Research shows that corporate moves account for 38% of moves in the U.S. every year. While corporations may have good reasons for relocating, the process can be stressful and interfere with productivity. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize disruption. Here, Ducks In A Row Organizers offers some tips to help.
Create a Timeline
The first thing you should do is create a timeline. This guide ensures you don’t miss any essential steps during the long, complex relocation process. While your timeline will vary according to your needs, here are a few steps that everyone should follow:
- Four Months in Advance: Create your budget and look for moving companies.
- Three Months in Advance: Make a contingency plan.
- Two Months in Advance: Check your insurance.
- One Month in Advance: Start packing.
Stagger the Move
If several departments are moving, you should stagger the schedule, so only one department is offline at any one time. Staggering also minimizes chaos and ensures movers have the room to maneuver.
Track Your Inventory
There’s always a risk of losing items during a move, so tracking inventory is crucial. If your business is small, you can use a spreadsheet to record products. If you need something on a larger scale, there’s a variety of tracking software on the market.
Communicate Effectively
Keeping everyone on the same page is essential for a smooth transition. Let employees, partners and customers know about the move early and update everyone regularly. To ensure minimal interruptions to operations, put communication software in place before you start moving preparations.
One method to assist your communication is to organize your project with a process map. This template can help you track every step of your moving project so that everyone is clear on what has been completed and what needs to be done.
Choose What To Replace
Relocation is an excellent opportunity to review your office equipment and furniture. Are there items no one uses? Are there pieces that need constant repairs? Put them in the trash and ship replacements to your new site.
Update Your Website
Your website is the first place customers look to learn about your company, so you should post an update on your home page as soon as you decide to move. Make sure the announcement is prominently featured, so it’s the first thing visitors see. You can boost visibility by posting the news on your social media accounts as well.
Pack in Advance
You should start packing as soon as conveniently possible, as the process will probably take longer than you thought. Leave the equipment you use every day until last, and make sure you label all the boxes clearly. Developing a color-coded system will also help you stay organized.
Hire a Reputable Moving Company
You’ll need help getting all your equipment safely to your new location, and it shouldn’t be on your employee’s shoulders to do it. Instead, hire a reputable moving company, and let the professionals handle the gritty details. If you’ve never looked for a moving company before, here are a few ways to ensure you find a legitimate one:
- Check for complaints with the Better Business Bureau
- Read customer reviews
- Get a few estimates to compare
Coordinate Network Switch Over
Your employees should be able to work once they’re settled in. That means you’ll need to coordinate with your IT team to get your network up and running before other workers relocate. Remember, this involves physical labor such as installing cables and setting up servers, so set aside enough time for everything to get done.
Finalize the Finer Details
Most likely you have lists upon lists for your move, especially if you’re relocating to a new state. However, it never hurts to have gentle reminders about particulars like applying for permits and licenses, determining any necessary certifications in your new state, and registering your business with the state. For the sake of time, use an online formation service to register your business to make this a quick task you can check off your list.
Moving offices is a big undertaking, and coordinating all the efforts means fewer resources dedicated to productivity. However, if you plan ahead of time and keep communication lines open, you can limit the impact to your customers, workforce and bottom line.
This article is brought to you by Ducks In A Row Organizers, which brings calm and order back into your life. We help you break a huge job (like organizing your attic or garage) into small, manageable tasks. You become free of clutter and learn to stay that way. With Ducks In a Row, your return to order, organization and sanity will be smooth and painless! For more information, please visit our website or contact us today!