Choosing to move your company is a huge undertaking. Maybe you’ve run out of space and need to expand. Or maybe you’ve decided to pivot to a hybrid or remote-first workspace and downsize. Moving offices with equipment, documents, files, and furniture takes time and planning. Whether your move takes you across town or the country, creating an office moving checklist reduces the hassle and ensures everything goes smoothly. Let’s dig into the details of creating your office moving checklist.
In this guide you’ll learn about:
- Pre-move planning
- Inventory and documentation for your assets
- How professional movers can help
- Effective communication during the move
- Ensuring business continuity
- Providing employee support
Pre-Move Planning: Setting the Foundation for Success
Pre-move planning is a cornerstone of success for any office relocation. Office moves have more moving parts than your typical household move. This means you’ll want to dedicate even more time to this task. That’s true whether you’re handling the move on your own or outsourcing it to a moving services provider.
Include the following steps in your pre-move planning:
- Create a comprehensive timeline.
- Form a dedicated moving committee.
- Prepare for inventory.
A comprehensive timeline maps out your whole office relocation process. Create a timeline by moving backward from your desired move-in date. Timelines also include significant milestones like lease singings, design approvals, and IT infrastructure setup. Well-structured timelines keep all stakeholders aligned. They may also and identify potential bottlenecks before they become issues.
At the same time, having a single person in charge of your move is counterproductive. Instead, build a dedicated moving committee. The committee should be a cross-functional team with representatives from different departments. Ensure involvement from IT, HR, operations, and facilities management. This committee is the central hub for all relocation-related communication, decision-making, and problem-solving.
Finally, creating a plan to inventory your business’s assets ensures you know what will be moving and whose responsibility it will be. List all assets – from technology to furniture and files.
Inventory and Documentation: Organizing Your Office Assets
When moving offices, taking a comprehensive inventory and documenting it are critical. In addition to keeping track of your assets, it streamlines the entire relocation.
Focus on the following processes:
- Conduct a detailed asset inventory.
- Organize essential documents.
- Label and categorize everything.
A detailed asset inventory is a thorough list of all office equipment, furniture, and supplies. Include details like make, model, and condition of equipment. Each employee should have a checklist of items, especially they are responsible for moving any personal equipment or you outsource labor to a third-party. This inventory isn’t just valuable for packing. It will help for insurance purposes if something is damaged or lost. An inventory also helps inform the time and labor necessary when booking office relocation services. It’s also critical to know exactly what you have so you can set up your new space properly.
Simultaneously, gather and securely store all critical paperwork. Include lease agreements, contracts, and employee records. Consider digitizing documents. This reduces physical storage needs and improves accessibility during the move.
Implement a clear labeling system for all items and boxes. Use color-coding or numerical systems that indicate which department or area an item or group of items belongs to. This will significantly speed up the unpacking process. It can also help team members locate their belongings quickly in the new office.
Hiring Professional Movers: Choosing the Right Partners
Most companies won’t handle their move on their own. The logistics are too much of a challenge. Picking the right office relocation services provider is a big decision. It makes all the difference in ensuring a smooth, efficient move. Experienced movers are safe and efficient, reducing stress by offering liability protection. Working with pros allows the opportunity to focus on other aspects of your move.
When hiring professionals for corporate relocation, consider the following steps:
- Research and compare multiple providers.
- Verify credentials and insurance.
- Consider hiring a moving broker.
Gather quotes from several reputable office relocation services. Look beyond price. Consider factors like experience, network availability, and specialized equipment for moving office furniture and technology. Ensure the movers you’re looking at have the proper licensure, bonding, and insurance. Request proof of this information and understand the extent of coverage for your assets during the move.
If that feels complex, there’s good news: hiring a moving broker can simplify this process because they are a single point of contact for multiple services. Moving brokers can coordinate various aspects of your move, from packing and transportation to storage and unpacking. This saves you time and reduces the complexity of managing multiple vendors. Plus, brokers only work with trusted moving service providers, so you don’t have to worry about researching movers yourself.
Effective Communication: Keeping Everyone in the Loop
Clear and consistent communication during your office relocation isn’t just important for your employees. It’s also vital to ensure your clients, customers, and vendors have the information they need to reach you.
Three essential strategies to focus on during your move include:
- Develop a comprehensive communication plan.
- Use multiple communication channels.
- Designate a point of contact.
As part of your office moving checklist, create a timeline for sharing information about your relocation with employees, clients, and vendors. Include critical milestones, important dates, and what to expect at each stage of the move. If customer support is unavailable during the move, clearly communicate those dates with the required parties.
