Moving from one office to the next is a much bigger undertaking than you might think. It’s all fun and games to plan but actually following through with a business move can be a huge job and that takes preparation for the entire team. Whether you’re shifting a small group of you to a new hot desking space or you’re relocating the company, you need to make sure that you’re on top of it.
Everything from coordinating your team to getting your vendors and suppliers ready is a must. You need to schedule downtime, manage equipment and handle the unwanted clutter that comes with a big move. Some businesses even rely on tools like dumpster rental business apps to streamline cleanup and logistics.
The key to a smooth move for the office? Preparation! We can say this over and over because it’s true. Staying organized and keeping the communication tight will be the jumping off point that your business needs. So, let’s take a look at some of the tips that will make your move work.
- Start planning earlier than you think you need to.
If it’s in your five year plan to move to a new location, start planning WAY ahead of the time you think you need to. An office move takes a lot more time than you might expect. From lease negotiations and floor layout decisions to IT planning and vendor coordination, you have things to arrange as soon as possible. Ideally, you should begin planning three to six months ahead of your move date, and longer if your company is larger. Early planning enables you to secure better rates, avoid any last minute stress and gives you time to prepare your people, too.
- Get some moving help.
We’re not talking boxes and tape – but we will come to that later. A move coordinator – formal or not – could really help you to get yourselves together for the move. You want someone communicative and comfortable with task delegation. Whether you ask someone in the office to do this or you get an outside company to help, you’re going to be way less stressed about the move as a result. Having a central point of contract will help to prevent confusion across the board.
- Conduct a full inventory.
This is definitely something that you can do as a team. Get every department on board with this because before you pack anything, you need a clear picture of what you’ve got and what you don’t have to bring with you. Offices are known for accumulating clutter and yours is no different. Old chairs, cables that go nowhere and broken office supplies have a habit of piling up and it could be a problem with your move. An inventory list will help you to decide what to bring, what to donate and what to chuck.
- Get rid of old equipment.
On the back of the clutter point above, remember that equipment falls into this, too. Old furniture, used items you know you won’t be plugging back in and old tech can all go. It doesn’t have to be loaded onto the moving truck. The fewer items you bring, the better you’ll find setting up at the new place.
- Tell your employees early.
People are likely commuting to your office, which means you need to have the courtesy of letting them know what’s about to happen. Moving locations can impact their commutes and schedules and you could even break a few job expectations. You want your good people to come with you so announce the date and location early so that they can prepare themselves for moving day.
- Finalize the floor plan before you move.
How are they desks being set out? Where are the departments going to be placed? You have the opportunity right now to really do something amazing for the people in your business. You can have a clear plan for the movers, sure, but also for your people to know how they’re going to be working when they get to the new office space. You can then minimize the time spent rearranging later.
- Get your IT team on the job.
IT is the backbone of your office especially when it comes to new tech set ups. They’re going to make sure that this move is not a disruptive one and they can map everything out to minimize downtime. They should plan for the internet installation and testing, server room set up and cooling needs, cable management and placement of printers, copiers and routers. It’s a big job so get them to the office the week before the move is properly scheduled so that they can be on it. You want to avoid operational gaps as much as possible and your IT team is integral to that.
- Label EVERYTHING.
You can ask your departments to hand this but it’s one of the most strategic and smart moving tips you could have. You want things in the right places when you get to the new office, which means labelling it all so that your movers know where to put it all. Colour-coded stickers and labels will really help the entire team to know where everything is. Organization during packing saves hours of chaos!
- Choose a low impact time to move.
You are in control of the move, which means that you can choose when you go, and you get to be in charge of how busy things will be when you do. The timing affects a lot, including productivity. Consider the end of quarter vs mid quarter, busy vs slow business seasons and the specific workloads of your departments. The goal is in minimizing disruptions.
- Do a walkthrough
Before and after your move, walk through both the new and the old office so that you can ensure that everything is ready and set up for your teams to get stuck into their work on day one. Fixing problems is much easier if you know what they are in advance.
You must be logged in to post a comment.