Difference between revisions of "Relocate an Office"

#Determine the motivations for moving the office. To find a good location for the office, you should first think about why you are relocating. You may be looking for a location that will help you grow your talent pool or give you easier access to your target consumer market. Moving your office is a big change and big changes can be risky in business. You should make sure you know exactly why you feel a move is necessary and essential for your business. Some of the more common reasons for moving an office are:<ref name="rf1">http://www.nfib.com/content/resources/start-a-business/5-reasons-to-relocate-your-business-51336/</ref>

#Hire a broker. A broker is an individual who helps you find property and works as a go between to a real estate agent. A good broker can help you find a property that will satisfy your business needs without going over budget. Brokers tend to specialize in certain types of buildings and areas. Once you determine what you require in your new location, look for a broker who is specialized and knowledgeable.<ref name="rf2">http://www.fairfaxcountyeda.org/relocating-office-or-business</ref>

#Discuss possible locations with your employees and stakeholders. You should involve your employees and your stakeholders in this big decision, as it will have a major impact on them. Hold a town hall meeting with your employees where you present several possible locations for the move. You should discuss the pros and cons of each location and show the employees photographs of the spaces. Encourage employees to share their thoughts and perspectives around the potential locations.<ref name="rf3">http://www.integratelecom.com/resources/assets/best-practice-moving-your-office-wp-integra.pdf</ref>

#*In some cases, you may be required to consult with your staff and your stakeholders about a possible move. You may also need to talk to unions, regulators, your parent company, your board members, and your department heads.<ref name="rf4">http://www.morganlovell.co.uk/knowledge/checklists/managing-an-office-relocation</ref>  

#Budget for the costs of the move. Though it may be tempting to go to the cheap route for your move to save money, this can lead to costly mistakes or issues during the move that could end up being expensive and time consuming. Work with your office managers to create a budget for the move so you are certain you can afford it. The budget should cover moving costs like:<ref name="rf5">http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/office_relocation.html</ref>

#Assign moving roles among the staff. Try to do this at least six months to twelve months before the move, especially if you’re moving a large office with a large number of employees. You may choose one key person to be the “move champion” who spearheads the move team or you may suggest a few individuals in management positions run the move team. Assigning roles to the staff will help ensure the relocation goes well.<ref name="rf4" />[Image:Relocate an Office Step 3.jpg|center]]

#Determine your existing inventory. You should take inventory and know exactly how much stock you have in your company. You should also go through your inventory and your office supplies to identify any items that are no longer used. Mark these unused items with post-its so you know they are not going to be moved to the new location. This will help you get a sense of how much inventory will need to be moved and any inventory that will be disposed of.<ref name="rf6">http://blink.ucsd.edu/facilities/services/moving/office.html#-Make-sure-you-have-adequate-in</ref>

#Create a timeline for the move. Outline a detailed timeline for the move in consultation with the move team. If you are planning to use professional movers, you should contact them as soon as possible. Propose a time and date for the move and see if the movers are available around this time.<ref name="rf5" />

#Make an office floor plan based on the new location. Once you have a timeline for the move, you should sit down with the move team and leaders in the staff to create a floor plan based on the new location. You should note where each department will be situated and consider the most practical and efficient way to do this.<ref name="rf5" />

#Do the relocation during a down period. There is no right time to move an office as no matter what, you will not be operational for a few days. However, you should try to plan the move during a down period or a known slow period for your business. This could be in January, as it is often slow after Christmas in December, or this could be in the summertime when you have fewer people in the office.<ref name="rf3" />

#Discuss preparations with the moving company. Every moving company will have their own protocol for relocating an office. You should discuss any preparations that need to be done on your end to make the move as smooth as possible.<ref name="rf6" />

#Prioritize the IT department. For most companies, the IT department is essential to operations. You may want to arrange for the IT department to move into the new space gradually so it is set up first in the new space. This will ensure the company can get up and running much quicker after the move.<ref name="rf3" />

#Get moving insurance. Talk to your company’s insurance company about moving insurance, as companies are required to get insured for any major moves. You will need to provide an accurate list of your inventory and estimate the worth of the total number of items being moved.<ref name="rf6" />

# Arrange for a clean up crew for the old location. You will need to leave the old space as clean as it was when you moved into the space. You may need to organize a clean up crew made of volunteers from the company or hire cleaners to come in once the space has been cleared out.<ref name="rf7">http://blink.ucsd.edu/facilities/services/moving/office.html#-Arrange-for-cleaning-the-space</ref>