Just as with moving to a new house, relocating to a new office takes a lot of preparation and logistics. Whether you’re moving to a new floor or a new building, you need to plan ahead. Thorough planning and organization can help the process run smoothly and prevent frustrations along the way. While you always want to account for minor issues and unexpected delays, creating a detailed plan can help you stay much more organized.
Some of the most important tasks to include on your moving an office checklist are communicating employee responsibilities, checking your current inventory and working with professionals for the design and layout of your new office.
Introduction to Office Relocation
No matter the size of your business, it’s essential to use an office relocation checklist to understand what needs to get done before you can successfully move into your new space. For instance, who will be in charge of packing, labeling and unpacking? Where will employees work while the move takes place? What is your business’s budget for the move, and how will it be allocated?
These factors depend on your overall reason for the move. Are you relocating to attract more business in a new city, or have you simply outgrown your current office? Answering these questions can help your other preparations fall into place.
Pre-Move Preparations
Many companies will start planning for an office relocation several months in advance. If possible, we recommend making your pre-move preparations as soon as possible after you make the decision to relocate. This will give you the maximum amount of time to get everything in order and fix any issues well before the deadline. Here are some of the first things you’ll want to do before moving:
1. Set a Moving Date
Before you can delegate tasks or lock in a moving company, you need to know when you can move into your new office space. You’ll also want to review your current office lease to determine if you need to fix anything that was potentially damaged during your lease, such as broken light fixtures or chipped paint.
Be sure to notify your current landlord about your company’s relocation date and whether you plan to wait until the end of your lease or terminate it early. If you terminate your lease, you may be responsible for a fee.
2. Assemble a Moving Team
Next, you can start getting quotes from various moving companies in your area and compare rates for the best deal. If you’re upscaling or updating your business, you might not be taking all your old office furniture with you. In this case, you may be able to downsize your move and have new furniture delivered to the new office location.
Either way, it’s important to reserve a moving company in advance if you need it. During this stage, you can also designate a point person who will supervise the moving process. This person will serve as the main contact for all moving issues and streamline communication.
3. Office Layout Planning
Now that you’ve handled the critical logistics, you can move on to the more exciting part of relocation — office decorating. Moving to a bigger space means more room for employees and a different, fresh layout. You’ll need to assess your new space carefully to determine where you want the desks, decor, printers and equipment to go.
However, planning an office relocation can be understandably stressful at times, which is why we recommend working with professionals to help you narrow down what you want your new office to look like. An experienced office furniture company in your area can help you identify which office design trends you want for the space.
Do you want to switch from cubicles to communal workspaces? Are you prioritizing natural lighting? Do you want employees to have more flexibility with moveable partitions and adjustable desks? Whatever your vision is, you can collaborate with an office design team to make your entire staff happy with the new environment.
4. Furniture Inventory
If you’re moving to accommodate new business growth and additional employees, you’ll likely need more furniture. However, you’ll also want to maintain an open office space to help keep employees productive.
At the same time, you probably have plenty of equipment and furniture that you’d like to keep, donate, or sell before the move. The next item on your checklist should be a current furniture inventory. Go through your entire office and write down the number of desks, chairs, tables and storage units. Determine which items you’d like to bring to your new office and which should be set aside for selling or donating.
Now, refer to your new office layout and estimate the amount of new desks and chairs you’ll need. For instance, are you relocating with the same number of employees, or will you have several new team members? If you’re in the market for new office furniture, you’ll need a trusted office furniture company in the San Diego area to help.
Communication and Coordination
Communication among employees is essential in any company, but it’s especially important when making big changes. Discussing the details of the move can help avoid any confusion and misunderstandings among employees so the process runs more smoothly and efficiently. Here are some tips for communicating an office relocation:
1. Employee Communication
You need to keep everyone informed and involved during the relocation process. Whether you want to send a company-wide email or hold a meeting in person, it’s important to let every staff member know when you plan to relocate, your new office address and any other key details that may affect them.
Communicate that employees will be responsible for packing up and moving their personal belongings and equipment. Now is the time to create project management teams to divvy up different aspects of the move and build a sense of teamwork.
Everyone should know what to do and where to go. By giving your team advance notice, everyone can prepare for the relocation while understanding how these changes might affect project deadlines.
If your relocation could impact any partners, suppliers, clients or stakeholders, inform them and provide new contact information.
2. Timeline Management
As you approach moving day, it’s a good idea to track your checklist progress and regularly update all team members as needed. Creating a moving schedule can help everyone visualize what they need to do and when they need to do it. For instance, perhaps you’ve delegated a few team members to back up all your company files and collect all parking passes a month before your move.
Having a schedule or timeline that everyone can access makes it easy for all team players to know what still needs to be done. This can also help streamline communication by eliminating the need for employees to constantly reach out to the point person for updates.
