Must Know Things Before Moving Your Office

Things you need to know about office removals or relocations!

Having moved offices ourselves and having managed several office moves with teams, we have learned a few key things to keep in mind. From our first-hand experience and our experience managing other office moves, here are the best ways to prepare for and execute an office move.  To avoid the disaster of a disorganised office move, you need a solid plan, the right supplies, and a little extra time. We’re here to help you get started.

We’ve gathered the best advice on office moves we could find and compiled it into an easy-to-follow guide. We’ll cover everything from equipment and packing supplies to planning your timeline and reorienting your employees. By the end, you’ll have everything you need to make your office move smooth, efficient, and (dare we say?) fun.

 

Make a Preparation Checklist

Every Office Manager should make a list of office move preparation tasks that are tailored to the specific needs of their office.

Do a Shipment Audit

If you have a logistical staff member, ask them to do a shipment audit to get an accurate list of what is coming with you to the new office and what will be left behind. This can help you determine if you need a storage unit or to make any necessary purchases to ease the transition.

Make a Moving Timeline

The first step to organising your office move is to make a timeline of everything that needs to happen from the first moment you know your move is a “go”. Make a list of everything that needs to happen to get your company’s new office set up and ready. Include tasks such as getting the keys and the lease, moving day, new hire orientations and office tours, employee moves, and any additional moving parties or perks, like team lunches. Be sure to include time for settling and adjusting to your new office. We recommend scheduling an extra week or two at the end of your move.

Communicate with Your Team

Employees are your most important asset. They must be kept informed about any office changes. You don’t want to spring a move on your employees—it’s better to let them know in advance.  If you’re moving to a new office, prepare an email or memo telling employees that the move is coming up, why the move is being made, and when the move will happen. You’ll also want to let them know what to expect during the move—things like how and when to give input, when to expect the move to happen, and how much notice they’ll have once the move begins.

Communicating with your team before, during, and after your office move will help make the transition as smooth as possible. Consider printing this office move flowchart and having a meeting with your team.

Get payroll ready to go.

It’s really important to plan everything out before the move so there are no last-minute mistakes. That is why you need to start preparing payroll as soon as you know your move date. This is especially true if you are moving out of state. If you are moving to a new state, you will want to check out the new payroll laws before you leave. You can also save money by setting your payroll up to be paid out through direct deposit. This means your employees will get their paychecks automatically deposited into their bank accounts on the same date every month. It also means you won’t have to worry about writing a lot of checks. If you are working with an accountant or payroll service, they can set this all up for you.