Thinking about relocating your office? Shifting to a new workspace might feel like a daunting task, but enlisting the help of commercial movers can really ease the process.
This ultimate guide is packed with proven strategies and practical tips. This guide will help you navigate the office relocation process successfully. It includes tips on choosing the best commercial movers and optimizing the moving procedure.
Table of Contents
Commercial Movers’ Checklist for a Seamless Office Transition
It's time to move offices. Imagine your entire office flourishing and working in a well-organized, new office.
You panic when you realize that you must organize your office to prepare for a relocation.
Office moves are a complex process, both literally and metaphorically. It is not only necessary to move the office, but you also need to consider employee happiness, transitional workflows, and reorganization.
Check out our checklist to prepare for your move.
Phase 1: Plan (12 to 6 Months Before the Move)
1. Select one place to store your moving office notes and tasks.
If you move, decide where to store your documents, notes, and to-do lists. Centralizing information can save you time, frustration, and money. For example, your office move timeline is on Google Drive or your to-do list inbox. Or you might have a list of employee feedback handwritten into… one notebook.
2. Organize important documents.
Use the same method to organize important documents, such as insurance records and contracts.
If needed, you can create a space for agreements and contracts. You will be able to keep track of everything in the future.
3. Announce your move
Consider sending an email or newsletter segment to inform your employees about the move. You can also create a short video.
The announcement must be complete, no matter the format. The employees must be kept informed about everything. Communication is key. The more information you provide, the better it will be for your employees to understand the process of moving offices.
Ensure all applicable items are added to the master list when creating your announcement. You should add a “making-and-distributing checklist” to your timeline if, for example, your announcement promises employees a complete office move checklist of what they need to do before moving day.
Include these items in the announcement.
- New office name and address
- Moving dates
- The New Office: Features and Benefits
- Quotes from the CEO or other key decision-makers can be used to convince people to relocate and even get them excited about it.
- What should employees be doing now?
- The employees should expect future moving information.
After the initial announcement, plan to keep in touch with your employees throughout the move. Continue with step 4.
After the announcement, talk to your employees to get their opinions. You can ask your employees to give feedback about the new office or aspects of the relocation that you can influence. Incorporate this information into your planning.
- Changes to workspace requirements. (Some employees may request standing desks, privacy screens, or lamps.
- Equipment needs (Replace broken keyboards, cracked screens, etc.)
- Seating Changes: Some employees may need or want to switch teams and individuals they sit with.
- Preferences regarding workstyle are important, especially if you intend to have an open space and a private area in your new workplace.
- Want items or suggestions?
- There are many reasons why people need help moving heavy boxes or work.
The communication can be delivered by any means:
- Communicate via department/division managers.
- Sending a survey
- You can also host individual sessions if your company is smaller.
- Use your company's email delivery tool.
- Use the Facebook group for your company.
Plan your next communications after sending the first. You should send out a monthly communication if your move is complicated. You can ask your internal communication team for help with your message.
5. Budgeting and the purchase process.
Set guidelines for all purchases associated with your move. Ask your leaders to create a budget (preferably in written form) and involve them in the process. You can use a business card. You will be required to provide an invoice. Who will approve your vendor or purchasing contract?
You can visualize the entire moving process. You can add extra time if you need a team of 3 people to approve contracts and purchases.
6. Note down important information.
Confirming and recording any details that could affect your move is important. This list includes:
- Employee Headcount
- Current Office Size
- New Office Size
7. List your existing items and the things you need.
List two things: the first for the large and the second for the small. List two things.
- What you are taking
- What you leave behind
These lists help you identify the needs that you may have missed, especially when you compare them with your new office layout.
For example…
- These essentials may need to be replaced to fit your new office decor.
- An inventory list will help you remember all the items in your old cabinet.
- If your new kitchen is twice as large as the old one, you may need to purchase many new items.
8. Talk to your manager about the best move.
It is challenging to juggle work and moving. Encourage managers to develop comprehensive plans for managing workflows during moving. It is important to do this if any deadlines fall during the move. Remind them about the move when planning and taking on new projects.
9. The moving committee is looking for volunteers.
Try to do everything with help. Would any people be interested in joining an organizing committee?
