Relocating an office can sound like a pretty intimidating task. Whether your office is moving because of an expansion or due to unfortunate circumstances, what remains constant is that a whole lot of preparation, planning, and teamwork go into conducting and executing a successful office move. Moving an office is essentially like moving houses but on a much bigger and more complicated scale.
If you’re fretting over a potential office move and can’t seem to figure out where to begin with the relocation project, take a breather and listen up. We’re giving you the only office moving checklist you’ll need to consult to ensure a smooth and timely relocation. We’ll also be squeezing in the timeline you need to consider to execute every step and proceed to the actual move!
Find the right place.
The first step you need to take as you entertain the thought of an office move is to locate a reasonable space for the relocation and sort out the details of the property you’re currently occupying. Take a look at the lease and remember that leaving earlier than the decided date could demand that you give up the deposit. Moreover, you also need to take a look at any damages or improvements that you might be liable for after occupying the space for a certain amount of time.
Once you’ve figured out these aspects, only then can you move on to seriously looking for another potential office space. You need to keep into consideration the needs of your organization, the growth you expect for it in the coming years, as well as what’s possible for the company on an affordability level. Ideally, this is the time you start to look around for spaces and obtain quotes relating to them. The right timeline to do this is at least a year before you’re scheduled to clear your current office space out.
Figure out your needs.
Now that you’ve settled on good office space for the move, you need to take a look at the stuff you’re going to take with you as well as the additional items that might need buying. If your office move is an expansion, then you’re definitely going to have to purchase furniture and appliances for potential new hires as well as fill new spaces and positions. This can’t be done on guesswork. Instead, you need to take time to discern what is needed, what you already have, and what needs to be discarded accurately.
You also have to evaluate the technology and technological devices you’ll need to safely transfer your data as you move to another location. These are all tangible items you need to enlist and secure before or immediately after an office move. Bigger items take quite some time to come in after being ordered, so make sure you finalize and place orders at least three to four months before your big office move.
Make the bigger arrangements.
You can’t even think of announcing an office moving date before you’ve hammered down the essentials required for a move. Booking a moving company and finalizing a date is at the top of this list. Hiring a moving company for an office move is no light task; moving an entire office demands a lot of effort and planning and a great deal of time too. This means that coming to a date or multiple ones that work for both parties is a very intense task.
In this step, it would help to make an inventory of all the items in the office as well as the new ones scheduled to come in later on. This helps arrange and transfer things during the move and keep track of them too. This is not a single-person task; rather, it requires the input of multiple teams, so make sure to efficiently allot duties for every department or floor and then obtain and organize input accordingly.
Pass on the word.
Now that you’ve addressed and accomplished the initial considerations for your office relocation, it’s now time to inform the concerned people. Inform your property manager of the move and discuss details pertaining to the lease. Professionally inform your team members of the moving date and location, so they have ample time to prepare and contribute. It’s wise to let staff know at least six months or more in advance so they can be ready for all the adjustments that will be coming their way.
Clearly communicate to workers what the expectations of them are during this office move and how soon everything is expected to commence and be settled in. It’s unwise to keep office staff uninformed until the last minute because this will cause confusion and mistrust, not to mention a lot of trouble for employees who have to make changes relating to the distance of the new office from their current address.
Have the essentials ready.
When planning an office move, you need to be far-sighted. Remember that your only concern shouldn’t be packing up and moving the office but also making sure that everything can go back to normal work-wise as soon as possible. Moves are costly, and the time invested in them cost offices their work days, too. This is why the goal should be to transition back into work mode as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Aspects such as securing a good Wi-Fi connection, having the utilities set up and going, and setting up the workplace enough to have essential operations going are priority tasks. These have to be considered when arranging the entire office moving process. Otherwise, the result will be a disastrous transition process that will cost the company a lot of precious work time.
Once you’ve settled in, make sure to update your new address on all professional fronts and portals so your official mail and other aspects can come through. Now all that’s left for you to do is follow this office move checklist and relocate as smoothly as possible.