de When moving an office, company managers have to juggle a lot of tasks. These include not only relocating your staff but also furniture, equipment, computers and anything else depending on business. In the article, you will find moving an office checklist and some handy tips and tricks that will navigate you and help to tackle challenges.
6 Points to note and plan
Possibly, you have already chosen the perfect spot for the relocation. But before we skip to moving the office checklist, there are a few things you need to get a handle on in the first place.
1. Set up timing
It’s important to know how much time you need to relocate furniture and other things while moving to an office. Having a realistic timeline will ensure your departments can keep the ball rolling. Check if your moving date clashes with major holidays like Сhristmas or the company’s anniversary. In case it does it’s best to postpone the date because big holidays require some preparation, extra budget and part of the staff will be busy with additional work.
2. Calculate the budget
Make sure that moving an office fits within the company’s budget. You can make a research or ask close partners what others have paid for a move of similar size and scope.
Here is a company move checklist: highlight the points that you need to include in budget:
- Rental costs for a new office
- Documentation for a move
- Design project
- Room renovation
- Partitions, furniture, decoration
- Navigation and branding
- Packing of the items at the previous location
- Transportation
- Consumables that are helpful for setting up
3. Plan the packing
Pay attention to labeling and boxing, especially when it concerns IT and technologies. Use the table below to learn some guidelines of moving office checklist.
Labels will help organize and minimize the risk of anything going missing. Besides, they will speed up unboxing after the move.
Also perceive the move as an opportunity to clear out and remove any unnecessary items and files that only clutter up the place. You could very well have filed some of these years ago and forgotten about them. Here are things you can do:
- Remove old files that are no longer needed
- Shred unnecessary papers
- Dispose of old furniture or donate it to people in need.
4. Find ways to keep the work going
It’s especially important to minimize the influence of moving an office. Use platforms that help organize the work like All-in-one Hybrid Office Platform. It will come in handy as an interactive map will help to orient in an unfamiliar place. Employees will be able to find the kitchen, restroom and meeting rooms easily. There will be no need to ask where your colleague’s office space is — look at the map and find the answer.
During reshuffles you may suggest working remotely in order to keep a comfortable atmosphere for employees. But you’d better set the rules for remote work to control the process.
5. Communicate clearly with staff
It’s important to build thoughtful communication. Explain reasons for relocation, highlight advantages and make sure that they are ready for the next step.
It’s best to interview your staff about their preferences concerning space and work in general. Employees will be happy to support your idea of moving an office when you follow their special requests for things like privacy, meeting space, or proximity to other people or departments.
6. Test that a new place lacks flaws
All the steps will be in vain if you neglect checking a location. Remember that some problems aren’t obvious.
Here is a moving an office checklist with questions to ask and learn if a future spot meets all requirements.
- Does a new location have a good infrastructure?
- What was there before in this place? How long has the office been unused?
- Are there any problems with electricity, Internet connection, water supply system and ventilation?
- Are there any things to be improved in the new office before the move? Do you need some time for renovation?
The next step is to make up planning an office move checklist and follow it during the whole period.
Moving office checklist: 16 key steps to follow
To make certain everything goes well, set up deadlines that cover significant dates and purposes. It’s optimal to begin planning the move 7-12 months in advance. If renovation is on the list, set extra 4-9 months on this. Here is a new office checklist.
7–12 Months Ahead
1. Define the budget of the moving. Prepare an estimate for office relocation. It’s better to anticipate going over the budget.
2. Engage a project manager to monitor the move. It’s one of the most significant points of the office relocation checklist, though owners of business may neglect delegation. But the move is similar to a big business project where you need a team leader who takes an important task under control. Find a responsible, detail-oriented employee who is able to take initiative, and have the ability to prioritize this project over the rest of his work.
3. Choose a moving company. Do not hesitate to ask what services they provide and specify if lifting to the floor and unboxing are included. Make sure your chosen firm is certified and insured.
