Whether your company’s headquarters is moving or some departments are expanding into another building, moving offices involves a lot of planning to make the transition as smooth as possible. Along with what to keep and what to get rid of, you will need to consider how much downtime moving will involve. To make moving offices easier, here are five tips to use.
Plan Everything
To make moving as easy on the business and staff as possible, plan everything down to most minute detail. From designing a floor layout of the new offices to packing, you will need everything to take place in a timely matter.
Depending on the size of your offices, you will want to begin planning for moving day at least three months ahead of time. Engage everyone in the move by making an announcement well ahead of time so they can prepare their own departments or workstations by taking their personal items home until the move has been completed.
Take an Inventory
If your company has been in its current location for decades, there is probably furniture, file cabinets, files, and old equipment stored in a room somewhere. Have all the department managers take inventory of what they have and catalogue what’s in the storage rooms, then when it comes to making decisions about what to take to the new offices and what to get rid of, you will have a complete list from which to consider.
Shred Paperwork
Any paperwork, including old paper files, which are not needed should be shredded to protect any sensitive company and customer data they contain. Follow all regulations for file retention if your company is in an industry which requires that certain files be kept for several years, if not permanently. Along with clearing out paper files, also backup data on the computer systems to avoid losing any of it when the equipment is moved.
Hire Professional Removal Company
Unless you have an extremely small office, you should hire a professional removal company to handle the office move. Until the telephone system is shut down, your staff will still have clients they need to speak with and help – they won’t be able to help move. Also, try to schedule moving day with a removal company in Hampshire on a Friday and/or Saturday to shorten downtime so the company doesn’t lose money.
Notify Customers
A couple of weeks before moving day, inform your clients about possible disruptions in business. Explain that your offices are moving and the phone system may be turned off for a day or so until everything is in place again. If moving is the result of downsizing, don’t tell that to your clients as they may then get worried about your company going out of business.
With proper planning and cooperation from the entire staff, moving the company’s offices should go smoothly. Some professional removal companies can even help you plan the move and come up with IT solutions for moving and installing the system if the company doesn’t have its own IT department.
