Moving isn’t fun, whether your moving homes or an entire office. An office move requires a great deal of planning, expertise and commitment, during all stages of the move, from decision till the last boxes have been unpacked to the first call you receive at the new office. It all requires immaculate planning down to the T. This blog assumes that you’ve already decided to move your office. Congratulations on your decision, but before you dive head first read along so you can be better prepared for what’s coming your way.
Firstly, the decision to move should be assesses based on your needs and future expectations of growth vs the damage it could cause your business. On the other hand, you may need to move if you want to expand. To be on the safe side, you need to make sure you paperwork for the move is complete before we begin to start planning the move. Check up on your lease break, lease expiry, planned growth and contractual obligations so you can better define your needs and map out the appropriate office move plan.
To help you we will breakdown this blog in to key stages that will advise you on what to do, how to do it and who do you need for the job and when you need to do it; the order will make your move seamless and efficient, help you stay on budget and be hassle free.
Stage 1 – Planning the Move
The planning stage of office relocation is where big decisions are made; budgets and times frames are established. And once the reasons behind the relocation have been agreed upon, this will help to establish your new office space requirements such as:
Where you want to move to
How much space you need
When you need to be in by
What key features you need your new office to have,
What your planned: business objectives (including growth plan) the move needs to satisfy,
Type and length of lease you want.
Planning also involves putting together a team of people within your organization who can take on some of the more specialist tasks. An office move is a major undertaking and a collaborative effort is needed for a successful outcome. Putting together the right project team is critical and should include people who will help facilitate all aspects of the move. It will need to comprise both of internal and external sources. A project leader must be put in charge of the move process as soon as the decision to move the office has been made.
Stage 2- Communication
Communication is key, even though you will be moving, your business can not stop functioning during the move. It is crucial to set up camp and procedures to be conducted while the move is being carried out. As we all are familiar change can be unsettling for internal staff not involved in the move. However at the same time as the office move process is going on, your company has to continue to run its business and focus on its existing workload, commitments and its deadlines. Keep in mind that a move is a great opportunity to affect positive change management, improvement in business performance, increased morale and work ethic.
Let’s talk about external employees, there are many moving parts to an office move and you need to ensure that everyone involved in the project is regularly updated, especially if there are any changes. If you keep the lines of communication open to all the people involved, internal and external, your office move will have a much greater chance of success.
Stage 3 - Finding Your Next Office Space
The second stage is to find the right space. Your new office space will need to fulfill your business and operational requirements, budget, as well as being ideally located for your customers and staff. Not only that, the terms of the office lease need to be negotiated and agreed to meet your financial and operational requirements.
Once you have found the perfect place and the office lease has been agreed, it needs to be revised by a Real Estate expert to ensure everything has been correctly documented and your commercial interests are protected.
Stage 4- Engage the right office move professionals
The whole moving office process can be complex, stressful and time-consuming. After people costs, property costs are a company's next biggest expenditure. All the decisions you make will have an impact on your company’s profitability. The physical part of getting all your belongings moved to the new office requires technical, professional and reliable expertise from a local office moving company. Working with the right professional team is the single biggest must-do for any company thinking of moving office. They will guide you through the process, save you money in the long run and also make sure you don’t make any critical mistakes.
Stage 5-Office Design
You new found space will need to be transformed to create a productive and comfortable environment for your staff and give the right first-impression of your company for those who come to visit. There is a strong link between a company's workplace and its productivity. There have been many surveys conducted on the subject and it is clear that employees rank their working environment as a central part of job satisfaction. It's surprising how much time we all spend at the office and that is why planning an efficient office space is all about arranging your workplace to provide the best opportunity for efficient workflow, and maximum productivity.
Stage 6- IT Relocation Planning
Last, but not least, consider how you are going to safely transfer all your IT equipment & business phones to the new office, reconfigure them and have them ready for the first day in your new office, while also never missing a call during the move.
Small businesses today find themselves using more and more technology to keep their operations. So, it is best to consider all your technology requirements up front. Determining locations of workstations and other devices such as computer and printer networks are very important. You also need to think about how many phones are needed at desks and in conference rooms, and what type of phone system you will utilize.
TBD Telecom by Design Inc. will help you make the right move. Our experienced and certified professionals have relocated many businesses, government offices, and corporate organizations. TBD Telecom By Design Inc will work with you from start to finish, throughout the whole process of office expansion or moving. We are here to help make your move a success.
Download TBD’s 5 Esstential Tips For A Successful Office Move