6 Secrets of a Successful Office Move

Certain aspects of office moves should come as no surprise. You’ll want to have a moving plan, which includes a schedule and a floor plan for desk arrangement in your new space. Boxes need to be packed correctly and clearly labeled. And ultimately, the goal of office moves should be obvious too: getting your people, furniture and equipment from one place to another, right? Unfortunately, office moves are not quite as simple as that. Here are some insider tips on overcoming the unexpected obstacles to a smooth office transition.

1. Have alternate street and building access

If there’s only one street or building access point in your new or existing space, you’ll want to check the city schedule for events or street closings on moving day. It’s also good to be as flexible as possible with alternate move dates. Unforeseen obstacles—like a broken water main near your main access point—can seriously postpone a move.

2. Create plans for individual office installation

Many companies create a detailed floor plan for their building but forget to plan the layout of individual offices and common areas. Finding that a door swings in the opposite direction as was expected or that individual pieces of office furniture won’t fit in a new space are unexpected surprises that happen more often than you’d expect.

3. Carefully document technical office installation

Having precisely matching cables, accessories and monitors labeled and packed can minimize downtime when employees get set up in the new space. Documentation is even more critical for technical staff like developers and designers, who may have multiple CPUs, monitors and other peripherals in their setup.

4. Sell employees on the move

In addition to detailed communication about packing and labeling requirements, helping employees understand and even be excited about the purpose of the move will pay dividends in their willingness to not just follow, but even go above and beyond, the office installation plan.

5. Leave time for clean up

Office installation isn’t the last step in an office move. Clearing out the old space can reveal not just unexpected messes but other surprises like unclaimed furniture, fixtures and even old data cables. Dealing with these events and issues can add time to the tail end of large office moves. Additionally, check your lease terms way in advance of your move to ensure that you fulfill all of the building exist requirements.

6. Consider moving in phases

Any one of the above obstacles makes a good case for doing office moves and office installation in phases. This spreads out the potential for unexpected setbacks. While a phased move may at first seem to prolong the process, it may actually save time in the long run.

The ultimate goal of office moves is not just moving people and items from one place to another, but doing so with minimal to no downtime. The better planned your office move, the more likely employees will be ready and able to start work again on their first day in your new space.

Looking for quotes from a full service relocation company for your office move? Feel free to contact us.