Relocating an office is a major undertaking for any company and the larger the firm, the more complex the process. Hundreds of hours are spent in planning meetings with architects, contractors, designers, moving company representatives, equipment suppliers, security advisors and numerous other involved parties.

The end goal of successful office relocation is to have as little disruption to the day-to-day running of the company’s business. The sooner everything is back to normal, the better things are for the company’s employees, customers and of course the bottom line.

It is important to keep employees in the loop in the lead up to the “big move”. They can do their part to make the move go more smoothly. Just like a personal household move an office relocation can be stressful for your employees. It is only human nature for your employees to be concerned about how the move will affect them. They may be worried about increased commuting times, what kind of space they will have in the new office, how it compares to their present circumstances or any of a number of other things.

Include Your Staff  

Even though the company’s major focus will be on the practical aspects of getting the new space ready for occupancy, don’t forget the human element. It is a good idea to appoint a “staff moving committee” who can assist or supervise internal move related tasks and serve as a central communication source for employees who may have questions about the upcoming move.

Your staff moving committee can take responsibility for a number of items on your employee office relocation checklist including:

  1. Preparation of a list of all stationary and letterhead which will need reprinting and new building signage that will be required.
  2. Notification of office relocation to clients, suppliers, post office, insurance companies, banks, professional organizations, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, telecommunications company, internet providers etc.
  3. Updating of address and other contact information on the company website.
  4. Schedule and prepare an agenda for an employee move orientation meeting.
  5. Review new seating arrangements with employees by department so employees have an idea of their new space.
  6. If practical, arrange for departmental managers to visit new premises in advance of move for familiarization purposes.
  7. Schedule and oversee a department by department purging of files and general cleanup of out-of-date material.
  8. Coordinate schedule with moving company and departmental managers for packing the contents of file cabinets, supply cupboards etc.
  9. Advise employees that they are responsible for packing their own desks and personal items – coordinate schedule with moving company for the delivery of packing cartons/bins and labels.
  10. Instruct employees as to how to properly label packed materials so they are delivered to the correct area at the new location.
  11. Encourage employees to discard unnecessary items before the move.
  12. Have employees check to make sure all packing they are responsible for has been completed on schedule.
  13. Schedule staff members to assist with unpacking of files, stocking supply cupboards etc.
  14. Distribute access cards and/or keys to designated managers and employees.
  15. Schedule a post move meeting with employees for security and fire evacuation procedures.

Get the best advice on how to have plan and execute a successful office relocation, contact the professionals at Premiere Van Lines today.