Why Do You Need An
Office Relocation Strategy?
Office relocation is on the rise, driven by a changing workforce and its need for flexibility. Yet too few businesses have an office relocation strategy in place. That makes moving riskier than it needs to be. Many new clients tell us about previous relocations marred by confusion. The result? Inflated expenses, misdirected inventory, lost items, missed deadlines and undue stress. So how can your office avoid these types of moving problems? Put a relocation strategy in place. Because, like every move you make in business, relocation requires strategic direction.
How to Plan an Office Relocation
If you’re contemplating an office relocation, read our top 10 reasons to move. Making the decision to relocate an office affects every part of your business.
If you discover it isn’t the right time to move, find ways to improve your current office. Choosing an office location is an important decision. You don’t want to rush it.
Once you’ve decided to move, this is where you should begin. This post will help you clarify an approach to relocating so that you can take the best steps for your next move.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
What Is an Office Relocation Strategy?
Office relocation strategies are a well-thought-out and documented approaches to moving. They answer questions about your move from the beginning stages to the end goals. In short, relocation strategies record how you’ll move your office. For example:
- How will you move several departments, each with potentially hundreds of employees?
- How will you handle service interruptions?
- How much of your inventory will move to the new location, and how much will go into storage?
- How will you determine dates and meet deadlines?
- How will you communicate with employees and customers during the transition?
- How will you allocate the budget?
What Should an Office Relocation Strategy Include?
A Dedicated Team
An office relocation team includes members from operations, human resources, finance, and communications. You may also consider adding members-at-large from other departments. The number of people you can dedicate to office relocation activities will depend on the size of your team and the scope of your move.
Assign a project lead to be responsible for your office relocation. An office manager is usually a good candidate for this role. This point person will report to the management team, assign tasks, and keep your project on track. Be sure to put your team in place before you head too far down a path. External partners may include realtors, property managers, designers, builders, and office movers. All of whom will provide valuable input that will shape your office relocation.
A Timeline
Timelines help you manage workloads and resources by bringing visibility to each step in the moving process. Your team will see where they’re going—both short and long term. Timelines also provide a realistic view of the total time it will take to complete your move. Viewing complex projects in small, manageable parts makes it easy to stay on track.
When planning a timeline, consider your operational needs. One effective office relocation strategy is to move during your least busy time of year. But if that’s not possible, you can reduce disruption to your workflow in other ways. For example, schedule your IT setup according to departmental priorities. Plot action steps in order to see the impact each will have on your daily operations. For instance, you can see when service interruptions will happen. That means you can notify your customers in advance. Think of a timeline as a plan to keep your organization running at each phase of your office relocation.
Because a realistic timeline is easier to stick to, make it as accurate as possible from the start. The first step is to book your movers. You should book office movers at least several months in advance of your moving date. Next, plot events like delivery dates, packing dates, and project milestones.
Milestones
Punctuate your timeline with milestones. Office relocation milestones are steps in the moving process that mark your accomplishments. And they signal when the next phase is underway. Milestones are especially useful for multi-phase moves. But smaller moves can also benefit by using milestones to mark their progress.
The following are sample milestones for an office relocation:
- Booking movers
- Finalizing your office design
- Completing construction
- Moving departments
- Setting up IT systems
Contingency plans
After you create a timeline, you need to think about the unexpected. If you’re unprepared, anything from cost increases to acts of nature can throw you off track. A contingency plan prepares you for problems that could affect the course of your move. Identifying issues in advance gives you a better chance of hitting your target. Office relocation specialists can help you understand your potential risks. So you can pivot as needed to serve your customers and employees with minimal disruption. Consider the factors most likely to impact your project and prepare a basic plan to manage them.
Here are a few solutions to include in your relocation contingency plan:
- Approve several suppliers to cover aspects of your project that may experience delays
- Assess equipment for maintenance to keep it in commission while waiting for upgrades
- Know the parameters for expedited transportation services
- Determine areas for budget cuts in case of unexpected cost increases
- Select alternate building materials to save time and money if necessary
- Qualify candidates who can step in in the absence of a critical team member
- Arrange off-site resources to avoid the fallout of unplanned IT disruptions
An office relocation budget
The goal is to set a realistic budget that matches the full scope of your move. To do that, consider all the office relocation services you’ll need. Start planning your budget by getting quotes from office movers. The best movers can help you budget because they know the critical issues to consider. Include storage, furniture installation, repairs, design, and insurance costs as they apply. Make sure your office movers have enough insurance to cover your inventory. And consider extra insurance for high-value items and specialty equipment.
There are several costs associated with renting or buying a new office. Such include down payments, legal, realty and property management fees. Other facility-related budget items to consider are cleaning and repair fees. Watch your budget, especially as you get closer to moving in. Unexpected events could mean cost increases — or savings — that alter your project.