The best way to ensure this information gets where it needs to go is to use a variety of methods to share it. Company-wide emails, team meetings, intranet updates, and physical signage can help within the organization but also ensure relevant details are shared outside of the business.
Designate a point of contact for the move that will handle questions or concerns related to the move. Appointing team members for internal and external communication ensures that someone is available to answer all stakeholder questions.
Packing and Preparation: Safeguarding Your Office Assets
Properly packing your office’s equipment is critical to keep it safe during the move, especially if you’re using long-distance moving services that travel across state lines. It can also ensure a smoother unpacking process when moving offices.
As you pack, focus on the following:
- Invest in quality packing materials.
- Label and organize everything.
- Take extra care with sensitive items.
Purchasing packing materials should be a key item on your office moving checklist. Investing in quality supplies like sturdy boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, and tape can help ensure your business assets arrive at their destination in one piece. For electronics, consider anti-static packing materials that reduce exposure to and damage from static electricity.
Each box should be labeled with its contents and intended destination in the new office. Use color coding to differentiate between departments or priority levels. This streamlines the moving and unpacking processes.
Finally, care for delicate equipment like computers, printers, and servers. If possible, use the items’ original packaging. If you don’t have the original boxes, use plenty of cushioning and consider custom crating for highly sensitive or valuable equipment.
IT and Telecommunications: Ensuring Business Continuity
Maintaining your IT infrastructure and telecommunications is critical during office relocations. As a business, minimizing downtime and ensuring seamless transitions makes sense. But proper planning is necessary to ensure it goes well.
Key steps to maintain your business functions during the transition:
- Conduct an IT systems audit.
- Plan your new office’s IT layout.
- Schedule phased migrations.
An IT audit ensures all hardware, software, and network equipment is accounted for. At the same time, identify outdated systems and use this as an opportunity to upgrade or replace obsolete equipment.
Work with your IT team to design the layout of your new space. Include server rooms, network cabling and routing, and workstation setups. A proactive approach can streamline the installation process and ensure everyone has what they need to succeed.
Finally, coordinate with your IT team to plan a phased migration of critical systems when moving offices. You may need to set up core infrastructure in the new location before the main move to ensure essential services are operational from day one.
No matter what happens, communicate clearly with your teams during the office relocation. Careful planning and execution ensure you maintain productivity throughout the move and hit the ground running in your new space.
Employee Support and Transition: Prioritizing Your Team’s Needs
Prioritizing your employees’ morale is one of the most important non-technical aspects of your business’s move. A thoughtful approach to your team’s needs can turn a potentially stressful situation into an exciting new chapter.
Consider key strategies to help, including:
- Provide clear, timely information.
- Organize familiarization visits.
- Offer practical support.
Keep your team informed about the move timeline, new office layout, and any changes to their work environment. Offer regular updates and create an open channel for questions and concerns. You can even help acclimate your employees to their new workspace by arranging for them to visit the office before the move. This can help reduce anxiety and allow your team to start envisioning their new workspace.
Finally, don’t forget about offering practical support to help them with the nuts and bolts of transitioning to the new space. Assist with updating address details, ordering new business cards, and understanding changes to commute options or parking arrangements.
Getting your team’s buy-in helps foster excitement and ownership of the new space. Well-supported teams adapt faster to their new environment, which can help your company stay productive and positive during the move.
Streamlining Your Office Relocation with Professional Assistance
Corporate relocation is exciting but stressful for many companies. That said, it doesn’t have to create chaos. Instead of approaching it haphazardly, thoughtfully plan your move with proactive decisions. Organizing the movement of people, equipment, and furniture for hundreds of employees takes time.
Luckily, one of the best ways to help simplify the process is within reach. When you hire a moving broker to handle the heavy lifting of sourcing movers, you can focus on the internal specifics of your move. Contact Safe Ship today to learn how corporate relocation services can streamline the process of moving offices.
Our commitment to service helps you find licensed cross-country movers within our carrier network at fair, competitive prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I consider when moving to a new office building?
Before you move into a new office building, consider its accessibility for employees and clients, amenities, space, layout, and growth potential. The building’s infrastructure, like IT and security features, is also important. Finally, factor in costs like rent, utilities, and potential upgrades.
How do I prepare my team for an office move?
Prepare your team by communicating early and often about the move. Involve them in the planning process and address their concerns. With clear timelines and expectations, you can head off concerns. Above all, maintain an open dialogue throughout the transition.
What are the essential steps in creating an office moving checklist?
Create your moving timeline and form a moving committee to keep it on track. Conduct an inventory of your assets and hire professional movers to help pack and transport them. Pack and label all items clearly to ensure items arrive at the correct destination, and include tasks before, during, and after the move as part of your comprehensive plan.
