Managing your business can be stressful enough without adding the responsibility of organising a new office move. Here are some practical hints and tips to help you lessen office stress as much as possible before and during the relocation.
Advanced planning
One major factor to consider when wishing to achieve a stress-free office move, is that of advanced planning. Planning puts you in control and will instantly relieve any potential tension or anxiety. Ideally the planning process should start as early as three months before the moving date. This will allow you to draw up lists of what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and who will do it. Always project plan!
Remember to delegate
Many individuals wrongly believe that they can do everything themselves, but this only leads to more unwanted stress. What you need to do is learn how to delegate and then delegate moving duties responsibly across your team. Play to people’s strengths within the office environment and allow them plenty of time to perform their given task and duties. A happy and busy workforce means that everyone wins.
The importance of communication
During any office move, it is vital that there is always effective communication between all members of staff. Everyone needs to be kept informed regularly about what is going on, to both plan and prepare for the move. It is also important that staff know who they should contact regarding the move and any issues that may arise. Always speak up!
Inform contacts and customers
It is not only staff who need to be informed about any planned move, so do your customers and business contacts. Ideally this should be done well in advance of the move to give those who support your business time to understand the change. Alert these groups to where your new office will be located. Give them updated business cards and remember to change the contact address details on your company website, social media pages and local, online business profiles. Ensuring your company’s local citations are consistent across the web has the added benefit of helping your customers find you in search engines through searches that include your business type and location.
Prioritise what needs to be moved and when
One of the biggest reasons for a stressful office relocation, is not knowing what needs to be packed, when it should be packed and when it should be moved. The appointment of a professional office relocation company, like London based Saracen Interiors, can ease stress at this time through the appointment of a dedicated project manager. As a rule, such companies plan to move larger and more valuable items first followed by everyday items. Items such as computers and furniture will be one of the first items to be moved, as once in place, work can begin in your new location, and your business can continue its day-to-day.
Begin packing 3 days in advance
Knowing when to pack when moving office can be a difficult decision. It is best to start packing around three days before the planned move. If you put essentials to one side, which can be packed and transported on the moving day, then what is left will need to be packed away. Organisation is key!
Label everything
To create a stress-free moving experience, remember to label everything. This will make the process of unpacking at the other end that much easier. Label what the item is and where you wish it to be placed. If you don’t, you could hit a wall of frustration, un-organisation and procrastination, and nobody wants that.
Get rid of what you no longer need
You will probably have accumulated a lot of unneeded items and paperwork at work over the years (as will your colleagues), so use the moving experience to declutter. This will also mean that you have less to pack and unpack, so there’s no downside here.
Carefully consider the moving date
When is the right time to move? The best answer is a date that causes the least disruption to your working day, and when an office removal company can be booked. Again, this needs to be completed well in advance. Choose your date carefully and consider all options. Then, prepare for the big day!
Leave a Comment