You’ve probably got a list. Every business owner does. More power points, so the extension cords stop trailing across the office floor. Better lighting in the workshop. Three-phase power for that piece of equipment you bought months ago and still can’t run properly. The trouble is, there’s never a good time to get any of it done, because someone is always in the building keeping the business running.

Don't wait until everyone's back

Once your team returns in January, the building fills up again and those jobs go straight back to the bottom of the list. Booking now, while the space is still empty, means the work gets done properly rather than squeezed in around people trying to work.

It’s also the ideal window for anything bigger: a desk reshuffle, new floor ports for a restructure, or wiring changes to fit new starters into the layout. No Shock can take on jobs like these while your office is empty, which is a lot easier than trying to fit them around a working floor.

Watch the wires

If you’re planning an office redesign, furniture is going to move, whether that’s driven by growth, downsizing or simply a better layout. And wherever the furniture goes, the power sockets, data cables and wiring need to follow. It’s worth asking now whether your current set-up will work once the desks move. Do cables need to run into the ceiling or along a partition? Are there enough sockets where people will be sitting, or will someone end up daisy-chaining an extension cord across a walkway?

A shuffle without a plan is creating an accident waiting to happen, and it’s far easier to fix when the floor is clear.

Increase/Upgrade your WIFI capability – More and more devices need faster more robust routers – are you running the best system for your office?

Get your air con checked out, don't wait for a heatwave

A closed office is also your chance to give the heat pump or HVAC system some proper attention. Dusting, filter changes and a check of the components will keep the system running as it should, and cleaner air makes a real difference to your workplace. Better indoor air quality has been linked to higher productivity and fewer sick days, which is a fair return for an afternoon’s maintenance. You don’t want your team walking back into a stuffy office in the middle of summer, so it’s worth making sure temperature and airflow are sorted before they do.

Get your switchboard checked out, reduce the fire risk

Your switchboard tends to be the thing nobody thinks about until it causes a problem. Loose connections can disconnect and interrupt your power supply, and faulty wiring carries a real fire risk. Flickering or dimming lights, sparks when you plug something in, random outages, discolouring around the switchboard, or a burning smell nearby are all signs something isn’t right.

No Shock will check that your terminals are secure, properly connected and free of the dust build-up that can cause overheating.

RCD testing stops the shocks

RCD testing is another one worth ticking off while the office is empty. Your residual current devices (RCDs) are what cut the power the instant they detect a fault, and they’re the difference between a minor trip and someone in your office getting a serious shock. Over time, an RCD can wear out or fail without any obvious sign, which is exactly why it needs testing rather than just trusting it’s there. It only takes a few minutes to check each one is tripping as it should, and it’s far better to find out now than during an actual fault in January.

Time to test and tag, so insurance pays out

It’s usually the appliances used every day, the toasters, kettles and coffee machines, that get overlooked, and electric shocks from faulty appliances are more common than you’d assume. A proper test and tag picks up a damaged lead or a faulty appliance before it becomes a problem for someone in your office.

In New Zealand workplaces, testing and tagging is required under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures and Evacuation Schemes Regulations 2018, with the frequency depending on your type of workplace. Beyond the compliance side, it’s simply worth doing to make sure everything plugged in is safe to use.

Book it in before everyone disappears

While your team is away, there’s nobody around to be disrupted by an unplugged appliance or a new hole in the wall for a socket. It’s the one time of year the work can happen without getting in anyone’s way, which is exactly why it pays to book in early before the shutdown calendar fills up.

Get in touch and No Shock will get you booked in for January and February, sorted before your team is back at their desks.