Knowing how to coordinate an office move in the most efficient way will help your office relocation go much smoother. A lot goes into coordinating an office move, so take a look at this helpful office relocation checklist. 

Planning Stages: 6-12 Months Before Moving

If you have 6 to 12 months to prepare for your move, you will want to use your time wisely. Having a well thought out plan can save you many headaches down the road. 

Organize Moving Notes and Documents in One Place

Having a singular person and place to keep all of the notes related to coordinating an office move can keep things from falling through the cracks later. You will also want to gather important documents you may need during the move, such as insurance records, agreements, contracts, and other relevant records. Keeping these in a digital place such as Google Drive is a great way to ensure you can access them anywhere at any time, but if pen and paper are more your style, then an organized binder or file folder works great too. 

Announce the Move and Discuss with Employees

Letting the entire company know about the move can be done through a detailed email, newsletter, or even a creative video. Regardless of the format, you will want to communicate to employees the details they will need to know. You can include information such as:

  • Location of the new office
  • The moving dates
  • Reason for the office relocation
  • Any key features of the new office
  • List anything employees need to do immediately if anything
  • Let employees know if they can expect to receive future information

Give employees a few weeks to let the news set in and then consider getting their feedback. Some employees may have new equipment needs, workspace preferences, or design recommendations to help productivity. 

Plan for Moving Costs

Creating a budget for your move will help your efforts to coordinate an office move as affordably as possible. The average office space in the US costs between $8-$23 per square foot, and the average cost to move can average between $1-$2 per square foot. If you are relocating to a larger city, you can expect to be paying on the higher end of those averages or more. 

Phase 2: 3-6 Months Before the Move

The second phase consists of preparing, hiring a moving company, and keeping employees in the loop. 

Plan Post-Move Cleanup 

When you move out of your current office, you may be responsible for making sure it is clean once you’re gone. In some cases, the cleaning crew in the office building can take care of it, but if you aren’t sure, it is worth looking into, so you don’t get stuck with an unexpected cleaning bill. If you need to hire a cleaning service, get them booked 3-6 months before the move day.

Discuss Plan with Employees

It is important to keep employees in the loop at this stage. Many people will likely have questions, so setting aside time to do a Q&A might be beneficial. Give employees information about how the move will affect their day-to-day routine such as new parking situations, new office layouts, whether they need keys to enter, etc. It is also helpful to re-confirm the crucial information like the office location and moving dates, so no one gets confused. Making it clear what role employees will play in the move at this stage will also set the expectation for when moving day arrives. 

Hire a Moving Company

When you are ready to coordinate an office move, hiring a professional moving company will save you valuable time and effort. The logistics involved in an office relocation is complex, time consuming, and physically demanding. By hiring a moving company for your office relocation, you will get a team of professional movers who know the most efficient way to organize, pack, transport, and unload you belongings to ensure nothing is damaged or left behind. 

Let S&M Moving Systems Help with Your Office Move

Office moves, commercial moving, and corporate relocation require advanced planning for a successful relocation. At S&M Moving Systems, we understand the importance of project completion in a timely and efficient manner. Providing all aspects of your office move from move sequence, coordination, dismantling, and set-up, we provide complete commitment to your total satisfaction. S&M Moving has been family owned and operated since 1918, growing from a single truck into the nation’s largest, full-service moving and storage company. Reach out today to schedule your next corporate move in the Fremont, CA, Phoenix, AZ, or Portland, OR areas.