When your business grows enough that you begin to employ a team, gather different contractors and need more room or equipment, thoughts turn to office space – and it’s something that might have been on your radar lately, too. Office relocation takes research, time, and intuition. It’s not just about square metres, but the building, the people who run it, and the facilities as well as the other companies that are there.
Building a business requires the right space, the right equipment and the right ‘vibes’ – and finding an office space that connects with all of that for you (and is affordable) might seem like a big task.
You may have been using co-working spaces like The Hive at Bloxham Mill already, or indeed have been working from your spare room or home office. But, as a business owner, the joy of having your own serviced office space is that you can build a team away from home in a space that you can really make your own.
How can you undertake office relocation in a way that that best suits your business? Well, we have a simple office move checklist that might just help!
Office move checklist: The basics
1. Location – How accessible is the office that you are considering? Is it easy for staff and clients to get to? You should also consider if there is the required skill base in the local area– will you be able to find qualified staff? What about competition? Are there businesses offering the same or a similar product or service in close proximity? What about the potential for future growth? It’s worth considering whether business expansion would be possible.
2. Transport and parking – Are there adequate transport links to the office, both for staff and clients, for example is the office easily accessible by foot or is it located on a bus/cycle route? It’s worth considering whether parking is available on site or nearby for staff and clients and if there is, is there an EV charging point installed?
3. Local amenities – What amenities are there in the local area? Is there is a gym nearby? Or if not, is there a place for staff to exercise on their break? Are there restaurants and coffee shops in the vicinity for entertaining clients? It’s worth finding out if there are shops close by for staff to pop to on their lunch break.
4. Technology – Is the broadband fast and reliable enough for you to run your business? Is there Wi-Fi available? What about video conferencing technology? It’s worth finding it whether the required technology is already installed or whether you would be required to arrange this.
5. The building – What kind of space would you like to welcome clients or new customers into? What ‘feel’ does the building have, both internally and externally? Is it professional space where you would be proud to bring your clients or does it require updating? It’s worth exploring whether you are responsible for any maintenance. Understanding at what times the office is accessible is key. Are there specific opening hours or is it accessible 24/7?
6. Space – Who needs to be in the office, and when? Is the whole team in every day, or do you work on different days? You might not need as large an office as you think! Do you need space for machines, equipment and other business-focused elements? Add up what’s going to be in the office, from desks and chairs to a-frames, or even a sofa or beanbags and places to chill out. This will help you work out the exact amount of space for the equipment that you need.
Emma McGregor, Commercial Director at Bloxham Mill, explains:
“A serviced office provides a flexible work environment for your business. Our short-term leases are perfect for businesses exploring how much space they need for their teams to upsize or downsize over time without having to change address.”
One monthly invoice includes all the costs, such as broadband and other IT costs such as servers and firewalls, cleaning, business rates, furniture, on-site parking and utilities to name just a few. We have a team on-site to remove the headache that comes with running your own premises and having to manage all the contractors.
Moving office checklist: The extras
While you need to have considered all of the basics listed above in your office relocation, there’s also plenty of added extras to add to your office move checklist. Yes, we’re talking everything from dogs and plants to peloton bikes and pool tables! In fact, you’ll find all of those things if you peek inside different offices at Bloxham. At Bloxham Mill, we provide a professional blank canvas space, that you can adapt to suit your brand, with different décor, your specific coffee machine, fridge with your favourite drinks and snacks, or a smart speaker. As well as the basics, such as location, space and technology, your office relocation checklist should also consider the things that make your office ‘you.’ You can then showcase it as yours to the people who come and visit, too.
Office move checklist: Flexibility to grow and thrive
Bloxham’s unique offering is that there’s more than just a serviced office. As part of your serviced office monthly lease, you have access to the Hive – Bloxham Mill’s co-working space. In this space you can break-away from your team, mix with freelancers and solopreneurs, grab a coffee or join a networking meet-up. It’s not about just heading to your office and closing the door – unless you’d like it to be because there’s a deadline! Emma McGregor adds:
“Bloxham Mill has always been based on three key pillars; Technology, Service and Space. We have a beautifully designed communal space for our clients to use in addition to their own office space. This has helped facilitate creating a warm and welcoming community, often bonding over a coffee and sharing successes and challenges.”
Office relocation checklist: Client testimonial
Bloxham Mill client Silbury has it’s Head Office in local town, Banbury but needed something executive off-site for their commercial team and meetings. At Bloxham Mill, they have an office full of staff, as well as another office which they use as a board room style private meeting room. Louise De Leon, from Silbury commented:
“Bloxham Mill is an excellent, modern workspace set in beautiful surroundings. Organising the set up of our meeting room was extremely easy and the professional client care team were always available to ensure that everything ran smoothly. For us having the flexibility to use our private meeting room but also the use of the co-working spaces and breakout areas is a fantastic asset. Our head office is in Banbury but as our team grew last year and continues to grow we required additional space and a private meeting room. The location of Bloxham Mill is ideal as it is close to Banbury, the M40 and rail links so it easily accessible for our colleagues and for meeting customers and suppliers. It is a fantastic, modern environment to work in!”
Want to come and see the serviced offices for yourself? Get in touch to arrange a visit, grab a coffee and chat to find out how Bloxham Mill’s serviced offices can work for you.
