In my last blog, I talked about preparing for an office move, thinking about the location, engaging staff in the project and budgeting!  This time I am covering the relocation plan and the actual move.

Making a relocation plan

Assigning staff roles

• it can be a helpful to engage with staff by asking for volunteers from each department to form a small project team, headed by one of the senior management team
• while you are unlikely to please every member of staff, involving them in the process ensures that their views are represented and discussed

Office furniture and supplies – What will you be taking with you?

• Moving offices is a great time for an office clear out, streamlining filing, disposing of old furniture and clearing out the basement, where all office equipment disappears to!
• Ensure that you are clear about items that will be going and whether you need to arrange for old furniture or equipment to be disposed of, perhaps to a local charity or by the professional movers you have engaged
• Discuss your plans with the movers, ensuing sufficient storage is delivered in plenty of time for staff to pack up, making sure you know when the crates or boxes will be collected so you are not charged extra

New office floor plan

• One of the most difficult parts of any office move as nearly every member of staff will have an opinion on where they would like to be situated in the new office!
• This can be where the staff project team can help manage expectations and get buy-in for the process.
• Some departments may logically fit together, however, there is no point in putting the IT department on the top floor, when the server room is on the ground floor.

Organising the Relocation, some things to think about

If possible, plan the move during a quiet period or close the office for a few days around a bank holiday or office closure, perhaps over the Christmas period, if your office closes at this time of year.

Work closely with the professional movers, they will have loads of experience and will be able to advise on any preparations to help the move go as smoothly as possible.

Book the installation of communication lines as early as possible, even if this means paying double for a couple of months.  One move I was involved in, BT Open Reach took over 18 months to install the Broadband line, never able to explain the delay.  We were aware this could happen, as the company’s previous move had experienced exactly the same issue.   Luckily, we had planned for a delay, though not expecting 18 months, by installing a back-up line and we were able to move on our planned date

With good planning you can keep disruption to a minimum and staff can be up and running in the new office in a few hours.  One of the office moves I was involved with, we closed on Friday afternoon, the move took place over the weekend and staff were at their desks unpacked and working by 11am on the Monday morning.

Do get in touch if you would like to discuss an office relocation or move, even if only from room to room or to another floor.