What to Consider When Moving Your Office
Office relocation can be as complex and stressful as moving home. It involves a lot of details and it’s not only about you – if you have employees, you need to think about them as well. There are many reasons for moving an office – your business needs more space, you want to increase productivity, attract more customers or simply provide better/customized working conditions for your employees. Either way, each office relocation is a step-by-step process and we prepared main things you should consider when relocating.
Figure 1 When moving your office to a new location, you need to think about many details AltT Moving your office to a new location takes time and patience
If you follow the plan and think about the details, you will have nothing to worry about.
Pay close attention to your plan
Planning is everything. When moving your office to a new location, it is very important to prepare the process in advance. Be sure to create the moving budget, review what you need to do and create a checklist to use it throughout the moving process.
Creating the moving budget
When thinking about moving costs, you need to think about all the details, to avoid surprises and unnecessary costs. To create a moving budget when moving your office to a new location, be sure to include the following:
- Preparing the new office – it’s not only about getting there. Starting a new business or working in a new location is never easy. Think about how much money you will need to prepare your new office space (cleaning, fixing, renovating) and buy new furniture if you need it.
- Moving costs – be sure to get a precise moving quote from your moving company and see if you need to buy any additional packing supplies.
- Legal costs – if you decide to move your business overseas or to another state, you probably need to register your business and get an appropriate license. Include those costs into your moving budget.
Figure 2 Planning is the key to success – tasks, budget, help, etc.
Consider your employees when moving your office to a new location
Your employees should be among first to inform about the relocation. You should do this in advance since some of them need to relocate too, or if somebody gives up – you need to find a substitute before moving in. In that case, if you need new employees
Furthermore, you can ask your team to help you out. They could all pack their desks or help you with packing other office items.
Pro tip – assign each employee with a desk number, so it is easier for them to find their desk and unpack as soon as they arrive at the new office. This way you don’t need to help them out and organize them at the moving day, but you’ll have that plan ready beforehand.
Do you really need to move everything?
If you already thought about moving costs, you probably saw how high they can be. Therefore, moving your office to a new location is the perfect chance to do some decluttering. Go through your office space and see if there are any items that are too old, broken or hardly ever used. If you get rid of those items, you will have fewer items to pack, and you can significantly reduce your moving costs. Furthermore, keep in mind that most of the items can be replaced when you arrive at your new office. It may be a good moment to update some of the electronic pieces with new ones – you can buy them after the move.
Hire a professional moving company
Relocation of office space is a job for a professional. Therefore, be sure to hire somebody you can trust. Keep in mind that price is not always the safest sign. Of course, extremely low offers can be suspicious, but very expensive moving quotes don’t always mean the highest quality. We recommend considering at least two-three companies, so you can compare. Always double check them for online reviews, and ask the people you know and trust for recommendations.
Remember: If you have a lot of laptops, monitors and other electronics in your office, be sure to hire IT equipment movers. Don’t risk damaging these expensive pieces and accidentally losing some of your important data.
Consider the new location
When moving your office to a new location, you need to be sure that the new office space is perfect for your business. It is important to visit the place beforehand, and check all the details. Firstly, you need to think about security. Check if the new office space is secure enough for your business – locks, alarm system, etc. Next, think about the size. It’s best to compare floor plans and see if you have enough space for all the desks and other furniture.
Let your clients and partners know
It’s very important to let everybody your work with know about the relocation. You can use social network profiles to announce the relocation and invite them to follow you to the new office space. Additionally, use appropriate hashtags and sponsored posts to attract new customers/clients at the new area. You need to keep up with the social media trends.
After the move
The moving process is not over once you and your employees arrive at the new office space. When moving your office to a new location, be sure to do these things once you arrive:
- make sure all the moving boxes arrived and that all the items are in a good state
- if there’s any damage or some items are missing, be sure to file a report
- install telephone and computers
- make sure your address is changed
- transfer the insurance or get a new one
- take care of the parking for you and your employees
Figure 3 If you do everything right, you’ll be enjoying your new office in no time
In the end…
As you can see, any commercial move is complicated and can be stressful – no matter how big your business is. However, if you stick to your moving plan, have the list of the items you are moving, label everything and get the help from the people you trust – you can make sure your move will go smoothly. Moving your office to a new location will not leave your stressed and overwhelmed, but excited for new business adventures.