Office renovation is something that every business owner will eventually go through at some point during their career. However tiring and complicated it can get, it’s something that has to happen eventually because you need to update your office. Be it to install new hardware and services, or to fix structural problems in your building, renovation is a needed task in the world of business. So to help you prepare your office to be cleaned out, here are a couple of tips that you should follow.
Prepare remote working
Your first priority is to prepare a method of remote working. For instance, you could invest in some laptops or switch over to cloud software solutions temporarily so that you and your staff can continue working throughout the move. For instance, you could use Google Docs for word processing, and you can use Google Drive to share files and collaborate on projects together without actually being in the office at the same time as your colleagues. This is one of the simpler methods of remote working, and you can also implement messaging services such as Skype to make it easier to communicate as a team while you don’t have access to a physical location. Although it can sometimes be difficult to work from home for a while, it’s needed because it’s impossible to work inside of an office that is being refurbished. Power might be cut at any time, the internet service will be flakey, and workers will only get in the way of contractors and delay the project.
Notify employees
The first people that you should tell about your plans are your employees. Make sure you tell them when you plan to renovate the office so that they can adjust their work. Make sure all of your tasks are finished as soon as possible so that during the move you have a lighter workload. Let them know how long the task will roughly take, and make sure they get used to working remotely from their laptops or at home so they can adjust to the new conditions.
Clean out and declutter
You should also tell employees to pack up their belongings if your renovation project will take a long time or if it will involve clearing out cupboards, desks and other storage areas. You may need to consider tipper trucks for hire if there is a lot of junk that needs to be thrown out, such as tables, carpets, chairs and other large pieces of furniture. The more you clean up before the contractors get in, the cheaper your project will be. This is also to ensure the safety of your employees. There are times when your employees will be coming in and out of the office, and they may run into contractors doing work with heavy machinery or kicking up a lot of dust from knocking down walls or similar tasks. If they have all of their belongings, then it reduces the chance they’ll wander into a construction site looking for their items.
Notify clients
Lastly, make sure your clients are aware that you’re renovating your office because it may disrupt regular business operations. If possible, try and finish as much work as possible for clients or post a notice on your website about a possible disruption to your business to ensure everyone knows about your renovation project and how it will slow down business for a while. The last thing you want is for a disgruntled customer to hurl frustrated messages at you.