List your responsibilities before you file an appeal. The following are typical responsibilities:
- Planning
- Packing
- Unpacking
- Organizing
- Office Design and Decoration
Ask your supervisors whether they approve of the team completing work related to moving within office hours. This will encourage volunteers.
10. Create a different address for questions regarding moving.
Many questions will arise about the move. Set up a separate email account for questions and correspondence related to moving.
Phase 2: Packing and Preparation (6 to 3 Months Before the Move)
1. Request vendor recommendations
Before you waste your time researching, ask experts for their advice. Most likely, they've organized many office relocations. Ask for advice and vendor suggestions in our Facebook groups State Of The Office Manager or State Of The Executive Assistant.
What services and vendors are you looking for? Most office moves will require:
- Moving crew
- Trucks
- Boxes
- Cleaning crews, cleaning services, and more
2. Reputable moving crews/moving firms.
Your office relocation will be determined by the moving company that you select.
You can ask the moving companies on your list questions.
- Flexibility (Will the person come earlier or stay later when you ask?
- What is the cost structure?
- What do customers think about reviews and reliability?
- Included Services (Does this service include packing or cleaning?
Look for movers that include everything, such as the boxes, trucks, and cleaning. If you are still looking for a company covering all bases, move on to the next stage.
3. Choose moving boxes.
The task seems simple at first. Why should you plan for months? You'll understand why when you see the different moving boxes and coatings available. There are many different moving boxes and crates, including giant stackable ones.
When choosing the right box, consider your budget, timeline, inventory, and moving workforce. Consider your budget, timeline, and inventory when choosing the right box.
4. Lockdown moving trucks and loading/unloading zones.
If you need to continue working with a firm that will manage your pricing and provide trucks for you, this task should be undertaken as soon as possible.
- You can also use the same features you used on your trucks.
- Flexibility (Will the person come earlier or stay later when you ask?
- Fee Structure (Does this company charge more if you're stuck in traffic or a long distance away?
- What do customers think about reviews and reliability?
- Included Services (Does this service include packing or cleaning?
Once you have lined up your trucks, coordinate arrivals and departing once they are in place. With the building manager, you can determine the best times and locations for loading and unloading. The trucks should be able to fit into the space without disrupting traffic. If the building has an underground dock, ensure your trucks can access all entrances and exits.
5. Select a cleaning service and crew.
If your movers don't, you must hire someone else to clean the old area. You may not have to do this if you live in an apartment building. Ask your building manager for clarification if you have any questions. If you have any questions, ask your building manager.
Does your new building have a regular cleaning service? If your new building needs a cleaning company, you must arrange one. Ask the cleaning company who cleans your current building if it will clean your new house. Update your service agreement with your new address.
6. Take some recon walks.
Even the most detail-oriented people can overlook some very important details. Take notes as you walk around your workplace. It would help if you took note of anything that you find:
- Moving Obstacles
- Require major preparation
- You'll forget it quickly.
You may have a large sign permanently attached to your company. It will require a large workforce to remove and install it. The green trashcan on the wall covered Taylor's hole while he brought the Yeti sculpture in for the holiday party.
7. Downsize.
Use your time wisely before moving to reduce the number of items you need to move. Spend time going through your inventory and labeling items with throwaway stickers. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, purge one item per week. If you're packing, you won't throw anything out at random. This will also stop you from moving and packing junk you don't want.
8. Plan a warehouse sale, if necessary, for your office.
Plan a warehouse sale to eliminate expensive items like desks and chairs. The money you save can be used to purchase new items.
9. Start packing.
Avoid a stressful move by packing early. It is best to complete the packing process with small, manageable tasks. Sort your items in three categories. List “early bird” items and create a packing schedule for the remainder.
- Early birds. These items are things you will always remember but rarely use.
- Make-do items. These are items you want to purchase, but they are optional.
- Absolute necessities. These items should be packed the day or the night before your move.
10. Organize a meeting of the moving committee.
How often the group should meet depends on how big it is. Weekly meetings should be sufficient to cover the bases.
Decide what you will discuss at the meeting or ask for assistance before the meeting. Send an agenda so that attendees can bring their ideas to the meeting.
