How To Take The Stress Out Of An Office Relocation

There’s no getting around the fact that moving offices can be a hectic and challenging time. Whether your current space is no longer big enough to meet your needs, you want to downsize or you’re simply looking for a change of scene, shifting to a new workplace can give rise to all sorts of complications. However, with a little bit of thoughtful planning and preparation, you can ensure that the transition runs as smoothly as possible. To help take the stress out of an office relocation, here are some key points to consider. Choose the right place Your first priority is choosing the perfect place for your new office. To do this, you’ll need to have a long-term plan and consider what kind of things you will require from your space. Not only will you have to thoroughly assess your current requirements, but you also need to think about your future business plans and growth trajectory to ensure you won’t outgrow your workplace. For example, is it likely that you will be expanding your team in the future? Will you need meeting spaces and boardrooms as well as a main work area? Is the premises flexible enough to accommodate for your changing requirements? Asking yourself these kinds of questions will give you a clearer idea of what kind of office space you need. It’s also important to think carefully about the location of your new office and assess how easy it will be for your employees and clients to get to. By taking these factors into account now, you won’t have to worry about them further down the line. Decide on the best time to move Once you’ve got your new office space lined up, it’s time to start thinking about the best time to move. Try to give yourself an estimated timeline to ensure that the transition stays on track and that you don’t leave anything to the last minute. Ideally, you should allow several weeks to fully complete the move, although this will depend on the size of your business. It’s also wise to try and plan your moving date to coincide with a time that will have as little impact on your business as possible. For example, you may decide that the best time to do it is after working hours or during the weekend to minimise disruptions and downtime. This could mean that your staff will be able to pack up their personal items at the end of the day and return to work as normal the next morning. Have a plan in place When moving offices, it pays off to have a plan. One way to increase the likelihood that your move will be a success is to have a schedule that outlines every step of the process and prioritises events in order of importance. You may even decide to assign a project manager to oversee the entire transition and ensure everything is done within your budget and allotted time frame. To make sure nothing is left out or forgotten about, it is also worth having a checklist or inventory of everything that needs to be moved, including office furniture, IT equipment and general office supplies. To ensure all your furnishings and accessories will fit into your new premises, try to get accurate measurements of the size and floorplan of your new workplace and have a rough idea of where everything is going to be located. Not only will this help you to get the most out of the space, but it will also make the moving day run a lot more smoothly and save you from having the stress of reshuffling and rearranging when you get there. Enlist professional help Sometimes, certain things are best left to the professionals. Hiring a moving team can help ensure that the process is more streamlined, safe and cost effective, allowing you and your staff to focus on the daily operations of your business. Start by finding an experienced moving team that specialises in office relocations and can assist you through every step of the process, from packing and transporting to assembling your furnishings and equipment. As well as moving teams, you may also want to consider hiring an IT specialist to supervise the changeover of IT equipment, including broadband and telephone lines, and to ensure that systems are up and running as soon as possible. Enlisting the help of a commercial real estate agent can also be useful if you want to assess your new lease’s terms and conditions. Don’t forget about hidden costs With the stress and chaos of relocating, it can be easy to forget about the smaller details when you’re managing your budget. However, this can prove to be a costly mistake. When deciding on a spending limit for your office transition, it’s always worth setting aside some extra cash for unexpected costs. For example, you may need to account for potential employee downtime, and it is likely that you will have more expensive overheads if you are moving to a larger building. Another potential cost that you may have overlooked is renovation work that might need to be completed in your new location, including updating the office furniture and décor. To help you plan your moving budget accurately, consider speaking to a professional accountant or financial advisor. Tie up any loose ends Finally, you’ll need to tie up any loose ends before you make the move. For example, you should check whether you need to pay any outstanding bills from your current premises. You also need to contact all of your suppliers, including internet, phone and utility companies, and inform them of your impending move - ideally giving them as much notice as possible. Don’t forget to leave a forwarding address for mail too. Moving to a new office can be a daunting and stressful experience for everyone involved. However, with some careful planning and forward-thinking, you can eliminate much of the anxiety and many of the complications often associated with these transitions.

July 1, 2016 | View: 417 | Categories: ROOT