When moving an office, take advantage of the opportunity to make things more productive, and to add a little flare to your workspace.  Moving an office is stressful, but think of it as a positive event that will give you an excuse to improve your business and a sign that you’re growing – which means you’re heading in the right direction.

First, you’ll have to take care of all the practical things.  Make sure the phone lines are hooked up and the wiring for your Internet connections are in their right places.  For this, you’ll have to pre-consider where employees will sit and how large their desks and work areas will be.  Measuring tape could never have a better application – be as precise as possible BEFORE the move in day, so things will go smooth when you all arrive and begin settling in.

When you arrange furniture, imagine what your daily working life will be like.  Where will the printers, copiers and fax machines go?  Keep them in a central location where they can be within reach of all departments, or otherwise near offices of a work station.  Consider where the electrical outlets are.  If certain employees conduct constant outreach to customers, they should be in a place separate from those who work on the back end, to avoid nuisances and disturbances.  On the other hand, it wouldn’t be wise to put the incoming calls desk near a lunch room that may produce strange background noises over the phone.  If customers walk into your office, make sure people’s desks are arranged so that they are facing the entrance and can easily greet new faces for better service standards.

Most office furniture comes in standard colors and shapes, but there are ways to make your office unique for both showing off to guests and making employees feel as though they’re working for a dynamic company.  Here are some things to consider when decorating and furnishing:

• Desks – it’s not hard to find unique styles by going to specialty stores that are not traditionally used for furnishing offices.  Some have glass surfaces which is a colour that won’t go out of style too soon.  Don’t opt for overly bright colours just because they’re in style now.  Trends change often, so it’s better to go with tradition.
• Cubicles – some come in colours other than gray, but remember to see if they can be posted on easily, since some employees may have to put things up, like calendars or checklists. 
• Lighting – different personalities in the work place will appreciate different shades of light.  The really technical who need to look at a computer screen all day will probably opt for something dim, whereas the idea-generators (architects, designers, etc.) will likely prefer more natural sunlight.  The meeting board room will need a variety of lighting for both conversation and viewing a screen for power points and/or other computerized presentations.  Instead of going for the bulbs that come with building, take on lamps and dimmers as well.
• Paint – take a colour you like (not beige), and go down a few shades to make it neutral and long lasting.  For bolder colours, only splash one wall in a room, leaving the others at an off-white, which will be easier on the eye and brain concentration than plain white alone.  Use paint to give the office a ‘homey’ feel.
• Chairs – make them comfortable, for the sake of your employees and their long hours.  Usually black will go with anything, so you can move them around to different offices as needed.

Finally, consider upgrades to your computer systems and software.  Since you’re making the move anyway, getting rid of old, outdated screens to replace with newer equipment may be worth the extra half mile.  This will truly give a ‘new’ feel to your new beginning at the new office, not to mention increasing your productivity and standard of operation.