How To Plan An Office Relocation

Denise Caron-Quinn

By: Guest Blogger: Clare Moorhouse of Help Moving Office. Help Moving Office is an online resource that guides companies through the entire office relocation process. Help Moving Office offers free Office Relocation Checklists and Planning Guides to help plan a successful office move.

As companies try to reduce their overheads and prepare for the future, office relocation is proving to be an effective strategy for getting into better, cheaper and more appropriate office space. It can enable a business to consolidate, reduce excessive costs and build a stronger platform from which to grow. But planning an office relocation can be a time-consuming and challenging task, and with so much to do, it can be difficult to know what to do – let alone where to start!

Help Moving Office has put together five key steps on planning a successful office relocation:

1. Are you in a position to move office?

There are many reasons why a company might want to relocate; better facilities, bigger/smaller office space, the need for a better location or simply to reduce overheads.  Whatever the reasons, it is important to be clear about the motivation behind the relocation in order to define criteria and map out your new office requirements.

Questions to ask yourself:

  • Is an office move necessary will it prove beneficial to the business?
  • What are the lease conditions for leaving your existing property (notice period, option to break etc.)
  • How do we exit our office lease and what is the required notice period?
  • Can the business afford to relocate?

Asking these questions, and being clear about the goals/objectives of the move, is a key starting point from which you can formulate a clear and Office Relocation Project Plan.

2. Start the planning early

Many companies make the same mistake and underestimate the amount of time and effort required in planning an office relocation, and this can result in escalating costs, drop in productivity and unnecessary disruption to your staff and business. It’s never too early to start planning your office move, but best practice suggests that, depending on the size of your business, between 9-18 months in advance of your lease expiry date is recommended.

Starting the planning of your office relocation early will not only give you the best possible chance of achieving a smooth transition, but it will also enable you to make the right informed decisions and help to avoid any costly or operational mistakes that might affect your business during the move or even throughout the course of your new tenancy.

Companies moving office should always err on the side of caution and assume that everything will take longer to organize than imagined.

3. Break-down the Office Relocation into manageable bite-size chunks

An office relocation might seem like a daunting project to undertake at first, but by breaking down the process down into simple steps and tasks, it makes the entire project much easier to manage.  Help Moving Office has a range of Office Relocation Checklists  to help manage and execute your office move effectively.  It’s the easiest way to manage your office move and ensures that everything gets done on time and nothing gets forgotten.

4. Hire Professionals

Calling on the help of external professionals plays a big role in helping you achieve a successful relocation and will ensure that neither time nor money is wasted.

The expert advice needed to help with the key stages of your office move should include:

  • Tenant Rep Broker – to help find and secure the ideal office space and negotiate the best office lease terms for your business.
  • Real Estate Lawyer – to review the office lease to ensure everything is properly documented and that your commercial interests are fully protected as a tenant.
  • Office Design Company – to create a functional and inspiring workplace which increases productivity and enables your business to thrive.
  • IT & Telecom Solution Provider – to ensure your IT and phone systems are set up properly in the new office and minimize any disruption to your business throughout the move.
  • Office Moving Company – to ensure your office move day goes like clockwork with everything working and in its right place.

Getting professional help for your office relocation is the single, most important “MUST DO” for companies wishing to achieve a successful outcome.

5. Make sure you don’t forget IT!

Your IT systems and business phones are an indispensible element of the running your business, and without these working properly in your new office – your business could suffer dire consequences.   Planning your IT relocation early will get your business fully operational quickly in the new office without any IT delays or disasters.

Use the IT Relocation Checklist available at Help Moving Office for a step-by-step guide to the migration, infrastructure set up and testing of your IT systems so that disruption is kept to an absolute minimum throughout the relocation.

An office relocation is a huge undertaking for any business, but with the right planning and support you will be in a better position to plan a successful office move that your business deserves.