How to Plan a Smooth Office Move

Moving to a new office space can be stressful, but there are steps you can take to minimize the disruption to your business. Through careful planning, you can ensure that all your employees know what to expect from the move, which will help to minimize confusion and may help your business get up and running in the new location as quickly as possible. Use these tips to ensure your office move goes smoothly.

Create a Timeline

Creating a timeline for the move is the first step in any successful office relocation. It's essential not to rush this process. Even a small office move typically takes at least three months to plan, while a larger company may need six to eight months to take care of all the details.

Prepare Your Employees

Once you have prepared a realistic timeline for the move, it's time to inform your employees about what they should expect. Let everyone know when the equipment they use regularly will be moving to the new location so they don't turn up to work one day to find they don't have what they need.

You should also tell your employees how you want them to contribute to the move. Give each person a deadline for packing up their own files and personal items so they can be moved to the new location on time. If you have a large number of people working for you, it can be helpful to appoint supervisors who are responsible for ensuring everyone is packed and ready to move when the time comes.

Make a Budget

Moving to a new office involves several different types of costs. As well as covering the cost of hiring a moving company, you may also need to purchase additional office furniture for the new space, set up new utility contracts, and pay cancellation fees for the contracts in your current location. At the beginning of planning your office move, make a list of all costs you expect to face during your move so you can ensure the cash to pay for them is available.