So, you’ve found the perfect office to suit your business. Whether you rented the space like most or you managed to buy your premises, don’t assume it’s fit for work as soon as you get your furniture in there. You want to make sure that your place is secure, your people are safe, and that the space provided offers all the essentials they need. Here are a few things to check and a few changes to make as soon as you get the keys to that new office.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By Antonio Guillem
Get your own safety features
You may already have a few safety features in place when you rent a place. You either need to adapt them and change their settings or replace them entirely. First of all, think about what previous employees or business owners might have access to. Visit Texas Premier Locksmith or similar services to ensure that no-one is holding an old key that might still work on your property. If there’s a security system in place, have the codes changed to something new. You don’t necessarily need to assume that the previous tenants or owners of the space are going to try break in, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure that no-one you don’t know has access.
Perform a safety audit
How safe and how healthy a space is depending very much on the layout and specifications of the building. There are some things you should have checked for before moving in, such as any traces of lead paint or presence of asbestos. After you move in, it’s worth organizing a safety audit with the help of teams like Strategic HR Inc. If there are stairs, do they need more lighting or markings to avoid falls? Do any warehouse or storage areas require signage? Are there areas that could be a fire hazard that you and your team can navigate? There is a plethora of new health risks that any new location could introduce, and an audit gives you a checklist of ways to address them.
Ensure it’s right for your team
The office might have space enough to host everyone and all your equipment, but that doesn’t mean it’s ready right at this moment. Consider, for instance, how furniture and different workspaces fit within the dimensions of the space provided. Try to keep things efficient by offering a straight path through the space that allows team members to move from one place to the other without having to navigate anything too tricky. Ensure that it’s well lit, with enough space to offer people privacy without cloistering them in. You might have to be creative with the placement of furniture and partitions, and ensure that the important facilities, such as toilets and water coolers, aren’t too far out of reach from anyone.
The workplace is one of your most important assets. Few things directly affect the security of your resources and the productivity of your team. Don’t rush any decisions regarding that space or you can end up risking more than you might think.
