Moving house is a stressful time, with countless things to remember and a million and one tasks to take care of before you can finally relax. Moving office is no different, but it also has the caveat of having to cater for your staff, as well as the potential downtime of the business as you move. In this article, ARC Business Interiors have created a helpful moving checklist that will ensure you don’t skip a step when relocating your office.

1. Assess your needs

Preparation is crucial to a move, and a key part of your moving preparation is the assessment of what you need from your new premises. Whether it’s a case of needing more space, a need to downsize, a better geographical location for your business, or to simply find a cheaper premises, make sure you have everything in order before you start.

2. Assemble a relocation team

Moving is a team effort, and it’s important to have assembled a relocation team with clearly defined roles ahead of the big day. These roles can be anything from organising possessions and labelling boxes to liaising with removals companies and other contractors. If you’re relocating over a weekend and need your staff to help during their free time, consider incentivising it with extra pay or an extra day in their holiday allowance.

Every aspect of the relocation team needs to be carefully planned. Choose someone with experience to be the project leader, someone who has the trust of staff who rank higher and lower than themselves, strong communication and organisation skills and they’ll take a weight off your shoulders.

3. Plan your new office

To make it as easy as possible for you to settle in to your new office, ensure you’ve got your new place figured out well ahead of time. This means floor plans, furniture and equipment requirements, as well as improvements that can be made and lessons that can be learnt from the layout of your previous office.

4. Keep your customers informed

If your office move is going to result in downtime for your business or some delays in your work, make sure to let your customers know ahead of time so they can plan around it, or at the very least they aren’t caught unawares and led to believe you’re just ignoring them! The same goes for your staff; keep them in the loop with each stage of the process, from the decision to move, to the moving date, as well as updates on the status of your new location, should there be building works going on. Strong communication can underpin an efficient, seamless move.

ARC Business Interiors are specialists in commercial interior design, fit-outs and office furniture. If you’re planning an office move and you want your new premises to stand out from the crowd, or if your current space needs a new lease of life, we’re the people to call. Get in touch with us today to find out more.