Physical Relocation
The physical relocation really is a culmination of all your hard work. If planned well in advance and managed correctly, it can actually be relatively simple. By now the main works to the office (if required) should be complete and handed over.
At this point you have two options: either you handle the move internally, or you appoint a contractor to look after it for you. This depends largely on the scale of the relocation and also the nature of your business; if, for instance, your market is very seasonal then you would naturally have the time during the off-season to relocate during work hours without impacting your business. Our recommendation would be for the latter option. Very often the fit-out contractor or furniture supplier will offer this service or know somebody that can handle it. They are professionals and can dedicate a lot more time to all the detail, something that you may struggle to do along with all of you other responsibilities. They are also all set up to do these relocations with minimum impact to your running of the business. Quite literally, there is the potential for your staff to walk out of the old office on Friday afternoon and walk into the new one on Monday morning, with everything set up and ready to go.
If you choose to organise the relocation yourself, there are a lot of things to think about. We have covered a few below:
- Depending on where you are moving to you may need to reserve lifts or loading bays.
- If you can relocate any non-essential items prior to moving day, then do!
- You will need to arrange transport and labour relative to the amount there is to move. If this will be staff, then ensure the daily running of the business will not be adversely affected.
- You will need to arrange hire of crates to move belongings and IT equipment.
- Make sure your IT team are aware of the moving schedule and have a plan in place to get all systems up and running ASAP.
Now is a good opportunity to review any ongoing contracts for any equipment or office supplies. It is likely to you will need to update your literature to your new location, so this is important to arrange beforehand.
As we have mentioned before, communicate with all the staff what the arrangements are and what they are expected to do. If you are using a contractor to move over a weekend, then you need to make sure that staff have packed all their belongings into crates prior to leaving the office.
Key Points to Remember
-
Utilities and contracts that need to be arranged can take time, have these conversations early in the process.
-
Decide how you are going to manage your move - will you be doing this using your own resources or will this be looked after by another contractor?
-
The physical move is probably the most disruptive part to your business activity and staff; planning it for either an off-peak time of year or over a weekend is usually a normal procedure.
-
Ensure all your staff are kept in the loop and know what is expected of them.