Has your company been talking about moving office for years, but so far they've been all talk and no action...
And today you found out - it's official - you're moving office..
The decision's been made, the lease has been signed - so far so good....
Except....
The boss has told you you're going to be in charge of organising all the details for the move.
It doesn't have to be like this - you just need a plan!
That's right - you're responsible for moving all of the phones, IT, desks, chairs, and every single member of your team...
Moving office is a HUGE undertaking, because not only does everything have to be packed up and unpacked, but you're also going to be dealing with co-workers who are unhappy about the move, or unhappy about where their new desk is going to be located at the new office (and absolutely every tiny detail in between)..
So today's article is for YOU... here's what you actually need to know, to have an efficient, well co-ordinated, move.
Create A Plan
The lead time on moving office can be anything from 3 months to a year - so depending on your lead time, it's imperative that you start the process with a plan that will help guide you through each stage of the move (don't have a plan? Here's a detailed plan you can download straight away)
Your plan needs to have a timeline - so that you can be sure to allow for each stage of the move out and the move in. For this reason, it is highly recommended that if at all possible, try to schedule office moves in your quietest business period to avoid too much disruption in service to your customers.
The next step is to gather all the information on your new space - if you can, get the architects' drawings, or even a floor plan with the measurements on it - so you can see what the layout will be.
Work Together To Come Up With A Great Office Layout
Remember, you should compare the new space to what you're all working in now. If you have spaces that aren't working well now, take the opportunity to fix that in your new space.
You may find that your new space is smaller than where you're currently located - so remember that you may need to make allowances for that if you're purchasing new office furniture. You may be able to source smaller desks that will make the space work much better this way.
Gather A Team
I highly recommend that you ask for some volunteers to make up your moving office committee.
What works well is to have someone from each department within the business. That way, you're building ownership with the other stakeholders within the business, and they're going to be way happier if they have a say in their new location, than just being told where to sit.
Plus, you could do with some help right?
Your team would be responsible for packing up their desks, files and any items of a personal nature
PRO-TIP: No-one wants to move more 'stuff' than they have to, so encourage each department to go through files etc, and only take what needs to go to the new location - if it's old, out of date and never looked at - it does not need to go with you...
Your team will also be able to give accurate feedback and possible solutions for the new office space - especially if you're moving to smaller space.
Delegate Tasks
You and your moving committee will need to collaborate and come up with a list of tasks that need to be added to your moving plan - to keep you all on track, and avoid the possibility of overlooking a crucial area of the move in or move out.
Meet Regularly
Have Regular Meetings To Discuss The Details
This is crucial to your success. Set a regular meeting schedule to discuss the move and make sure that each department knows what they need to do. Start with:
- Clearing Out - What doesn't need to go to the new site and what does?
- Packing & Labelling - Ensuring the right boxes go to the right area on the office plan will save time when moving into your new office.
- Furniture - Is it going to the new office, staying or being sold?
- IT Relocation - Who's responsible, and what's involved?
- Space - How will the new space work? Will there be hot desk zones, or stand up desks, perhaps more informal work areas that need to be planned and added to the plan?
- Kitchen - Will the new kitchen have a sit down area - do you need to purchase new furniture?
- Reception - Will there be a bigger or smaller Reception area, and do you need a new front desk to accommodate that space better?
- Notifications - Letting team members know what's happening and when.
- Booking removal company - there are movers who specialise in office moves - they are going to be a much better fit, than some guy and a truck who has never moved an office before. Remember, you want someone who will make your life easier during this period.
Make A Contact List
You are definitely going to need specialty service providers, so start researching for them now.
One of the most important will be your commercial cleaning company.
You're going to need to leave your old premises in perfect condition, and you'll definitely want the new premises to be clean of any building dust, etc before you move everyone else in.
PLUS, once you're in your new offices, you'll want the office fit out to staying looking like new for years - and having a great commercial cleaning company is key to keeping it that way.
You'll also need someone for your telephone lines, computer network and if you need more office equipment like copiers etc, you'll want to start researching those too.
When Moving Office, Move In Slow
I know that sounds crazy right? Here's the thing - if your a small business, it's fine to move everyone at once, but if you have lots of people in or organisation, it's best to move a few departments at a time rather than everyone all together on one day.
This way, the departments can put the space 'to the test' before everyone moves across, and if needed, small adjustments can be made where needed..
Communicate With Customers & Suppliers
Let your customers know that you're moving in advance, so that if there are any little service hiccups, they will understand, and remember, your Suppliers will need to be advised of your new address details.
PRO TIP: Don't forget to update your address or contact details on your website, and on all your letterheads and of course, your company social media. In fact, you could do a fun little video for your social channels detailing your move - and any wins or tribulations along the way..
So there you have it. The top 7 tips of what you actually need, to move office efficiently - here's the link to the planner again - it will help you organise your move in an easy-to-action, step by step format, so go grab it now before you get caught up with other things... Good luck!
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Hamish Macqueen - Managing Director 
and Founder of Cleancorp.
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