Relocating your entire business to a new office space can be challenging, regardless of the size of your company. Planning and organization are essential for ensuring a seamless move that has minimal impact on your day-to-day operations. Whether your business is looking to expand or downsize, here are some ways to ensure your office relocation goes smoothly.
Design a Floor Plan
Plan as early as possible before you physically transition to the new space. For medium to large offices, a good rule of thumb is to start the planning process six to eight months in advance. This can help prevent any hiccups from occurring along the way.
Consider workflow and place the departments that work together as close to each other as possible in the new space to encourage collaboration and communication. Assign workspaces to employees as early as you can by using your floor plan as a template. This way, your entire team can get to work on move-in day.
Once you have the new floor plan figured out, share it with your moving company. This can help prevent confusion once all items arrive, and ensure the set-up goes smoothly.
Keep Your Employees in the Loop
Giving your staff plenty of time to adjust for an office relocation can make the move less stressful for them. Consider setting regular meetings with employees to discuss the move and its progress. This can provide the opportunity for workers to ask questions or express any concerns they may have regarding the relocation.
Be sure to guide employees throughout the move and assign tasks for each department. Have employees take home personal items — such as framed photos, decorations, coffee mugs, and plants — so they aren’t lost or damaged during the move. You also can give your staff a checklist of ways they can individually prepare for the relocation.
Get the IT Team on Board
Moving your business to a new office means having to disconnect and reconnect all of your techs. Ask your IT team three months prior to the move to start planning the transfer of equipment, servers, phone connections, and Internet service plans. Your IT department will need to assess the new office to see if any technical upgrades to the existing infrastructure are needed.
Update Your Company’s Information
Be sure your clients know that your business is moving. Update your website, business cards, letterhead and email signatures with the new address and phone number. If your business is prominent on social media, you can inform clients and customers about your upcoming relocation by posting about it. Additionally, update your vendors and suppliers to ensure that future deliveries go to the correct address.
Transitioning into your new workplace can be strenuous, but these helpful tips can successfully organize your moving process and keep it on track. For a more in-depth look at how you can prepare for an office transition, see the accompanying infographic.
