Is your office moving now or in the near future? You might be moving during these challenging times because your lease is coming to an end, your out-growing a space, or your down-sizing a space with staff working from home. No matter the reason, one thing is for sure, an office relocation takes a lot of coordination and the know-how to pack extra patience! If you’re trying to navigate a move, follow these tips to help ease the load:
Early bird gets the worm
Start planning your move as early as possible. Your move plan begins with what, who and when. The plan should include what needs to be accomplished, who will be doing what, and when deadlines are. Let’s face it, you will not be able to put massive printers into trash bags in the final hours! Also, you will need to determine where things will go when you arrive at your new office space. It will be imperative to have a blueprint of your new space to fully grasp what the immediate needs will be prior to moving in. To efficiently orchestrate your office relocation you will need three months to plan the undertaking and determine the moving budget.
Assign a point person
Whether this is your office manager, facilities director or operations assistant, assigning a point person can eliminate or reduce confusion and misinformation to the team, plus keep things running smoothly with outside vendors. This person can be responsible for following the move plan and keeping it on track, plus for the moving supplies – boxes, labels, tape, etc. Speaking of labels, driving home the importance of why every single box needs to be labeled will keep operations running during and after the move. You’ll want to carefully label every single box so you’re not looking for things like printer paper or toner when you really need them. For maximum efficiency, label each box with a location and a number, and keep a corresponding spreadsheet that lists each box number and the items that are inside of it.
Don’t forgot technology
Make this one a priority! Your IT department should be the first notified regarding the move date in order for them to properly disconnect and reconnect all technology. This includes computers, servers, and phones, as well as your data and internet plans.
Know the old & new neighborhood
Unless your company owns the building you are moving out of or into, you will need to be fully aware of building regulations regarding moving in/out. You might be only allowed to move during non-business hours or the service elevator can only be used in the evening hours.
Making the right moves
Unfortunately sometimes not everything can be moved into the new space. Say you love your current conference room table, but the dimensions will not fit into the new space. Make provisions ahead of the move to donate/sell the table and save on the cost of having to transport it. Also try to move some non-essential items ahead of move day, such as plants, bulk office supplies, art work, etc. This could help simplify things on the big day.
Update your collateral and spread the news
Start updating business cards, letterhead, envelopes, etc. as soon as the new office address is confirmed. Notify your clients with a formal announcement and also alert the general public with a press release scheduled well in advance. You don’t want people wondering what happen to you! Also, remember to thank your staff for their cooperation and hard work! Celebrate the move with an employee luncheon during the first week.
Moving to a new office can be exciting and stressful all at the same time!
Adform Interiors
can make your move a happy, successful one! We can assist with office relocations, design, reconfigurations, office furniture, custom reception desks, and so much more! We are here even just to talk about your questions or concerns.
