Preparing an Office for a Move: Business Relocation Timeline

Are you moving your office to a new location? Congratulations on finding a suitable space for your business! Now comes the next step: preparing your office for relocation.

As with any move, relocating an office is a multi-step process that requires thoughtful planning. Starting the moving process early and staying organized is essential.

These tips will help you prepare your office for a smooth move.

Plan the Move Well in Advance

As with any move, the more time you devote to planning and preparation, the better. Providing ample lead time is especially important when moving an office.

About six to 12 months from the big day, focus on getting organized. While it may seem like a lot of effort, you'll thank yourself later.

Your initial planning process should include:

• Selecting one place to organize and record all moving tasks, to-do lists, and essential documents. This may be a binder, Google Drive, or an app; either way, keeping all documentation in one place ensures that everyone working on the project is on the same page.

• Reviewing your current lease and design a moving schedule that avoids overlap (so you don't have to pay double rent) and provides enough time to get moved out and cleaned up

• Creating a moving budget

• Gathering quotes from professional office moving companies.

Involve Your Employees

You can't make this move happen all on your own. It’s essential to keep employees motivated and happy to complete a successful move. Enlist a group of trusted employees to form your "Moving Team."

Choose a representative from each part of the office to serve as a moving coordinator. Each coordinator should create a list of moving tasks that employees need to complete in their department. They'll be responsible for managing these tasks, ensuring each employee packs up their own work area.

Once your team is in place, it's time to announce the move to the rest of the office; whether you break the news in an email, a video conference, or a Town Hall-style meeting, present comprehensive details.

Clear communication is key to your move's success. Effective communication helps your employees adapt to the change to work together to reach collective move goals. Think about what employees need to know and share information to help tamp down uncertainty about the move.

Tying Up Loose Ends

About three months from moving day, focus on necessary logistical tasks, such as:

• Locking in a date for the big move

• Reserving a moving company

• Notifying your vendors, affiliates, and partners about your change of address (be sure to note how the change may affect project deadlines)

• Letting your customers know about your change of address.

• Measuring the new space

• Placing orders for furniture or equipment

• Noting if any existing furniture or equipment need special handling during the move

As packing time and moving day approaches, your employees will undoubtedly have many questions, so keep the lines of communication open. Setting clear expectations and involving employees in the process may help reduce "relocation stress syndrome."

A long time frame and plenty of preparation mean a smooth move for your office.

Business Move

 

Are you planning to move your company? Contact us today. We can help with the logistics of your relocation and streamline your business move to minimize downtime.

Our Move Managers will oversee the scheduling, packing, loading, unloading, unpacking, installation and can readily adapt to changing circumstances.

Your office move is too significant to leave to chance; let our professionals help get you there.