September 24th, 2014, By Don Catalano
One of the upshots of optimizing your company’s corporate real estate portfolio is that you will probably end up moving around a bit. Whether you are looking to consolidate multiple spaces into one, downsize a too-big space or simply move for a better deal, office relocation is usually in the cards for any company that optimizes. While relocation can be painful for both the real estate staff and for the workers that have to move, following a set process can help to make the process less unpleasant. Here are some tips to help you survive your next office move.
Office relocation can be a very big deal up and down your organization. A new address can affect your company’s branding and marketing activities, so letting those departments know as early as possible is helpful. A new location poses new logistical challenges both on the physical support side and on the data support side. Closer to home, moving offices can impact your worker’s commute patterns, the services that they use during the day, how their children are cared for and may even lead some of them to choose to move residences.
With all of these factors in mind, plans for a move should be communicated up and down your organization as openly as possible. This way, everyone on your team knows what will happen and when and is in a better position to plan for it.
One of the keys to a successful office relocation is to start the whole process as early as possible. While you might need to start looking for new space two years before you have to move, an office relocation can start as early as one year prior. This gives you time to find movers, order furniture, select new vendors, deal with local governments and, potentially, staff up (or down) for a differently sized space.
The same rule that applies to moving your house works for an office relocation. A new space is a great opportunity to get rid of old stuff. Paring down unnecessary files, outdated IT equipment and broken or unattractive office furniture doesn’t just reduce the total weight — and the cost — of your move. It also ensure that your new space will start out clutter-free and let you use it more efficiently.
One of the best ways to pare down is to have a few different purge days. By scheduling purge days 120, 75 and 45 days before your move, your workers are more likely to find the time to get everything done. This is another reason that it’s important to start the process early.
Finally, it’s best to set yourself up to be able to move into the new space one month before you actually plan to do it. In other words, if your target move date is March 1, your goal should be to have that space in turnkey condition for February 1. If you’ve done more than one office relocation, you know that the old cliche to expect the unexpected is true. With a month of fudge time built in, almost nothing can derail you to the point that you miss your final intended move date. After all, it really is better to be safe than sorry.