Relocating your office is a significant job that could take months to finalize. There’s a lot of planning that goes into this move, and you’ll want to take a careful, step-by-step approach to ensure you don’t forget anything.
Creating an office relocation checklist is a vital part of the process because it can help keep you organized through each step. This list contains all the jobs you’ll need to complete before moving to a new building. It can also detail things that need to happen after the move.
These documents create a framework that ensures the entire move goes smoothly and that you don’t forget anything. This guide will walk you through some elements that every list should include as you prepare to move to a new space.
Why an Office Relocation Checklist Is Important
An office relocation checklist is crucial because you won’t handle every job yourself during the move, so building a document that informs everyone involved of what is happening, and what needs to happen, will make your life easier. It assists with mapping the move and helps you to:
Plan Logistics
The list features reminders on the logistics of the move. Logistics can include getting the necessary quotes you’ll need from movers, updating your insurance, and locking in dates. There will be many moving parts in your logistics plan but having a readily available document in front of you makes it all easier to track.
Communicate With Your Team
Your staff will want to know what’s going on throughout the move, and a checklist makes keeping them up to date an easy process. Using a virtual list allows your employees to check online to see the move’s progress and saves you from answering endless questions. It can also ensure that your workers handle their responsibilities, such as returning parking passes and other items that will stay with the old office.
Communicate With External Teams
You can also make the checklist available to contractors and service providers who are being used during the move. This step keeps them updated on your progress and gives them a clear timeline on when you need their services. You can use this document to let external IT and social media teams know about the progress of the move, too, so they can update your virtual presence updated, as well.
Logistical planning and communication are critical pieces for any move that having a relocation checklist can support. There are also specific items that every list should include that you’ll want to know about before you begin.
6 Things Every Office Relocation Checklist Should Include
You know that your office relocation checklist is a helpful planning and organization tool, but what is included depends on the business and the scope of the move. There are a few things you’ll want to incorporate no matter what.
1. Confirmation on Your Leases
Your list should remind you to check and double-check leases and dates. You’ll want to make sure your existing lease is expiring, or you have an out clause, and that you can take possession of your new office before that date. Ending up with dates that don’t match up would be a disaster because you could end up without anywhere to take your office equipment.
2. A Moving Plan
Every checklist should include information on your actual moving plan. Setting dates with a moving company and moving your services like internet and telephone over to the new property is essential to a seamless transition. A moving plan might also include a strategy for handing out parking passes and organizing employees once you’re in the new building.
3. A Strategy for Informing Customers
How will your customers and clients know that you’ve moved? Using your mailing list is an ideal solution to this issue because it allows you to quickly send out a letter or email informing them of your new address. You’ll want to include this information on your checklist to ensure you have a plan and have carried it out.
4. Organizing Files
Your office probably has a significant number of files and documents that you’ll need to move. Your IT team can likely handle much of this move, particularly if you store your data remotely on a cloud storage system, but you’ll need to implement a strategy either way. You’ll then need to get your network back up and running at the new office as quickly as possible to prevent a productivity slowdown.
5. Office Furniture and Equipment Inventory
Your new office will likely have different dimensions, so completing a thorough furniture and equipment inventory and filling in the gaps is essential. Businesses that are downsizing might look to unload some furniture, while those scaling up might need to buy additional items. You could also choose to go with an entirely different look inside your office as part of the move.
6. Interior Design Assistance
The new office could require a re-design, too, and your checklist should add a reminder to have an interior designer come up with a plan for the space. Getting a designer on the job early ensures you can buy the furniture and decor you require well in advance and that your office is ready to go by your move-in date.
Including these features on your checklist helps keep you organized while preparing to move from one office to another. Thoroughly planning and documenting your moving strategy makes it less likely you’ll forget a vital aspect and keeps you on track through this major job.
Contact an Office Relocation Expert
Countless duties go into an office relocation because it involves packing up an entire business and its employees and moving them to another location in town. The good news is that assistance is available during the whole process through a move coordination service.
The Genau Group assists companies as they identify new spaces, test them, and re-design the offices to meet their needs in the Washington, D.C., area. We can also coordinate the necessary renovations, construction, and furniture procurement to streamline the moving process. Contact us today for more information on our relocation coordination services.