Charlie Harris Opening your newly-constructed office is an exciting period of time, but it’s important to ensure that this doesn’t cloud your judgement when it comes to putting everything in place before letting employees and clients through your doors. It’s a good idea to have a checklist of things to do before operations at your new office begin. In this article, we’ll take you through the things to consider before opening your newly-constructed office, from cleaning up debris and removing potential hazards, to having snagging reports and putting in your furniture and equipment.
What To Consider Before Opening your Newly-Constructed Office
Opening your newly-constructed office is an exciting period of time, but it’s important to ensure that this doesn’t cloud your judgement when it comes to putting everything in place before letting employees and clients through your doors.
It’s a good idea to have a checklist of things to do before operations at your new office begin.
In this article, we’ll take you through the things to consider before opening your newly-constructed office, from cleaning up debris and removing potential hazards, to having snagging reports and putting in your furniture and equipment.
Cleaning Debris
One of the first things to do before opening your newly-constructed office is getting rid of the debris caused by the construction process.
At the end of this process, there are often different materials left around on the floor and even in the air when your contractors leave, which need to be removed to ensure your new office space is clean and safe.
This is also beneficial to your employees’ health, as a thorough cleaning means people who suffer with asthma and other breathing issues and allergies won’t have to deal with any debris or dust still in the air.
Snagging Reports
It’s important to note that naturally, you’ll trust the contractor or company that constructed your office.
However, even the professionals make mistakes sometimes, which is why it’s essential to get a commercial snagging report before opening your office.
This report could highlight any issues which yourself or your contractors or company might have missed.
Snagging reports are there to inform you of both the mild and the more serious issues with the construction of your office, covering anything from minor cracks in plasterwork to major structural problems.
These are all incredibly important to know, which is why you should definitely get a commercial snagging report before opening your newly-constructed office.
Getting Hazards Out of the Way
Similarly to the above point of removing debris, any potential hazards should also be removed from your newly-constructed office.
This includes everything from loose or hanging wires to nails and screws sticking out of the floor or walls. While these hazards are unlikely to be left there by the contractors or construction company, it’s important to check, as they could cause some serious damage to both employees and clients in the office.
So, it’s essential to add getting hazards out of the way to your checklist of what to do before opening your office doors.
Emergency Precautions
When it comes to opening your newly-constructed office, you need to ensure you have the right emergency precautions in place.
This includes a wide range of things, including making sure your fire exits and escapes are working, as well as setting up a first aid station in case of any accidents.
There are lots of safety and emergency precautions you will need to keep in mind when you’re opening the doors of your new office, to ensure both employees and clients alike are kept safe at all times.
Change of Address
Opening your newly-constructed office also means you’ll have to do a few pieces of paperwork and admin.
The main thing to remember is that you need to change the address associated with your business on each platform you’re on.
You should also strongly consider letting your database of customers and clients know about this change of address, ideally via an email, as well as through social media.
This way, you can keep everyone updated, so your clients and customers know where to find you.
Your Reception Space
The next thing to think about when opening your newly-constructed office is making sure that you have a welcoming reception space.
This is the first thing your clients will see when they enter your new office - and it’s the first impression your employees will get of their new workspace.
That’s why it’s a good idea to begin with this space when it comes to your office’s overall design and aesthetic.
Your reception space should reflect your company, your overall brand, and your values. So, once you’ve figured out the design for your reception space, you can begin to think about the design for the rest of the office.
Furnishing your Newly-Constructed Office
One of the main parts of designing your newly-constructed office is choosing the furniture for your workspace.
There are many things to consider when furnishing your new office, the main two being the design or aesthetic, and the comfort.
At the end of the day, you want your employees to be as productive as possible, and you want them to enjoy working at your company - and, with comfortable furniture, you can ensure both.
In addition, your furniture should suit your business and the feeling you want to give clients when they enter. For example, you might want to make them feel relaxed and like they’re at home with fun chairs and beanbags, or perhaps you want to impress them with your sleek and professional boardroom tables and comfortable chairs.
Whatever your aesthetic and brand identity is, use this to guide your choice of furniture for your newly-constructed office.
Choosing the Equipment for your Office
Once your furniture is in, it’s time to choose the equipment for your newly-constructed office and get it installed.
This includes a wide range of things, from kitchen appliances to computers and other technology.
When choosing your equipment, it’s important to keep your employees in mind. This is because they’ll be the ones using the equipment every day, meaning it has to be functional and efficient.
In addition, you’ll need equipment that lasts long and is durable, as this saves all the time and money associated with getting replacements in the long run.
Security for your Newly-Constructed Office
It’s essential to have a proper security system in place before you open your office doors.
This could either mean getting in security staff - if your business calls for it and if your budget allows - and/or setting up security alarms around your office.
A functional security system means your employees feel safe in your new office, as well as keeping your products and sensitive documents under lock and key.
Getting Employees In
Now that almost everything is set up and ready for you to open the doors of your newly-constructed office, it’s a good idea to get employees in before officially opening again.
This way, you can ensure your employees are on board with the new site, and that they are happy to work at this new office.
Getting feedback from the people who spend the most time in your office - as we’ll discuss later - is imperative, as satisfied employees means lower turnover and higher productivity.
Checking In with Employees and Clients
When you’ve opened your newly-constructed office, your employees are in, and you’re beginning to invite clients, it’s a good idea to keep checking in to ensure everyone’s happy with the new office.
You can check in with employees every so often to make sure they’re comfortable and happy, and that they feel safe. You could even check in with clients to see if there’s anything you can do to make them more comfortable when they’re spending time in your office.
Checklist for Opening your Newly-Constructed Office
It’s clear that opening your office after waiting for it to be constructed is an exciting time for you and your employees, and it’s certainly something to be celebrated.
In this article, we’ve had a look at some of the things to consider before opening your newly-constructed office, including cleaning debris, removing hazards, doing paperwork, and designing your office to ensure it fits your brand and company.
As long as you keep all of the above in mind, you should be ready to open your newly-constructed office in no time.