From moving one employee to moving an entire company, corporate moves require the involvement of many different people. So it’s no surprise that managing these moves is not a simple task. Facility managers have numerous details to remember, people to communicate with, and assets to track. The following are some tips to keep in mind as you prepare to move into your new office.
Move management software can be of great help when you’re planning the relocation into your new building as well as the daily moves, adds, and changes that occur. When it comes time to coordinate the move, however, you’ll have to do some legwork:
One of the first things you should do when moving offices is test the internet and phone connections. If you find out they don’t work only a day or so before you resume your business’s operation, that problem could cause a loss of time, productivity, and business. To avoid this, notify your service providers well ahead of time so that they can make the transfer. When phone service is set up, test out the phone lines from both ends by calling the new office number and calling from the office phone.
Relocating and moving can be an uncertain time for your company. You may be scheduled to move on a certain day and think you can hit the ground running the next day or two, but that may not always be the case. Contact your business associates and let them know your availability will be limited. Even better, aim to move over the weekend. This will give you plenty of time to test the internet and phone connections, as well as see to other tasks that will help you get settled. If some of the adjustment period stretches into Monday, you won’t be losing a lot of crucial business since it’s the start of the week. One of our clients successfully managed a relocation of over 1500 people scheduled over 3-4 weekends from their old location into a new space in New York City.
If you’re moving a considerable distance, make sure that you make temporary living arrangements that will support your need to work. For example, Microsoft business writer Christopher Elliot says that when his office moved, he checked into a hotel with a business center. “I’m writing this article from my room at the Hampton Inn at the Orlando Convention Center,” Elliot explains. “It features free meeting areas and high-speed and wireless Internet access. So even though I’m out of the office, I can still get work done”. There are also lots of options for temporary office space such as Regus.
Since you’re moving into a new office, why not get some new equipment too? You don’t have to scrap everything for the latest gadgets, but if you have items that are older and cumbersome, now may be a good time to trade them in for something better. Use your laptops or mobile devices to store any necessary files you may need during the move. You’ll be able to continue working, even if your office computers are in transit to the new location. In addition to having an entirely new office space, furniture and a shiny new look and feel your office relocation is a great opportunity to equip your office with new copiers, printers, phone systems and more. There are also many great non-profit organizations who could use your old equipment. One person’s junk is another person’s treasure.
Inaccurate information can lead to increased confusion during the time of move. For example, HR may not have the correct contact information for the newly moved worker. This may lead to failed attempts to reach the person, which can affect how quickly the projects they’re involved in are completed. Their new location may not be reflected into their contact information, either, which can also cause further confusion when other workers need to meet with them.
Keeping track of employee numbers is always a good practice for many reasons, but when it comes to foreseeing and preventing growing pains, it’s especially key. Not keeping an accurate headcount can lead to logistical headaches, like too many people and too few resources spread between them.
When your company moves into a new building, you may have an idea of how the furniture and office equipment should be laid out. What if the layout you have in your head doesn’t translate well into real-life? Logistical problems may puncture that ideal design you have in mind. Maybe the copiers are in a bad location. Maybe there’s too much noise around an area that needs to be completely silent. Having a tool that will let you experiment with different layouts can help you plan for these details way ahead of time.
Since you’re moving an entire office, as well as your staff, getting equipment from Point A to Point B is only one of your concerns. The other is moving your employees, so coordinating the move with your workers is crucial. Specify when they need to have their work stations cleared out, and when they’re expected to be moved into the new office. Hold regular meetings to involve your coworkers in the moving process and tell them about the new facility, technology, and policies. The more you can communicate to them up front, the smoother it will be.
Moving is rarely an experience that people enjoy, but there are things that can make it less stressful. With move management software to help you with the logistics, and careful advance planning to take care of the rest, your move into the new office can be a much easier process. OfficeSpace Software can help. The program helps FMs facilitate individual moves by automatically sending emails to the necessary parties, as well as reminder messages when the move date approaches. For those who are planning moves into new buildings, its layout-planning tool will let them experiment with different floor plan designs. And, its interactive maps for all the office’s locations can help them keep track of what’s located where as the move progresses. For complex moves, OfficeSpace can make things easy!
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