Support for employees
Of course, you should consult your staff on accessibility, technology, and work-style preference. Assess how well you’re currently meeting those needs. Then determine what to improve with an office relocation. But you can also reduce the stress of moving by factoring in more support for your employees. Naturally, people’s concerns will differ based on geography, lifestyle, age, and career stage. Yet everyone’s issues deserve equal time and attention. Be as proactive as possible in addressing them. For example, have move managers answer practical questions about moving day. And keep the lines of communication open throughout your move. Be clear about the relocation expenses your company will and won’t cover. You may also choose to provide orientation packages depending on the size of the move.
A communications plan
Get people invested in your relocation. Include staff, partners, clients, and the general public in your moving communications. Focus on the benefits as much as possible. And acknowledge difficulties where you must. We recommend you communicate using a variety of tools to keep people engaged. Your methods can be as simple as regular status meetings and email updates. Or you can use more robust tools like spreadsheets or project management software. You can even choose software that integrates with other systems you use for finance and HR. Define the role of your company website and social media channels in your move. How will you use it to engage people outside your organization? And don’t forget to update letterhead, marketing, and online profiles once you’ve moved.
Outlining a communications plan lets you deliver timely messages about your office relocation. When you want to keep people from feeling overwhelmed, timing is everything. Communicate roles, responsibilities and contact information. And keep decision-makers accessible on move days. Make sure everyone knows when they’re moving and how they’ll gain access to the new building. Communicate special arrangements to suppliers and employees during transition periods.
A design plan
First, review your current assets – from technology to furniture. An audit will reveal what you need to replace, repair, and refurbish. Your design team will help you choose what to move and where it will go in the new office. Then you can decide what to buy. Be sure to budget your costs. Finally, give your movers the blueprints. Then they’ll ensure everything gets delivered and installed to specification.
Here are some office designing factors to consider when relocating:
- Accessibility
- Workstations
- Desk styles
- Private spaces
- Open spaces
- Reception
- Storage
- Branding
- Decor
A decommissioning plan
Office decommissioning is the process of removing an office from service. That means clearing everything out. Once you’ve done that, you must leave your office in the condition stated in the lease agreement. Typically you’re expected to return the rented space to its original condition. Start by listing your office furniture, equipment and furnishings like artwork and decor. Next, you can work with your movers to donate, sell, store, move or recycle your items. Finally, make repairs and clean the office. Read our post on how to decommission your office to save time and money.
Hiring professionals to package and handle your high-value equipment is a must. But employees can pack their workstations. You may allow personal belongings to move with company property. Or tell people to take personal items home and bring them to the new office afterward. Professional office movers will provide labelling and packing guidelines to keep things organized. Watch this video for tips on packing your office.
Don’t forget to collect, and return, key and access cards. And remove company signage from the building.
Goals and measurement criteria
Be specific about what you want to achieve during your move. Then tie this into big-picture business goals wherever possible. Say your goal is to improve customer service. Your relocation strategy should reflect this. For example, the customer service department will take priority in the move. You may even consider customer updates an essential part of your communications plan. If you want to improve your business image, a related goal might be to move to a specific neighbourhood.
Determine how you’ll measure the success of your move. Include evaluation methods for business performance, communication, costs and employee satisfaction post-move. Plan to assess external partners as well — we love getting feedback. Remember, documented processes and results are the keys to improving future moves. So the next time you move, you’ll already be one step ahead.
An Office Relocation Strategy is Not a Checklist
But a relocation checklist is a valuable tool—once you’ve outlined your approach to moving. An office relocation strategy is a point of reference for decision-making. A checklist notes the tasks you need to complete to achieve your goal. You can (and should) use both when relocating offices.
More Office Relocation Tips
Prepare Orientation packages
An orientation package can be as simple as a welcome letter and an employee directory. Or it can include building access information, parking instructions, policy updates and more. Even local services like transit, restaurants and gyms can be helpful for people new to the area.
Take Safety precautions
Plan to limit safety hazards during a business relocation. For example, you can assign areas for storing packed boxes to keep them out of the way. When boxes block walkways or limit space in common areas, stack them safely to avoid trips and falls. And never block doorways or emergency exits. Using the proper moving supplies will help keep your workplace safe. For more answers on how to keep your employees safe during an office relocation, consult the CCOHS.
Heed Privacy concerns
Create a protocol for moving and storing confidential data. Outline how you’ll back up electronic data and protect hardcopy files during the move. Also, decide how you’ll dispose of outdated paperwork before you move. Policies should cover company documents and client databases.
If you need help planning your next move, call in the pros. We are strategic planners and office relocation experts. Our move managers will help you turn strategic ideas into relocation reality.