How Do You Relocate Your Office Efficiently?
Whatever your reasons for relocating – better location, more space, superior networking opportunities – you’ll generally find that there’s more to an office relocation than you’d originally thought. As a result, it’s not only a good idea to arrange assistance from an office relocation service provider, but to also take note of the following tips that mitigate the stress of office relocations.
- Start planning your relocation with plenty of time to spare
There’s no such thing as too much time to plan an office relocation. Relocating to a new office generally involves more than initially expected and the more time you allow yourself the less chance there is of overlooking something important.
What’s the purpose of relocating? You must be clear about the reasons for relocating in order to source a suitable office to relocate to. By defining your needs you’ll find it easier to map out an office relocation plan, including your current lease obligations.
- Understand your requirements
The better you understand your requirements the easier you’ll find sourcing a new office and the easier the relocation process will be. These include:
- Where you’d like to relocate to and how much space you need
- Your current lease obligations and the notice you must give
- The business objectives that relocating to a new location will satisfy
- The key features of your new office, the lease and its length
Once you’ve given ample thought to these considerations you can create a budget for the office relocation team to work with.
- Put together an office relocation team
Depending on the size of your workforce this might not always be possible, however, if you have a large enough workforce and can spare an hour or so out of each working day for them to work on the relocation, then putting together an office relocation team will make relocating much smoother.
To lead the team you’ll need a project leader, one who possesses the following qualities:
- Can work independently, unassisted and has the respect of the team
- Can be trusted to make the right decisions on behalf of your business
- Is an excellent communicator and organiser
- Has the experience required to work within an allocated budget
- Tell your staff about the upcoming relocation
Once you understand your requirements and you’ve created a budget and put together a relocation team, you’ll need to tell your staff about the relocation. It’s important to do so as soon as you know where you’re relocating to and when because office relocations often prove disruptive to workers’ lives – think about workers who’ve relocated to be closer to the office only to find out that a relocation has been planned.
In addition to such considerations you’ll need to inform your workforce about the changes that will be taking place internally whilst preparing for the move, including introducing the relocation team and project leader, and the changes that will be taking place whilst they’re preparing for the move.
- Seek professional assistance with the move
No matter how big and strong some of your employees may be, it’s imperative to enlist the assistance of a furniture removalist firm that specializes in office relocations to assist with the move. Whilst the relocation team will take care of the planning and arrangements, working with an experienced office relocation firm – one that’s registered with the relevant organizations and can provide references upon request – will prove essential because:
- They can guide you through the relocation process
- They will help you to avoid preventable mistakes
- Their services reduce the risk of your employees injuring themselves
- Your office equipment and furniture will be insured during the relocation
- Clear out your office to start afresh
Relocations provide businesses with an excellent opportunity to clear out old documents, files and junk and start afresh at their new location. This could prove to be the perfect opportunity to scan paper files with the aim of digitizing your office, and the more you throw out the less you’ll need to pack and take with you so this will help to reduce relocation transportation costs.
Take these tips into account to get the most out of relocating.