Moving company is not something to save on
Don’t let low prices guide you. Hard, painstaking work should not be underestimated. If the price is too low, the team may be inexperienced or the driver may lack skills and knowledge of the city, or loadersdoes not comply with the rules for transporting goods.
4–6 Months Ahead
4. Inform employees about the move. Also, provide them with updates regularly and draw up an office relocation checklist for employees, which you will distribute.
5. Buy furniture, equipment and update information. Check if the old furniture can be used, and don’t forget to take measurements for a future place. Also give the task to edit the corporate website and markers on maps.
1–3 Months Ahead
6. Pack insignificant objects. These are things that do not stall work like books in the library or board games. Tick them on a moving office checklist.
7. Solidify the date and notify others. Inform vendors, clients and business partners and update your contact details. You can send an email, indicating a new address in the letter and the date from which you can be found there.
8. Plan a new spot review. Check that the moving company is able to transit everything on time.
9. Set an Office Platform. If you haven't used one before, this will be a step forward to improve your management and to ease adaptation. You can make up an office map which displays everyone’s place and the layout.
1–3 Weeks Ahead
10. Pack the rest of the objects. Label boxes marking their owner, destination and contents. Also prepare the old locations for the landlord's check.
11. Reach out the moving firm. Inform that everything goes according to the plan. Make sure that the firm does not miss deadlines and is ready to fulfill the obligations.
12. Help employees work efficiently. It’s better to avoid overloading with tasks and give an opportunity to work from home.
Relocation Day
13. Control and oversee the moving. Watch that the stuff is loaded carefully and nothing has been forgotten.
14. Help the employees adapt. If they spent some time working remotely, Returning to the office provides tools for safe return and supports a long-term, flexible workplace strategy. Here are some abilities below:
- book workplaces for the short- or long-term with interactive maps;
- use booking and check-in data to do contact tracing;
- collect accurate data without hiring external consultants or interviewing your employees.
After the moving
15. Finish the rest of work. Unpack and arrange furniture or equipment, verify if there are areas that need improvement. Check that the address has been changed everywhere:
- on business cards
- website
- in social networks
16. Celebrate the success with staff. When all of the steps of moving office checklist are covered, proceed to celebrating the occasion which will contribute to team building. It can be held in the office so that employees get used to the new place.
Business move is delayed: what to do then
Sometimes it’s hard to oversee all the problems even if you follow a checklist for moving a business. The relocation can be delayed. It’s especially difficult in a situation when the previous place is rented out and everything is wrapped, but there’s no way to move to a new one. Then stick to the tips below.
1. Think over the work during the move. If the budget allows, you may organize the work at co-working. Then you will have to cover expenses. Another option is distant work for some time.
2. Warn the employees and pick a new moving day. Check that information reaches everyone.
3. If hiring employees, explain the situation. Possibly, it’s a good thing to postpone hiring new workers during the move because their adaptation will be disrupted.
Some life hacks: moving an office
The tips below will help you move your company's office quickly and safely without unnecessary expenses.
1. Plan the move on weekends to avoid work disruption.
2. Implement an office management system which eases booking desks, meeting rooms, lockers and parking places.
3. For large offices, hire two moving coordinators: one for the old location and one for the new.
4. Move documents separately. Assign a staff member for this task.
5. Create a chat room to keep employees updated about the move.
6. Do not hastily sign blank order forms or contracts with the moving company.
7. Be in touch with the moving company. If you face ignoring you, find a new company as soon as possible.
Moving isn’t as troublesome as it sounds at first. If you stick to all the tips — from planning the case to celebrating success — you will move smoothly into your fresh workplace.
Long story short
- It’s best to start planning an office move in advance — you need at least half of the year to relocate the business.
- Calculate your budget for the move, but be prepared for extra costs.
- Test a new layout properly before moving in.
- Delegate tasks to others: when the owner of a company is too busy with the moving process and planning, the company loses its leader.
- Make the move to a new place more comfortable with a modern solution: implement an office map and internal help desk which will speed up the adaptation at a new place.
- Use our business relocation checklist to avoid forgetting anything while moving out.
