Moving offices can be a challenging feat for a business, especially if it’s your first one. Not only does it require a lot of prep time but moving everything to your new location in an organized way can be tricky. Below are a few tips to ensure your office move is a smooth and easy one.
Plan Early
You can never plan too early when it comes to an office move. Even if your office is small, you’ll want to prepare as early as possible so that the whole thing is smooth and organized. This includes assigning roles, setting up a timeline, writing out a list of to-dos, cleaning out spaces, and putting together a packing schedule. While it may be tempting to do this on the fly, you could end up in deep water, especially in terms of items going missing.
As well as putting together a plan for how to pack up and move out of your existing space, you’ll also want to plan how to receive it on the other end. In other words, make sure you have a blueprint of the new space so that you can start allocating everything to designated areas.
Update Your Address
Last but not least, make sure you start updating your new office address on everything from letterheads to business cards to return labels. You’ll also want to make sure any equipment has the right address on it, whether it’s using strong metal tag printing or clear plastic labeling. While it may seem too early to do so, it will save you time and effort to update your materials to your new address before moving.
Communicate with Employees
An office move requires everyone’s involvement. Make sure that you communicate with your staff and get their input regarding what they need for their individual spaces. It’s important to keep them updated with plans and time schedules and any new building rules, address changes, and packing arrangements. You might even want to create an office-wide moving checklist so that everyone is on board.
Assign a Move Manager
If you have the means to do so, it’s also a good idea to assign a move manager. Much like a project, this person will be responsible for overseeing the entire move and ensuring that everything is done in an organized manner. Even if everyone is working together, it’s important to have a designated person who can facilitate and follow up to make sure the move progresses on schedule.
Find a Reputable Moving Company
It goes without saying that hiring a reputable moving company is a must. If you have expensive equipment and sensitive documents in your office, you’ll want to be assured that everything will be handled with care. A decent company will have the adequate resources, expertise, and manpower to ensure that your office move is executed according to plan. Make sure the company that you hire is well-established, insured, and certified.
Label Boxes Diligently
This might sound like a no-brainer, but diligent box labeling is vital. Each box will need to be labeled according to its contents and where it needs to be placed in the new office. In other words, don’t just give the box a generic name. Instead, think about where it needs to go and what someone needs to know if they come across the box on the other end.
