When you are ramping up the big day of your office move, you want an overall plan and a checklist of things to do. You also want what follows: A list of critical things you simply must do with every office move if you want it to go right.
Without doing these things, you can expect chaos. But it’s worth putting in the effort to make a move go right. Most employees – perhaps surprisingly – find that relocating to a new office is a positive thing. Taking care of the following issues can make the experience stay positive.
Send An Office Move Notice
It’s easy to get caught up in the move and forget to take the steps that ensure the business runs smoothly after the move. An office move notice letter is something that must be done so clients can contact you easily in your new location. This also is crucial for suppliers. Many people are not sure what to say in the letter, which is why we have a handy office moving notice free template that you can use. Make sure to deliver the office move notice letter at least a month before the move date.
Set a Moving Budget
From the start, you will want to set a moving budget and do everything in your power to stick with it. Part of this is contacting a mover and getting a free, written estimate on what the move will cost.
Contact Vendors
If you rely on vendors and suppliers for your business, you want to know well in advance if they can provide you service at the new office location. If so, you’re in good shape. If not, the next item on this list will be “find new vendors and suppliers for your new location.”
Hire a Cleaner
Much like renters who don’t want to lose their apartment rental deposit, businesses need to make sure the old office is thoroughly cleaned to avoid any fees from the building owners.
Set Rules for Employees
No matter if you have a big, medium or small business, you must circulate some rules for the move before it happens. That’s because keeping employees safe is the No. 1 priority during a move. Make sure they understand that they are not expected to move anything heavy or do a lot of lifting. Employees should be given a box and told to pack items from their desk they want, then seal it and label it (if it isn’t already labeled with their name in advance). Anything else should be handled by professionals. That way you avoid injury from tripping, sliding, dropping something heavy or stretching to reach something high. You also will want to seek input from employees about what they might need in the new office in terms of equipment, chairs, tables, etc.
Have Someone Focus On New Building
It’s important to have one person on staff who focuses on getting into the new office rather than focusing on getting out of the old office. That includes issues such as hooking up utilities, making sure the owners have cleaned the office, and creating a floor plan for placement of office desks and equipment. In short, making sure everything that was supposed to happen is actually happening. Otherwise, moving day will be a great disappointment to everyone.
Hire a Professional Mover
Most large businesses follow this one, but many smaller businesses might think they can handle the move themselves. That’s understandable because that sort of “can do” spirit is what drives people to become small business owners in the first place. But you don’t want the risks associated with moving yourself or doing it with a non-professional mover. Those risks include breaking important items, not having the right tools to move awkward items (such as conference tables) and employees getting injured during the move. You can avoid all of that by partnering with an experienced, professional moving company.
