If you’ve moved once you’ve moved a thousand times, right? That may feel true (particularly as moving is no one’s favorite experience), but when it comes to office relocation, you’re in for a whole new game.
Moving an office is a delicate and multi-layered process. There are a lot of moving parts, and a lot more people are affected by the project. For the sake of your business and your sanity, you’ll want to be as orderly as possible when moving. We’ve put together a few tips to help you have a smooth office move.
Start Planning Early
The best way to ensure a smooth transition into your new office is to start early. In the case of corporate relocations, it’s best to start at least 3-4 months before your move date. This will be a big project and not one you can just quickly tackle at the last minute. You’ll need to plan your timelines, get everyone involved, and move with precision to avoid impact on your business operations.
Hire Your Team Early
Hiring the right people is crucial to your move, and that doesn’t only mean the movers. Start with nominating a project manager from inside your organization. Select someone who is good with numbers, orderly, and able to communicate well with everyone involved. A love for details wouldn’t hurt, either!
Next, hire a professional moving company. Not only is it a great idea, but it’s also indisputable that you’ll need them on your side. After all, professional movers have all of the equipment and know-how to move your large items like printers, furniture, IT equipment, and more. A professional moving company will work with your project manager to ensure all of the details are covered and nothing gets overlooked.
Involve the IT Department
Your IT department will play a big role in your office move. In this era, company data is stored digitally so safe care of servers and storage devices is absolutely necessary. Your IT department will ensure all of your equipment is prepared to be transported safely.
You should involve your IT department as soon as you choose your new office location. They’ll want to see the schematics to know where electricity connections are and ensure the wiring is ready to handle your office configuration. Share the details with your team early. If anything is missing, they’ll be able to tell you and ensure you’re ready to move in when the day comes.
Downsize
This tip shows up on our lists no matter the type of move, and for good reason. You shouldn’t pack or move things you don’t need or use. Period.
Relocating to a new office is a great moment to clear out all of the things that have accumulated over the months or years in your current space. It happens to everyone: stacks of old papers, outdated equipment, broken furniture. All of it collects and becomes another fixture in your space. Why take it with you?
Devote some time to downsizing and getting rid of old things. Make sure you dispose of electronics responsibly. On the bright side: there are often services that will come and collect old electronic equipment from offices. Your project manager should nominate leaders in various departments to push their teams to clean and purge old items.
Inform Employees and Clients
Do your employees a favor and keep them in the loop. Moving can be disorienting for many people, and it may also affect people’s personal lives. Commutes and timing may change for many people, depending on how far you’re moving. Soften the blow by making the internal announcement early.
Update your clients and service providers as well. You don’t want anything to get lost in the shuffle or to create confusion with address changes. Make sure your web administrator updates your location, and the same goes for places like Google Maps.
