Office Relocation: Easy Breezy or Dauntingly Crazy?
Planning to move your office to a new location? Congrats! We know how much work goes into finding a new space that aligns with your business expansion and organisational growth. If THAT is hard work, the harder part is yet to come! Yes, it's your office relocation.
An office relocation means much more than merely moving your infrastructure from one place to another. You need to also consider other aspects like:
- Employees' convenience
- Workflow continuity
- Reorganisation
- Adjustment periods
The transition involves a host of other challenges like business downtime and unexpected costs. And then there is the huge responsibility of intimating your clients and business associates about your move and the new location from where you will be functioning.
Unless you are a budding entrepreneur running your business from the comfort of your laptop and a few other essentials in your backpack, moving to a new office can be a nightmare. But does office relocation have to be so intimidating? Not at all!
Office relocation is sometimes unavoidable, and you must be completely geared up to face the challenges and plan a smooth, hassle-free transition. In this blog, you will find some clever and effective steps to make your office shifting less stressful for you and your employees.
A 3-step Process to Execute a Seamless Office Relocation
Step1: Plan Ahead
Remember that you are not just packing your backpack and moving to a new location. You are moving an entire office with an overwhelming number of moving parts. What you need is a fool-proof plan that involves all the aspects of the relocation.
Your planning phase should commence from the moment you decide to relocate. Planning ahead will give you ample time to create a to-do list and set deadlines for each task.
To plan well ahead of the process, you should:
Establish your requirements
Establishing a clear understanding of your requirements will help avoid any snags in the process. Make a list of the things you want to take with you or leave behind, the relocation budget, and set a deadline.
Establish your budget
Moving office costs money. Fortunately, a good plan will help curb your expenses rather than burn a hole in your pocket. Due to the many variables involved, you need to be diligent about keeping your spending under control. Set guidelines for all move-related purchases and seek approval from your company leaders. Establish a payment and approval process for all moving-related expenses before finalising the budget. The earlier this plan is in place, the easier it is to execute the move.
Compartmentalise the tasks
It does not make sense to simply unplug everything and move the entire office in a day's time. It is also quite impossible unless you want to make a complete mess of things. The more sensible thing to do is to compartmentalise the move. You can allot a weekend to move your:
- Furniture
- IT assets
- Electronic devices
- Files and documents
That way, some critical things can already be in place when you finally move all the other things. Starting work in your new office will not be delayed.
Announce the move
It goes without saying that your employees should be the first to be notified about your relocation plan. Announce the details via email, letter, public notice, direct meetings, or via a brief video. Your communication should include the following details:
- Name of the new office building
- Address
- Date of relocation
- Main features of your new office
- Designated relocation tasks to be followed
- Relocation information to expect in the coming weeks or months
An early announcement will give your staff enough time to gear up and make personal plans for the move. It will also help identify and rectify any gaps in your master plan. An early announcement is also an opportunity to gather opinions and ideas from your employees and inform them about:
- New seating arrangements
- Rule and restrictions in your new office
- Changing workspace and equipment needs
- Workstyle preferences
Step 2: Get Things Done
Organise your documents
Organise and digitise all your key documents, such as:
- Agreements
- Contracts
- Insurance papers
Having a digital copy and a hard copy of these crucial papers is a must. Storing these documents in the cloud will keep them safe and accessible anytime during and after the relocation.
Create an inventory
Create two inventory lists of the things you want to dispose of and things you want to take to the new office. Your "Things to take" list must include your:
- Office tool kit
- First aid kit
- Coffee maker
- Coffee mugs
- Trash cans
- Stationery Supplies
- Cleaning supplies
- Whiteboards
- Projectors
- Video screens
- Indoor potted plants
If you cross-reference the lists with your office's floor plan, you may uncover some needs you might otherwise overlook. You should also verify and track crucial details, such as employee headcount and the size of the new and current offices.
Plan your workflow continuity
You cannot let your office relocation affect your workflow. Your business has to go on as usual, no matter how tedious your relocation is. Delegate personnel to develop strategies to ensure workflow continuity during the relocation. It will also help keep your team engaged and ensure they meet project deadlines.
Hire volunteers for the move
Do not try doing things alone. Hire a reliable team or pick a group of volunteers to help you with the planning, packing, moving, unpacking, organisation, etc.
Step 3: Start Packing & Preparing
This phase will begin a few weeks or months before the move. This is when you should:
Choose your packers and movers
Picking the right office shifting packers and movers is something you should do when there's enough time for the big day. Ask around, read reviews, and seek the opinion of other business associates before zeroing in on the right team. An experienced moving company will guide you with easy and practical inputs and keep you informed about the rules and regulations if any.
Find your vendors
Apart from hiring a clean-up and a moving crew, you will also need to find vendors who supply cardboard boxes to store and move your things. It is also essential to hire a team that can efficiently handle your IT assets during the move.
Upgrade and downsize
Your relocation is the perfect time to upgrade your organisation's hardware and office equipment. Do not procrastinate any longer. Seize the opportunity to dispose of bulky machinery and invest in smart-looking new-age tech gadgets.
Check and recheck
Designate a special team to check and recheck the packed items. Take ample time to review the inventory. Categorise the items and pack them in different boxes that are properly labelled. Do not carelessly dispose of all the items you do not need. Have your team pack them in separate bags and dispose of them carefully.
Also Read: An Up-close Look into the World of Courier Services
Step 4: Time to Move
Disconnect the utilities
Follow the right protocol to disconnect all the utilities in your old building. This includes:
- Water
- Electricity
- Phone connection
- Internet connection
Gear up your new office
Make a tour of your new office and ensure that it has all the facilities and conveniences in place. Hire a professional team to unpack and organise your IT hardware. Ensure that your new office does not lack any convenience such as phone connections, storage solutions, electricity, power backup and water supply.
Create a plan to unpack
Consistent organisation is key to successful office relocation. Just like you planned to pack up from your old office, you must plan to unpack and transition smoothly into your new environment. Designate teams to unpack and reorganise the new office within a stipulated deadline.
Celebrate your transition
Once you've settled into your new office, give your staff a day to unpack and settle in. Appreciate their cooperation and show your gratitude with a small celebration. It will surely boost their spirits and help them acclimatise faster to the new space.
The Final Say
Office relocation is no walk in the park. Fortunately, you can always seek guidance from professionals like Avon Solutions & Logistics, Chennai. Our team has years of experience handling many office relocation services for renowned organisations. Contact us today to book your service or ask for a quote.
