Whether you’re upsizing or downsizing, moving an office can have a transformative effect on your business and allow you to employ different staff, explore new work areas, and even increase your branding and customer awareness. However, just like moving home (typically considered one of life’s most stressful experiences), ensuring your office relocation goes without a hitch takes planning and preparation.
If you’re thinking of moving office location soon, try following the tips below to ensure it goes smoothly and without issues.
Have a clear idea of your criteria and what you hope to achieve from the move
All businesses are different, but you’ll likely have reasons why you’re considering this move. Perhaps you’ve found your current office space just isn’t big enough to meet your staffing requirements anymore, or maybe you want the increased exposure that can come from moving to a more prestigious district. Whatever the reason, be sure to have clear criteria of what you need from the new property and how the move is likely to affect your firm.
Think about timing
Moving your office location is going to be disruptive and will likely mean your company can’t function as normal, so try to choose a date when you’re relatively quiet. You should also ensure you give your clients prior warning of your move so they’re aware you might have a little downtime while you transition to your new premises.
Key tasks you should perform before the move
Just as with so many other areas of life, planning will see you best prepared for your move, so think about the following in the run-up to your removal date:
New and existing furniture: Depending on how long you’ve been in your current office, a move to a new location might be the perfect opportunity to upgrade your office furniture. At the very least, think about what items of furniture you want to take with you to your new location and plan where everything is going to go.
Make an inventory: You should ensure you’ve made a comprehensive inventory list of everything you’re moving before the day of the move – just in case anything goes wrong and items get lost or broken.
Choose how you’re going to move: If you’re just moving around the corner, it might be possible to coordinate the removal with your staff; however if you’re looking at moving longer distances, you’ll likely find the better solution is to use a removal company. You should ask for at least three quotes from removal companies to get an accurate idea of pricing – and don’t forget the option to search ltl freight shipping companies that offer less-than-load services, which can often end up considerably cheaper.
Make sure you’re going to be up and running as quickly as possible: Depending on the space you’re moving to, many serviced or co-working office spaces come complete with essential services like phone, IT, and electricity services already provided. However, if you’re renting or purchasing individual office space, you’ll need to get in touch with the relevant suppliers to avoid suffering unnecessary downtime after you’ve moved.
