As detailed in a SmallBizGenuis’ post on coworking statistics, these spaces offer
a myriad of benefits including flexibility, productivity, socialization, and secure
infrastructure. So it’s no surprise that more businesses are making the move.
Globally, the US even ranks among the top 10 countries with the most coworking
areas. Currently, even large corporations like Microsoft and Verizon are
embracing coworking concepts. But while coworking spaces do come with many
benefits that can streamline costs and operational tasks, there are still some considerations for businesses new to coworking spaces. For starters, to fast-track your move, here are some useful tips to remember:
Find Trustworthy Movers With Insurance
Regardless of whether you’re a small enterprise or a bustling business, all your
work-related assets play a key role in business operations. Therefore, it’s
important that you find movers who won’t just transport your things, but also
ensure their safety. A guide to choosing movers by AskMoney outlines that some
movers have additional policies that can ensure all your items are protected from
damage. For instance, some movers can provide assistance with packing and
unpacking. Meanwhile, others can come equipped with special gear and
materials to protect large or delicate items. Through this, you can rest assured
that your business integral assets (think computers or printers) will make it safely
to your new coworking space. Additionally, if you’re making a significantly farther
move, some movers even offer insurance. While this isn’t always necessary, it
does help to know there’s a safety net to rely on.
Get Necessary Permits and Passes Early
Although you’ll obviously have the green light to move in from your coworking
space, you’ll still need to gain permits from the building proper. This includes
getting permission to park (for your movers and other vehicles transporting
things), use the service elevators, and bring in certain equipment. Instead of
getting these sorted out on the day of the move, do yourself a favor and get them
signed as early as possible. In this way, you can stick to your schedule better
and you won’t have to worry about chasing anyone down for a permit. If you’re
coming from an old office space, it’s even more important to get your passes and
permits ready early on since some landlords prefer to do an ocular inspection
before allowing previous tenants to leave. Once you have all your permits and
passes ready, keep them all in one file for your team’s point person. This will help
facilitate a much smoother transition.
Schedule Your Ingress During Off-Hours
Although some people prefer to move during typical working hours, it may be
wiser to move in during off-hours. Keep in mind, that most metropolitan business
districts are notorious for their busy crowds and traffic. For example, Pix11’s
report on New York traffic, it’s stated that the Big Apple has the statistically worst road congestion in the country and fifth in the world. Allegedly, this holdup costs every commuter an average of almost $1,600 every year. Now, considering that time is money, having your move affected by business peak hours can affect your business day’s productivity. Plus, some movers also require additional payment for extended hours anyway. Therefore, to make your move more efficient (and also more considerate of others in the coworking space!), moving in at non-peak hours is preferable.
Bring Your Own Cleaning Supplies
Granted, any coworking space worth its salt will include sanitation and custodial
services in its offerings. Case in point, daily cleaning services are among
the amenities included in our Midtown Nomadworks workspace. This includes
wiping down every room along with the cafe and food stations. However, it
happens all too often that the items you bring into the coworking space may need
some freshening up. After all, they may have been exposed to dust and pollution
during packing and transport. Hence, it doesn’t hurt to bring a few extra cleaning
supplies just in case. Since most coworking spaces have a cleaning crew, you
only really need a few things. As per RealSimple’s directions for office cleaning, a
few of the most important cleaning supplies are electrostatic dusters, disinfecting
wipes, microfiber cloths, and isopropyl alcohol. With these, you can easily
disinfect all of the items you’re moving in, including gadgets, files, and other
business knick-knacks. This way, you’ll literally be starting off on a clean slate
that is more organized and productive.
Article written by Roane Jeffers