Relocating to a new office space can be hugely beneficial to your business. Whether you’re relocating because you need more space for a growing team, a more creative workspace, or because you want your very own space, moving offices is an exciting step in your business journey. However, as with any big business move, it’s important to plan your office relocation carefully- this ensures the move goes without a hitch. Here’s the EOL checklist for external moves and changes.
Assign a project manager
Every office move, whether it’s within the same building or in another city, requires input and cooperation from everyone within your company. However, it’s useful to have one centre of responsibility to plan the move. This project manager will oversee the execution of the whole process, as well as assisting individual task owners with any sub-tasks.
Create a relocation timeline
You’ll know early on when you get access to the new office space, and it’s important to be prepared for this day. Creating a timeline that shows what needs to be done and when will help you keep on top of all areas involved in the move. Gantt charts are especially useful for this, as you can detail even the smallest of steps, assigning owners and a set duration to each. This way, everyone is aware of their responsibilities and their deadlines to help the process go as smoothly as possible.
Distribute this timeline to employees as early as possible in order that they can ask questions and raise any concerns before their deadlines.
Create an office inventory
Every business has a plethora of belongings, all of which play a vital role in the running of day to day operations. You’ll need to create an inventory of all of these items, from the biggest to the smallest, in order that nothing gets misplaced in the move. You should provide as much detail as possible, including a description and information about the specific make and model number. You can provide this inventory to your movers and check against this when you have relocated to the new space.
Consider office layout
Even if all your existing office equipment fits in the new space, you shouldn’t overlook the move as a positive chance to reconsider your layout and seating plans. Whether you identify teams that would be better placed together, or determine that you require more collaborative working spaces, your office relocation is the perfect chance to implement these changes, and you should take time to consider them carefully.
Update your address
It goes without saying that everyone is aware of the move internally, but you’ll also need to inform your contacts about the relocation in advance of the move. From clients to suppliers and everyone in between, you’ll need to provide an update on your new address and when you’ll be moving. Don’t forget to update the address on your email signature and any business stationery too!
Transportation of equipment
No matter how far your new office location, it’s vital that your office equipment arrives there safely. It’s especially important that your IT equipment, and all data stored on it, is transported securely. You’ll need to enlist the help of a specialist relocation service provider that will transport IT equipment in GPS tracked vehicles with highly-trained drivers. The best relocation services will also de-rack and re-rack servers in your new space. This ensures that, from the moment your devices leave your old office to the moment they arrive at the new location, your business data is given the utmost protection.
With over 25 years of industry experience, tier1 provides professional IT relocation services for all internal/external moves and changes, which includes full asset tracking and if required, out of hours services. You can look forward to a hassle-free office move with tier1, the UK’s most accredited ITAD . Visit https://www.tier1.com or call on 0161 777 1000 for more information.