Logistics and Compliance
If you’re moving your office to a new floor or down the street, you might not have that many legal responsibilities. However, planning a bigger office move to a new city or state comes with certain requirements.
1. Compliance and Permits
Depending on where your new office is located, you may require a special permit or license to conduct business in that area. For example, if you’re relocating to a new state, you’ll need to register with the Division of Corporations and access the local business resources.
You may also require a building permit and certificate of occupancy, especially if you plan on making any alterations to the building before you move in. Next, be sure to update all your documents and website information with your new office information.
To prevent delays or compliance risks, it’s important to obtain all necessary permits before moving to a new office.
2. Managing the Physical Move
The physical logistics of a move are often the most time-consuming and labor-intensive part. To help streamline the process and reduce stress for your employees, it’s wise to hire a reputable moving company that can safely and responsibly transport your current office equipment to your new space.
Employees will already be responsible for bringing all of their personal belongings, so you can lighten the burden by transporting any bulky equipment provided by your company, including:
- Computers
- Whiteboards
- Scanners
- Copy machines
- Monitors
- Kitchen supplies
- Telephone systems
- Storage equipment
Post-Move Activities
Once you’ve officially terminated your lease in the old office and coordinated the move to the new location, you’ll feel much more ready to start your business activities in the new space. Here are some things to keep in mind post-move:
1. Setting Up the New Office
You should have a pretty good idea of how you want to arrange the furniture, thanks to the new office layout you created before moving in. Setting up the furniture first is key because it will determine the overall flow of the space. Decorating is also easier once you know where all your furniture will go.
Take this time to arrange the furniture how you want it and create an inviting reception and lounge area. If you have furniture you need to set up or install, it’s best to rely on professionals who can get it done efficiently without taking up valuable work time.
2. Ensuring Employees Are Comfortable
Once your furniture is ready, go around the office and check that each employee has an internet and phone connection. Have your IT team monitor your Wi-Fi system and computers to ensure they’re operational and troubleshoot as needed. You can also have an employee call your new office number to confirm it’s correct and double-check that your new office address is properly advertised.
Next, communicate to employees that you’ll be keeping your inbox open or hosting a relocation meeting to address any questions or issues they might have. Remember, your employees will be unpacking their belongings while trying to stay productive, so it’s normal for them to have to rely on you more than usual for guidance during this time.
FAQs About Office Moves
Though moving your company to a new location has a standard set of tasks, your office moving checklist will have several items specific to your unique business needs. Here are some FAQs and answers about moving to a new office:
1. How Long Does Office Relocation Take?
Moving to a new office can generally take as little as a few weeks or as long as a year, depending on the size of your company. The earlier you start planning, the sooner you can set everything in motion. The actual move should be done within a few hours or days if you reserve an experienced moving company. You can also streamline office relocation by working with a local office furniture design team to help you plan your layout and coordinate furniture delivery and installation.
2. How Do I Prepare My Office for Moving?
In the early stages of planning your office move, it’s important to thoroughly read your current lease agreement to determine if your company is responsible for addressing any damage or alterations you made during occupancy. For example, you may need to remove your company logos from the doors and take down any branded décor.
3. How Do I Prepare My Team for an Office Move?
You can prepare your office for moving by determining your moving needs and creating a timeline. If you have employees who work from home on certain days, it’s essential to have a clear plan that everyone can reference if they’re not physically able to come up to you and ask questions. For example, you could include details about where employees can find supplies like boxes, tape and labels for packing their belongings.
During this time, remember to be patient and flexible. Moving to a new office often disrupts workflows and operations, and it may take some time for everyone to get settled and adjust to new technology and policies.
4. How Do I Successfully Manage an Office Move?
In addition to sharing a detailed timeline or checklist with all staff members, you can efficiently and effectively organize an office relocation by relying on experienced professionals who can bring your office vision to life. Moving companies can do the “heavy lifting” for you and get your equipment to the new space on time. Additionally, an office furniture company in the San Diego area can work with you to understand your exact needs.
For instance, they’ll know what shape desks you want for your communal working space and the type of executive office chairs you want in the conference room. Having professionals coordinate your new office allows you to focus on other essentials, such as making sure employees feel supported during this transition.
Plan Your New Open Office Space With COE Office
A detailed checklist for an office move can help you stay organized and ensure everything is accounted for. As a best practice, you’ll want to create a detailed timeline of when you want to relocate and assign certain employees to specific tasks. If you’re upscaling your business, you’ll need office furniture experts who can help with free space planning, furniture designs and installation services.
At COE Office, we aim to create productive, comfortable spaces with our quality furniture for businesses in San Diego and the surrounding areas. While doing your furniture inventory, we can help you plan your new office layout and determine what you want your workspaces to look like. Whether you need cubicles, lounge chairs or breakroom furniture, we’d love to customize your new workplace for you. When you work with us, you can cross several priority tasks off your checklist. Contact us today today to learn how we can help you make a successful move.
