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Author: Megan Trow Date Published: 05/12/ 2008 08:00
As office relocation can be a very stressful experience and an organisational nightmare, preparing in advance is essential to reducing any unnecessary tension. At least three months preparation should be given to allow for an efficient corporate office move. Communication with all staff members is essential.
Preparing for the move
Cost efficiency is an important aspect to take into consideration as production down time results in lower profitability which adversely affects the business. Saving time equates to saving money thus it is important to be familiar with the new office space and office location. Ideally an exact office moving plan should be drawn up that includes exact measurements of all offices and furniture etc with all employees office space (which includes furniture, plants and equipment layout) decided beforehand. All furniture and equipment should be visibly labeled in terms of which floor and which office or office space it needs to be placed in.
Items that can be packed should be placed securely in boxes. This includes items such as books, stationary, letter trays and current working documents. Any personal items should be removed personally by all staff members or placed in specially marked containers for safety and security. All highly confidential files and documentation should be locked up prior to moving and backups should be made of all important and confidential material. These items might need to be transported separately depending on the level of security needed. Should there be any items that are not to be moved or that need to be discarded, they should be labeled with “Do Not Move” tags.
With regards to anything that needs to be thrown away, as much as possible should be removed or discarded before the day of the actual office move. This will aid in saving time and money. If need be, arrange to have a skip temporarily in front of the old office block for excess rubbish.
In terms of both, moving out of the old offices and moving into the new building, make sure that the removal company is sufficiently prepared to use the stairs if need be, or lifts if any, and to ensure the lifts are good working order.
Electronic equipment and electric appliances need to be handled appropriately. Fridges need to be defrosted completely. Excess water needs to be emptied from any water dispensers. Computers should be dismantled properly and made careful note of. Any loose parts such as cables and attachments need to be packed and well labeled to reduce the risk of getting lost.
Before setting up in the new offices make sure the bathrooms are in working order and that electricity has been switched on and that the Internet connection is up and running. The sooner all staff can get settled in and back to work, the sooner your business can go back to making money.
Another important aspect to take into account is to ensure that all clients are informed well in advance of the anticipated move. This includes notice regarding change of address and contact information (if applicable) and the date from which this will take effect. All business cards, stationery, brochures, website changes etc. need to have the new applicable details for immediate use upon office relocation.
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