Streamlining Your Office Move: a Comprehensive Guide

an empty room with a desk and a book shelf
Photo by Brian Wangenheim on Unsplash

Office moves are among the largest decisions your business will ever make.

They're exciting. But they're also complex and can severely hurt your business if not handled properly. Office moves that aren't properly managed can set your company back thousands of dollars.

Downtime can cost businesses over $300,000 per hour for mid-size and large enterprises.

Not ideal.

But did you know that proper planning can not only prevent unnecessary losses, but can also improve your business operations?

Fact: Companies allowing at least 12 months for planning have a 31% higher satisfaction rating.

Need some help planning your office move? This guide will show you everything you need to know to streamline your business's office relocation.

Here's What We'll Cover:

Why Office Moves Require More Than Just Packing Up

Residential moves and office moves are two entirely different beasts.

Here's why. When you move your home, you're essentially packing up your life and moving it to a new location. Your office represents an actual business.

That means there's more at stake when moving offices. You have IT equipment, confidential documents, high-value items, furniture, and more. Not to mention every employee's workstation.

You have to move it. But you also need to limit business downtime.

Every hour your office is down, you're losing money.

That's why securing the right office relocation movers is crucial. Office moving companies get business moves done every day. Their expertise allows them to pack things like server rooms and coordinate elevator access in busy downtown areas.

Give Yourself Enough Time to Plan

You know the old saying...

Fail to plan, plan to fail.

Office moves are no exception. Many businesses give themselves 1-2 months to plan for a move. Then they wonder why things don't go smoothly.

Office moves take time. At least 12 months, ideally.

Here's why 12 months works best:

12 Months Out: Research locations, interview moving companies, and give your landlord notice.

9 Months Out: You've found your ideal location. Meet with your office moving company to create a floor plan and begin taking inventory.

6 Months Out: Finalize details with your moving company and meet with your IT department to discuss logistical needs for technology moving and setup.

3 Months Out: Pack up non-essential items and really start hashing out the details with your employees.

1 Month Out: Finalize everything and do a final walkthrough of your current space and your new location.

How's that for simple? If you give yourself enough time to plan, you'll remove a lot of the stress from moving your office.

How to Minimize Business Downtime During the Move

Downtime during an office move is unavoidable. But that doesn't mean you can't limit it.

With 30% of companies moving to different cities with more workforce availability, it's important to keep downtime to a minimum.

Here's what to do:

Timing is everything. Aim to move when your business is the least active. Weekend moves are ideal.

Stage your move. Staging your move allows your business operations to continue while items are moved progressively over time.

Move IT first. You'll want all technology to be transferred and tested before you move anything else into the office.

Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best, but plan for things to go wrong. Make sure you have a backup plan for critical business functions.

Reminder: Your goal is to resume business as usual, as quickly as possible.

3 Tips for Choosing the Right Moving Team

Picking the wrong office moving company can be disastrous for your business.

Here are three things to look for when choosing an office mover:

Office moving experience. Commercial moving vastly differs from residential moving. You need a team with experience in business relocations.

Commercial insurance and licensing. Triple check they're licensed and insured to move businesses.

Ask for recommendations and reviews. Speak to other businesses they've worked with.

Request a detailed plan before they provide you with a quote. A quality office moving company will walk you through their process and assign a project manager to your relocation.

Office Moves Are Already Stressful. Keep Your Employees in the Loop

Does your relocation plan include telling your employees as little as possible to avoid conflict?

Bosses do this all the time thinking it'll keep morale high. But it ends up backfiring.

Employees should be made aware of an office move as soon as possible.

Get in the habit of communicating:

67% of workers now count workplace flexibility as their top priority.

If you want a happy team post-move, start by keeping them informed during the process.

Prepare for Hidden Costs When Moving Offices

Office moves have some pretty obvious expenses.

Boxes, packing materials, moving trucks. You know the drill. But what about the costs that not many people think about?

Don't get caught unaware.

Here are a few areas where your business could incur hidden fees:

Offices leases often come with new furniture and equipment. Your current furniture may not fit or work with your new space.

Tech upgrades. Moving is the perfect time to update outdated technology.

Running two spaces. During your move, you'll likely be paying for two office spaces for at least a month.

Loss of productivity. Even if you plan perfectly, you can expect some loss of productivity during any office move.

When planning your budget, make sure to include a little extra for these unforeseen expenses. Always pad your budget by at least 20%.

Make Your New Office Space Actually Work...

Just because you're moving into a new space doesn't mean you shouldn't try to improve it.

With 96 corporate headquarters relocations happening in 2024 alone, now is the perfect time to think about how your team works.

You don't need to break the bank to create an efficient work environment. Spend your money wisely and focus on the things that will truly benefit your business.

Final Thoughts on Streamlining Your Office Move

Office moves are tough.

But they're far less painful when you plan ahead. Instead of waiting for the last-minute to figure things out, plan as early as possible.

Work with a professional office moving company that has experience in commercial relocations. Streamline your move by limiting downtime.

And keep your employees in the loop on relocation plans. Following these simple tips will set your business up for success in your new office space.