Moving offices can be a significant undertaking for any business, and often, a change of professional scenery can be a clear indicator of positive company growth. According to a Price Economics survey, almost 50% of business executives claim that growth is the primary reason behind office relocations.
Other factors that indicate business growth include an update in workspaces to accommodate a growing workforce and improve the management of wider company logistics. To help business owners and managers plan an efficient, effective and prompt change of location, this guide outlines a clear and actionable office relocation checklist, including office moving plan tips, timeline and other considerations to facilitate a seamless moving process.
Developing a new office move-in checklist can help management teams understand the task at hand, helping team members to break processes down into manageable objectives, better allocate resources and ensure that no important considerations are overlooked.
Through the development of an office moves checklist, business leaders will gain more control over the process, with further benefits including increased employee motivation, improved productivity and lower likelihood of errors.
Before detailing a moving business location checklist, a broad template should be devised to help frame the most important aspects of the process. Here are some key steps to take when planning a checklist for moving offices:
For most businesses, the planning of a corporate relocation checklist should begin at least 6 months prior to the date of the move. Larger companies may need a longer timeframe to develop a new moving office checklist. A good rule to follow is to begin drafting a business moving checklist once the relocation paperwork has been signed.
When approaching the framework of an office move checklist, business leaders are recommended to:
Next up on your relocating a business checklist: get your people organized. Depending on the size of the business, leaders and the moving coordinator may wish to select certain individuals in the office to be a part of the moving team. It is recommended to hold regular meetings with the team to review the business moving checklist regularly and keep the project on track.
Moving team members identified on the relocating the office checklist will be responsible for:
Choosing reliable team members for these responsibilities will require leaders to identify employees with experience in project management, as well as staff members with knowledge of specific systems. For example, IT professionals will be selected to safely handle computer equipment as part of the checklist for moving office systems.
Even the best-laid plans can sometimes experience disruptions. Whether a moving company is experiencing delays or an internal problem occurs and diverts resources away from the move, an effective moving business checklist will outline realistic deadlines accounting for unforeseen roadblocks.
Leaders and planning teams should ensure that the moving date chosen and the termination of the current lease are planned with ample time for staff to properly prepare.
Deadlines are best enforced through weekly or bi-weekly meetings, in which department heads can update teams on progress, with a public calendar displayed as a reminder of all office moving plans.
When working through a checklist for moving office spaces, it’s essential that project leaders keep a watchful eye over all associated costs. For smaller companies, much of the physical work can be handled in-house, saving on costs associated with hiring a company to handle the office move checklist items. Larger companies may need to budget more for moving expenses to ensure a smooth business moving checklist execution.
Expenses to consider when planning an office move checklist can include:
All expenses should be recorded as part of a moving budget template, with both projected costs and actual costs compiled to help leaders keep track of active expenses.
As part of any corporate move checklist, considerations for transferring existing technology and essential company services must be considered. All services used to conduct daily business should be operational at the new premises from the projected date of arrival, including:
Security should never be ignored when writing moving checklist office plans. Door entry, intrusion detection and commercial video security systems should ideally be installed in the new office before moving in and can be detailed as part of a new floor plan.
Some existing office equipment like door locks may not be movable without some construction or disruption to business operations. While simply transferring your existing security systems may seem like a good idea for your office move checklist, consider the benefits of instead investing in newer technology. The moving process can present an ideal opportunity for office design planning and install updated office security systems and to review existing company security policies.
When discussing new security features as part of your office relocation checklist, consider these points:
It’s important to also consider how your team will access the building as part of your new office checklist. Will new systems work with existing credentials, or will you need to issue new key fobs or cards prior to the move-in date? Your checklist for an office move or business relocation should also include plans for any access levels or permissions adjustments, door schedules and passes for vendors and maintenance teams.
When devising a checklist for a new office move and relocation, make sure to begin the planning process as soon as possible and start by determining an appropriate budget, as well as delegating responsibilities to trusted employees. Create deadlines for important tasks, allowing room for unexpected delays, and promote accountability through regularly scheduled meetings.
Work with utility and service providers to ensure that essential systems are functional on the move-in date and consider using the move as an opportunity to update existing security systems and related policies.
No matter the size of the business, packing up and moving a professional operation can be a daunting task. By organizing and planning in advance, it’s possible to enjoy a smooth office relocation while sticking to the budget and deadline.
Our video security experts can help you implement the right security system for your business.