Office Moves can be quite complex. The relocation of an office typically entails a large amount of furniture, decor, and electronic equipment being moved at once. If you aren’t careful the process can quickly spiral into a frustrating and disjointed undertaking. That’s why we’re letting you in on all of the trade secrets to planning and executing an efficient office move.
Have one team member in charge of the move
This individual will be the point of reference for the team and the movers. Just like the saying goes; things don’t turn out well when there are too many cooks in the kitchen. If you have multiple people organizing the move, things can quickly turn to chaos. We’ve even experienced office moves where two people at an office each booked a moving company and didn’t realize until move day when they both companies showed up at the office.
Make sure people pack their workspace and label their boxes
You don’t want things spilling out of the desk drawers when you start moving. You can also cut down on employees losing belongings in the move if they make sure they are adequately packed. Either put the boxes in a central location, or drop off a few boxes off at each employees desk. Give each employee a number that will both be labeled on their boxes and their desks. When they arrive at the new office they will find their belongings at their new workspace.
Label all furniture
Labeling every desk will help avoid confusion when the furniture is moved to the new office location. Office furniture tends to look very generic and similar. You can easily get the desks and cabinets mixed up.
Create a layout plan for the set up off the new office
If you numbered the desks from the start, it will be a simple process. This can help cut down on the time that your move takes dramatically, your movers will know exactly where to take every piece of furniture. After the office relocation, give the employees access to the layout so that they can pinpoint the location of their desk.
If you are taking a part cubicles, check to see whether they have electricity running through them
You may have to call a furniture company if you are taking apart cubicles that have many pieces. If the cubicles have electricity running through them, you may also have to get an electrician involved to remove the wiring and put it back in once you get to the new location.
Make a detailed list of all of the electronics that need to be moved
Make sure to let the movers know if they are going to be moving computers and other pieces of technology. You may want to contact an IT company to move sensitive pieces of technology. If you have a lease on anything, like a copier, you should read the lease before moving the equipment. For some leased pieces of technology you can lose your warranty or protection if you move the object.
Find out any requirements that your building manager may have
Ensure that you talk to the manager of the building before the move. Some buildings have very specific requirements when it comes to moving and will either provide you with a document or an informal list of requirements. You may need to reserve the elevator for faster loading if you are in an office building that is shared with other companies, locate and possibly block off the loading area for the day, provide proof of insurance to the building manager, and you may even have to schedule the move during certain hours or days of the week.
In Conclusion
Office moves are very detailed but with careful planning they can be done without stress and confusion. Start planning the office relocation months in advance to ensure that you have enough time to organize your move and get your team prepped.