Moving an entire office is far more challenging than relocating houses. If your office is in Canada, there are many packers and movers that can help. However, the decision to move the office rests in your hands. There are many things that need to be considered. Firstly, let us see why companies for switching offices:
- Business growth and expansion.
- Moving to areas where there are more prospects.
- A new and better office increases productivity.
- Talent acquisition becomes easier if you have an office in a prime location or city like Vancouver or Toronto.
- There may be logistical reasons to move offices as well.
In general, 4 million Canadians move every year making it a multi-million dollar industry. Office moves also form a giant chunk of this industry.
Things To Consider Before Moving
Here are some important things that you should go through before moving offices:
- Analyze whether you want to move offices or not. If the cons top the pros, then it is better to stay put. Talk to other decision-makers of the company before making the call.
- Identify costs attached to the move. If you are indecisive or need some advice, you can talk to multiple moving companies near you and understand how the breakdown works. After this, chart out your budget and zero in on an amount that the company is willing to spend.
- The time of moving can also be a crucial factor. Move at a time when there is less workload in the office. Also, moving companies have dynamic rates that depend on parameters such as the time of the year, insurance, fuel prices, etc.
- Finally, make sure that you have the right people working with you who can handle the work when the relocation is taking place. It is wise to chart out a plan and delegate responsibilities so that the work is not affected negatively.
The Planning Stage
When you are planning the move, it is again wise to consult multiple office moving services and local movers. Fortunately, there are several options available in Canada – ranging in quality and cost. While planning, do the following:
- Plan a day-to-day task list for employees before the move as well as after the move. This does not mean that the tasks need to be related to the relocation. However, it is good to keep a track of things during volatile times.
- Zero in on a moving company. Look for an experienced mover with a moderate moving solution. Make sure that their packages cover all your requirements. Request estimates from multiple moving companies in the area and compares them.
- Plan on how the IT infrastructure will relocate and be meticulous about this. Similarly, office telecommunications is another important thing that needs to be carefully planned. Most of the movers will help you with this.
- Prepare your office equipment such that the moving day is not met with downtime.
Packing and Preparing
Most of the office movers and packers will offer packing and unpacking services if you opt for them. For large offices, this is absolutely necessary. The procurement of packing materials should be done in a cost-effective way. For this, you can opt for a third-party provider or simply go with your movers.
The advantage of using packing supplies from your movers is that they know exactly how much logistics is required and how they can save costs.
As far as preparing for the moving day is concerned, this list might be helpful:
- Ensure that all the employees and staff members are up to date with the moving plans.
- Apply for document changes if required.
- Your local post office must be notified of the address change.
- Involve your legal team to ensure that you are not missing out on anything.
- Update your social media and professional contacts. Notify clients about the address change.
- Make sure that the new office is set up for internet and telecommunications properly to avoid any downtime.
- Make an inventory of the items that need to be moved.
Moving Day
On the day of the move, make sure that the concerned people are available at the earliest. Also, things should be ready for the movers to pack and move as soon as possible. This is a good time to pick up your inventory list and use it as a to-do checklist to ensure that nothing is left behind. Although the packers and movers will do all the heavy lifting, it is important for you to supervise and see whether everything is going to plan or not. Other things that are important are:
- The moving trucks will need to have ample space to move around. Ensure that there is parking space available for them.
- Protect your old office and the new one from damage while moving. Sometimes, walls and doorways can get damaged while moving furniture. Therefore, you can go for padding door frames with foam padding and likewise.
- Make sure that the elevators in both locations are functional and free for easy movement.
- Be kind and helpful to the movers.
After The Move
After you are done moving, you must always double-check for missed items. Go back to the old office and check for anything you may have left behind or the moving services may have forgotten. Other than that, you can also:
- If you’re happy with the service, give them nice feedback – it certainly goes a long way.
- Inform your contacts about the address change. Make sure that all legal and financial documents have the right information.
- Update your telephones and telecommunications.
- Make sure that all the utilities are in place.
- Motivate your staff and talk to them about the new working environment. Ask them questions and be open to feedback.
Other than that, moving services companies also have customer care that you can contact anytime in case there were any issues during the move. Lastly, office moves can really be hectic so make sure that it does not take a toll on your mental health. If things get overwhelming, it is always okay to take a step back and take a deep breath.
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