5 Tactics To Take The Stress Out Of Your Office Move
Running a business is a challenge in itself. The last thing you want to do is to add more stress to your workday but as your business scales and grows, you may quickly outgrow your current premises. In this article John Pfeiffer takes a look at how to move offices with minimal disruption to your employees and business.
Running a business is a challenge in itself. The last thing you want to do is to add more stress to your workday (and your employees’). But as your business scales and grows, you may quickly outgrow your current premises, requiring you to relocate offices.
Moving can be exciting, but without careful planning and preparation, it can quickly become frustrating and worrisome. There’s an inherent degree of anxiety when changes occur in the workplace, particularly when moving offices.
To ensure the experience of an office relocation goes as seamlessly and as smoothly as possible, here are five important tactics for a successful office move.
1. Secure a good quote
Before any steps are taken to relocate offices, it’s important to do research on several office removalist sutherland shire. Finding the right office removalists in your local area, who can help make the move as seamless as possible, will go a long way in reducing stress for everyone.
Hiring professionals rather than taking the DIY approach will also limit disruptions to normal business functions and reduce possible liabilities.
Solicit advice from colleagues, team members and even your professional network to determine the right vendors for the corporate move. As relocation has varying moving parts, you’ll want to source a vendor that you can work with to devise a timeframe and plan that saves you time and money, and makes the process of moving safer and less stressful.
2. Plan ahead
One key area that must not be overlooked when moving offices is in the planning process. As the saying goes, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”
Without considered planning, office relocation can become surprisingly unsettling for you and your team. To avoid making life more complicated, appropriate planning is key.
Make a checklist of tasks and inventory that is required to successfully move offices. Factor in certain tasks that need to be carried out when office relocation happens. This could include:
- IT setup
- Inventory management of existing furniture and equipment
- Audit keys
- Filing change-of-address forms
- Ordering of new stationery, office furniture, and equipment
- Advising suppliers of move
- Mail moving notices
- Detailing security procedures for relocation
A detailed plan ensures there’s one less thing to worry about during the move.
3. Focus on budgeting
Without crafting a detailed moving budget, your business could be severely hit with hidden fees or unexpected moving costs. Creating a detailed moving budget helps your business avoid overspending. All potential expenditures should be factored in when deciding on a moving budget.
Your detailed checklist should determine expenditures and moving costs to consider.
- Hired removalists
- IT support
- Costs of change-of-address forms
- Mail moving notices
- New furniture and/or infrastructure
- A cleaning crew
- Perhaps a celebratory office warming party should all be factored into the moving budget.
4. Communicate with your team
While the decision to move may have undoubtedly been determined by a C-level executive, every member of the team should be informed of the decision to relocate once the company secures a competitive quote, and once a plan and budget have been prepared.
Communication is key to improving office morale and productivity during a move.
Procrastinating when it comes to making the announcement to move, or not telling staff about the relocation, can cause discontent. Both internal and external stakeholders should be promptly informed of the decision to move to avoid any frustration and disappointment. To ensure a hassle-free move, communicate the status of the relocation frequently.
5. Time your move appropriately
Disruptions to normal business functions can mean your business experiences a loss in services. To avoid disruptions to business functions, consider the nature of your industry and how a move will impact your products and services. An office move can take up to six months, and depending on the size of your company, up to a year.
It’s important to factor this into the decision-making process to ensure a smooth transition so that customers don’t experience a loss in the continuity of service. When possible, avoid moving during peak vacation times, busy seasons, and in the midst of extreme seasonal weather like the dead of winter.
Enjoy the move
Remember why your business is moving in the first place. An office relocation signifies that your business is growing and scaling up with its expanding market share. So enjoy this exciting time and celebrate once you’ve settled into your new premises with a nice office warming party.
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