You might have moved location as well as office space, so who knows what hidden treasures your new area has for you to uncover. There might be some brilliant delis, junk shops or a gym; who knows? Get out and do a recce or two and also explore the potential of your office space. It’s all good fun.
