Office relocation means there is bound to be discomfort, anxiety and some tension. Because, while shifting your office you do not have the luxury of time. You have to do lots of planning and preparation before deciding on the move. The points given here will help you in moving to your new location without much hassle and anxiety.
Plan your move in advance
It is imperative that you plan everything well in advance. Since you and your staff members can only work during office hours it is imperative that you fix deadlines for every stage of work. Ask your staff to make lists of everything. Conduct an IT infrastructure assessment of the new location, do an employee census and occupancy review, make a furniture inventory etc.
Time is critical
You have to ensure minimum downtime of office function as you can’t afford to compromise on product /service delivery and the productivity of your team for long. Thus make sure that the move is completed as fast as possible thus causing minimum disruption in office functioning.
Safety and security
There are a large number of items like - files, folders, tables, chairs, cabinets and other office furniture apart from PCs, servers, keyboards, projectors, cable etc that require extremely delicate and precise handling apart from safety and security concerns. The degree of caution required while transporting these goods remains the same whether you are shifting within the city or outside.
Ensure proper labeling and storage
Proper labeling with department, employee name and/or code, desk number etc will hasten unpacking at the new location. While the actual packing will be done by the relocator it is advisable to involve your team members in the process as they can ensure that the packing is being done properly and nothing is left behind.
Pinpoint which item is to be kept where
Make a detailed drawing of the new premises and specify which item is to be kept where. Give one copy to the transporter and another to the office team responsible for the relocation. This will be of immense help while unpacking goods and save precious time and energy.
Update your clients and associates
Let your associates and clients know your schedule for shifting and your new address too. Also, tell if there will be a delay in service so that they are able to plan accordingly. Inform the courier companies you do business with and also the postal department about your new address along with the date of shifting. Before moving paste your new address on your existing office.
Move only when the new premises in ready
Ensure that your new office is ready for your team to start work as soon as they land in your new office and assemble their equipment. Make sure that the basic necessities of an office like electricity connection, water connection, internet etc are in place and washrooms are working before relocating. In case you have ordered new furniture this should also be in place.
Try to plan the move in accordance with business cycles
Most businesses have a peak time and a less busy time. Try to use the less busy time for your move, for example if you are in the school books and stationery selling business it is a given that the period when the academic year starts and the period just after that is the busiest period for you. So you should not relocate during this period but use the slow moving period that comes when the academic year has started working smoothly to shift your office.