Your first meetings will probably be spent talking and planning. Try to include some packing and organizing in your meetings as you get closer to moving in.
11. Speak with your employees.
Continue to speak with your employees. Questions will arise.
How to communicate effectively during this phase
- Post your questions as a Q&A in your communication. This will help reduce the number of questions sent to your inbox.
- Status updates Status updates. Inform your staff of your progress and what's left to do so they feel informed.
- Changes in day-to-day life. Determine how the move will affect employees' daily lives. Consider the parking situation, particularly if it differs from the previous structure. The employees will want to know when to expect the space assignment, passes, or fobs.
- Inform your employees of any changes in the neighborhood, especially if you plan to relocate long distances. Inform your employees about local emergency numbers, restaurants and attractions, transportation hubs, and other amenities. This information can be turned into a web page or a packet.
- Reiterate important information in the email. This is not redundant, but it's helpful. Post this information around the office so that everyone will remember it.
- New office name and address
- Moving dates
- There are many new features in the new space.
An office furniture expert, Caliber says sharing key moving information with your employees is important. The experts also offer some tips on how to maximize productivity in your office after you've moved.
12. You can create new seating arrangements.
You must create a floor plan if you still need one. Online tools can manage office seating in your new floor plan.
Create a plan based on feedback received from your employees. Send it to all employees for review so you have ample time to make any changes.
Any changes should be made by a certain date. To complete your packing, you will need to have a seating chart.
Phase 3: Moving and Organizing (3 to 0 Months Before Moving)
1. Label new office spaces and boxes to ensure everything is where it belongs.
Office experts in our State of the Office Manager Facebook Group suggest creating a labeling system that clarifies the location of each box.
You can use any system, including letters and numbers, shapes and colors, or other combinations. Label your boxes to match the labels in the new office. The movers will have no problem matching.
For example, you can assign a color to your team and a number for each employee. Mark each section of your office according to the color and number of the team. Label the employee boxes with their team color and number.
2. Speak with your employees.
Answering questions and concerns of employees at the last moment is important. Let everyone know:
- You can provide any necessary information about the building. Before sharing any information, ensure you have all the codes and key fobs.
- How to label and pack their products.
Repeat the key moving details one more time.
- New office name and address
- Moving dates
- There are many new features in the new space.
3. Connect all utilities in the old building.
Connect your telephone system, internet service, electricity, and water to your new office. All services in the old building must be disconnected unless you are responsible for them.
4. Only pack the essentials.
It's time. It's almost time.
5. Plan your decorating and organizing.
As you did with packing, you can plan your unpacking and organizing in phases. Decorate in stages. Convert your moving committee into an office design committee.
The packing plan will be mirrored in the unpacking and organization of your belongings.
- Unpack absolute necessities. Pack the absolute essentials.
- Unpack make-do items. What can be put off for a few days?
- You can store away items you don't often use. How can you organize things that people rarely use but still need?
- Polish and tidy. Now that everything is in place, how can you better organize your office? What is the design and decorating work needed for your new office?
6. Regularly inspect the building.
Check-in regularly with the manager of your new building to ensure that everything is running smoothly. Make sure all utilities are hooked up.
Plan your walkthrough at least two weeks ahead to make sure everything is for the team.
7. Only the absolute essentials should be unpacked.
It would help if you appealed to any IT specialist in your company. Your most common needs involve connecting and wiring phones and computers.
8. Move!
9. What should you pack?
10. Throw a party to celebrate your success.
Conclusion
It is not easy to move your office, especially if you want the least disruption possible for your business. Planning, communication, and helpers can make office moving less disruptive. According to our guide, tasks like early packing, downsizing, organizing, finding reliable transportation, hiring commercial movers, and remembering local movers in Florida's meticulous work can help make the process easier.
It's time for you to celebrate your mammoth success. It's a mission made easier by the expertise of Karma Movers, the local experts in Florida, and ensure a smooth transition at each step.
Consider the impact of your move as you enter your new office. You may learn some valuable lessons and tips for future moves. If you are preparing your business for a similar transition, do not hesitate to contact the expert, trustworthy hands of Karma Movers. Get ready to embrace the new opportunities your office brings! Move with Karma Movers for your next move!