Nowadays, more and more companies are moving their offices to new spaces. There are a lot of possible reasons and some of these include expansion, increased company visibility, the owner's wishes to move to a better location or even downsizing. No matter what the reason and the size of your office move are, thorough planning and preparations are needed. Remember, the process of an office move is different from a home move. 

So to help you do a better office move, we have put together these tips you can follow to execute the move in an organized manner and as much as possible, avoid lost hours and any last-minute issues.

1. Plan ahead of time  

An office move is one of the most stressful activities you may encounter regardless of the size of your office. Planning ahead of time, if possible as early as 3 to 6 months in advance is necessary especially for a bigger size office to give enough time for each employee in each department to finish important tasks and to prepare for the moving day.

A detailed plan is key to successful office relocation. It should include the timeline of the moving process, the moving date, and identifying a budget to avoid surprising expenses and decisions. You also need to include a comprehensive floor plan of the new space for the employees and for the removalist if you decide to hire one. Providing them with clear directions about the placement of each stuff being moved is necessary to avoid any issues in the new space.

You need to put in mind that each employee plays a great role during a move. Giving them a list of tasks they need to do before, during and after the move, will make them aware of their responsibilities and at the same making the relocation process easier. Remember, teamwork is really important during the planning and execution of the move.

2. Create a team to manage the office move

For a medium to large office size, creating a team to manage the move is ideal to have a smooth move. You may ask for volunteers or you may appoint someone you trust from each department to participate in managing the move. It will be more convenient for you to just contact and remind the people in the managing team and they can just relay all the information to the employees in their department. If some employees get stuck on a task, the managing team should help and guide these employees in their department. Having a meeting with the managing team can identify the current problems in the old office. Hearing the thoughts and suggestions of your employees from each department should be done to find possible solutions for the new office to be better and to improve the situation of your new workplace. 

Now, if you have a smaller office, assigning a few people who you can trust and who have the capability to help with the preparation and planning for the move is also a smart idea. 

3. Make a removal checklist for the office move

Creating and following a checklist for your office move is one of the most helpful things to keep track of all the tasks needed to be accomplished. When creating a checklist, be sure to list all tasks needed to be done, things that needed to be moved and tasks that are already in progress.  This way, you can monitor the development of each task from time to time, much like when moving into a new home or decorating a loft apartment where every family member should be involved and have specific tasks. Don’t forget to give a checklist to each employee and to the moving company. This is a way to avoid forgetting any tasks or losing any items or equipment. Also, this will make your office move organized and well-prepared. 

4. Inform the IT Team 

Once you finalise the moving date, you should inform your I.T. team as soon as possible. Giving this team enough time to draft a plan on transferring and disconnecting all technical stuff, checking all computer equipment, internet plans, phone connections and servers, etc. which is necessary on every office move. They need to check and evaluate the new place as well for any upgrades needed for the equipment brought in the new office or space itself. Remember, this team plays a major role in making your office transfer a success.

Once all technical items are evaluated, if there are a few types of equipment that is not needed in the new office and are still in good working condition, you may consider recycling or donating them which can be a worthy cause. But for the items that are totally damaged, you can check your area’s environmental protection agencies on what to do with these technical items and how to properly dispose of them.   

5. Communicate with your employees 

Communicating with your employees is important in every office move. Remember to give the employees a heads-up about moving to a new space so they are prepared. Since you will be assigning a managing person in each department, be sure that the person is approachable and will encourage each employee to do their part in the office move.

Each employee has their own coping mechanism to change, so telling them in advance will give them enough time to process the changes. Boost their confidence and morale by talking to them directly or appointing someone to listen to them. This way, you will know how they feel. You also need to inform them of all the changes at the new business premise such as new building rules, revised phone numbers and of course the new address. Keeping them updated with the moving plans and schedules will be helpful as they adjust to their new working space. You can notify them easily through posted notices, announcements during meetings or regular emails.

6. Hire a trusted removalist

Moving with only the help of your employees has both favourable and unfavourable consequences. It can be less expensive and will develop your employees' relationships and team efforts. But, this may also cause unfavourable consequences like moving mistakes that will cost more than hiring a removalist or may even waste a lot of time and money. 

If you are planning to move to a new office space and are looking for a trusted and professional moving company in Australia, Upmove is your best option. With just one enquiry, you can reach all moving companies who have enough knowledge, experience and equipment to do the job for you. This will make your move efficient and avoid any injuries to your employees providing you with a safe and smooth office move.