Moving offices can seem like a massive headache. We won’t lie; sometimes it is. Being prepared for the move is crucial if you want things to go smoothly. The goal is to keep costs down while creating a smooth transition into a new workspace. The following will break down a few things that you need to consider as you plan and enact moving day.
Three To Six Months Before Moving Day
In the months before moving day, there are a few things you’ll need to get straight. Like any other area of business, having a good plan can keep things from getting chaotic (and costing more than they need to cost). Take a look at the lease on your current office and figure out if there are any leaving early costs associated with the move as well as any damages or breakages you’ll need to cover.
Get a team together who can divvy up tasks and take responsibility for aspects of the moving process. Once this is done, you can start reaching out to moving companies, getting quotes, and comparing prices and services. And Interstate removalists point out that you should also check whether or not the team you choose stays with your stuff for the entire move or if they outsource the tail end to an affiliate moving team. Depending on what you’ll be moving, you might also need to seek out moving insurance for some of your equipment, hardware, or machinery. Once you’ve done this, you should be able to form an educated budget.
After Confirming Your Moving Date
Once your budget and moving date have been confirmed, it’s time to share information about the move with everyone who needs to know. This includes:
- Your landlord and property manager (official notice is sometimes required)
- Team members need to know the date of the move and the new address
- Employees need to be informed (this is an excellent opportunity to update your employee list)
- Clients and service providers need to be told about the new address and date of move (again, why not ensure that this list is updated in the process)
- Anyone who has responsibilities during the move, either by cleaning up their space ahead of time or during the actual move
- Your IT department—they might have additional needs you’ve not thought about, and this is the perfect opportunity to discuss them
- Local partners, affiliates, and suppliers need to know where to find you after the move
Once you’ve informed the above parties, you should have a good idea if there are any hiccups in your plan or adjustments that need to be made. Tweak away and then make a reservation with your chosen moving company. You’re also going to want to send a notice of the change in your address to whoever has that. This can include:
- Banks and financial institutions
- Insurance companies
- Accountants
- Telephone company
- Service companies (for printers or photocopiers)
- Any food service companies you use
- Stationary services
- Internet provider
- Professional organizations you belong to
- Any other services your business uses
Get Your Stuff In Order
The biggest element of a move, is, of course, getting all the necessary stuff from the old location to the new one. You’ll want to have an understanding of the new space (either a floor plan or some photographs) and have the space measured so you know what can fit where. You’ll probably also want to compile an inventory of all the office furniture you have and fill in any gaps you find—order furniture as soon as you know you need it because sometimes it takes a while to arrive, especially if you’re ordering a bunch of it. Seek out external storage if that’s needed as well.
Start this process sooner rather than later. Give your employees plenty of warning that by [insert date you choose here], anything left in the coatroom or in the kitchen will be sorted through. Donate the endless boots, umbrellas, and gym bags you find and get rid of anything you don’t want to be taking to the next location. They also need to be aware of when they must take home their workstation personal belongings.
If employees are helping with the move, a great idea is to color-code a floor plan with each department being given color, so they know where they’re headed and each employee is given a number so they can see where their specific desk goes. This is something that can be emailed to everyone and accessed on their cell phones. Even if only a moving crew is will be working on the task of getting all your old
Get Both Offices Cleaned
That’s right. The space you’re leaving and the new one you’re going to both need a deep cleaning. Things will be found beneath desks in the old space, appliances will be pulled away, and the walls behind will be shockingly sticky and gross, don’t leave that mess for someone else. As employees to prep their space for cleaning and be sure to let them know when cleaners will be passing by their workspace. When it comes to the new space, you don’t know what was going on in there before (even if it’s brand new, dust and construction particles might be coating everything resulting in employee asthma and congestion).
The Codes And Paperwork
Paperwork, permits, and licenses can’t be escaped at any level of business, it seems. Moving is no exception. Stay on top of all the paperwork and sort out access codes and security details for the new location. Make sure the right people have copies of this information. If you need to book the elevator in your building or extra parking space for the move, do this too.
Safety First
If members of your staff are helping with the move, you need to have their emergency contact information (and maybe now is a good time to go over the dangers of lifting with your back). As safe as everyone tries to be, moving can result in pinched fingers, stubbed toes, or more serious accidents.
The above steps should help you feel more prepared for your move. It might be a good idea to plan a goodbye to the office day where there’s some refreshment and maybe cookies or cake to give your employees time to bid farewell to where they’ve worked for so long. It might be more emotional for some of them than you realize.