Office and IT relocation tips in a post-pandemic world

The COVID 19 pandemic had a big impact on the way businesses used their office spaces. While many companies sent their employees home to work temporarily during lockdown, a lot of them now have no plans to return – freeing up building space and creating a wave of office relocations.

If you’re planning an office move soon, there are a few things to consider – especially where your technology and IT infrastructure are involved. Packing up your computer network isn’t quite as simple as the desks and chairs, so we’ve got a few office relocation tips to help you get it right. 

Why the sudden increase in office moves?

At Dr Logic, we’ve seen a substantial increase in requests from clients to help move their IT set up as a result of an office relocation, which is unsurprising when you consider over a million workers in the UK will not be returning to the office full-time. 

Office spaces are changing in a post-pandemic world, accommodating different styles of working and adapting to suit new flexible employment models.

Some companies who previously occupied multiple floors in large buildings are reducing the amount of office space needed. But, conversely, many companies have grown exponentially over the pandemic, due to their unique product offering (PPE) or sales channel (online only) and now need a bit more space.

If you think you’ve either outgrown your space, or the space has outgrown you, now’s a good time to consider an office move to somewhere that’s more suitable to meet your business objectives. And we’re in a buyers’ market currently, so rent negotiations can be entered into – as well as there being an improved choice as previously unavailable properties come onto the market. 

Reimaging your office space – do you need to downsize?

The pandemic showed the world that there’s no need for everyone to come into the office every day to run a successful business. 

With more talent moving away from the big cities in favour of a slower pace of life, the demand for big office spaces in prime city spots has changed, too. Instead, companies are looking for more flexible spaces in different locations to accommodate less people in the office and shorter commutes. 

Using tech to facilitate this enhanced flexibility is easy with communication platforms that are available on mobile devices. Slack, Microsoft Teams, email, and Whatsapp groups are all available on smartphones, meaning your staff can answer queries from anywhere. 

But not everyone will need a brand new office space to achieve this. If your company has made some changes post-pandemic but you don’t want to move, then you could restructure your current space to work harder for you instead. Reimagining your office with a different layout or a hot-desking structure could be all you need to start utilising the space better.

Managing risks – IT issues that could arise during the move

If you are relocating offices, or even just moving things around – there are plenty of IT challenges that could present themselves along the way, so it’s important to be prepared.

Communication. Inform all your suppliers, clients, customers and colleagues of the new address and moving date – especially your broadband supplier, as you won’t want to be without internet for long.

Timing. Remember that you might not be back up and running perfectly in your new office straight away. Make allowances for small delays and disruptions.

Electricals. Does your old technology fit in the new space? Is it set up with the right structured cabling? Make sure that your new space is fully prepared for your move.

Security. Your company’s mobile devices could potentially attract the wrong sort of people, so it’s important to know that your IT Support company can shut down the access rights of any device if it gets lost or stolen during the move. 

Using a platform like Addigy , your IT Support company will manage mobile devices’ security and remotely, and can wipe them instantly if they fall into the wrong hands.

Having a team of experts is a good IT project management practice that manages office relocation risk. Having the right IT support who can assess the space, prepare cabling and get you up and running as smoothly as possible will save you a lot of worry, production downtime and, ultimately, money.

Communication is key – how to prepare staff

Preparing staff for an office move can be a tricky and delicate subject. Communication is key, so make sure you inform your staff of the relocation early, keep them in the loop throughout the process, and support them every step of the way.

Ensuring your staff are aware of key dates and deadlines will help them feel more comfortable in the lead up to the move. Make sure you keep your goals and objectives very clear for all parties throughout, so everyone knows when and what is expected of them.  

Avoid cutting corners  

An office relocation is a great opportunity to replace or update your older technology, so don’t just pack up your annoying old IT niggles and bring them to your new office. Figure out what isn’t working for you anymore and make sure it is working in your new space.

Not sure where to start? Take a look out some of our top tips for relocating offices.

There may also be some important things you’ve forgotten about such as data safety and user identity management. There are a number of very good Identity Management systems out there, such as JumpCloud, so you don’t need to worry about losing all your passwords in the move. It’s a secure and efficient way to connect users to their workstations, servers, networks, apps, and files.

If in doubt, leave it to the experts! Your IT support team will be able to look after any niggling issues for you, so you can focus on everything else.

Relieving the pressure for yourself and your team

Office relocations can be stressful and time consuming for everyone involved, so make sure you take the pressure off yourself and your staff by being fully prepared. 

• Give yourself time to plan. Set a realistic office move timetable and factor in plenty of time for delays, disruptions and other bumps along the way. You don’t want to be rushing around at the last minute.
• Focus on wellbeing. A change in environment can be stressful and confusing for staff, so it’s important to ensure their health and wellbeing is your top priority. Give them space to get to know their new office, and provide plenty of stress relieving advice and activities.
• Ask for help! At Dr Logic, we don’t see office moves as a challenge, but an opportunity to reassess, and – if necessary – improve or expand your current IT set-up. So, as well as making the relocation process as smooth and fast as possible, we can also help to ensure that your new office’s IT infrastructure is a step up from the one you were using before.

Just like moving home, moving offices should be an exciting time. At Dr Logic, we can guide you through this next chapter of your business while you focus on growing and exploring new opportunities . Take a look at our Project Management methodology or get in touch to find out more about how we can help.