Introduction
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Glossary
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• Bring your internal team together to complete and take responsibility for the final brief.
• Understand how the workplace supports the culture of your business.
• Know what works well and what doesn’t in your current premises.
• Ensure that the new accommodation is efficient and you don’t waste space.
• Confirm your needs in terms of numbers of voice and data connections and the areas that require connectivity.
• Confirm storage requirements and arrangements for off-site services.
• Confirm what ancillary spaces you need like kitchen, server room, etc. Identify any new furniture requirements and delivery timescale – check that your existing furniture is capable of being relocated. Check whether you could save space by reducing desk sizes or changing furniture layouts. Consider use of second hand furniture.
• Make sure you have a fully developed budget with nothing left out, and sign it off before you sign the lease.

• What do you need to do if anything to make the accommodation fit your needs?
• Do you need to replace the carpets, re-cable or install partitions to create individual spaces?
• If there is air-conditioning do you need to make any adaptations for your layout?
• You may well need to get plans drawn up for landlord’s approval.
• How much time have you got before you need to move in? This will dictate how you organise any work that needs to be done.
• Getting one supplier to design and carry out the work may be best, but expect to pay more, if there is a lot of work to do, than by going out to tender on a detailed specification.
• Think about the consequences of changing your mind on details and the potential impact on delivery and cost.
• Is it worth engaging the landlord’s contractor to avoid any issues about impacting on the landlord’s space.
• Check what restrictions there are on noisy work in office hours and how materials can be taken in and out of the building.

• Start planning early to minimise business disruption.
• Make sure IT, facilities and property aspects are joined up.
• Plot out a realistic timetable and allow contingencies.
• Remember that landlords’ approvals take time.
• Communicate internally to keep your people informed and manage expectations.
• Give people plenty of notice of changes ahead.
• Pilot changes before you move to test them and gain staff engagement.
• Take charge of the whole process from start to finish and be clear about who is responsible for signing off costs and decisions about costs.