Top 5 things to put on your office move checklist

We recently shared a detailed office relocation checklist that breaks down each stage of the process, from six months before the move down to the post-move wrap-up.

This is a great tool for managing all the smaller details, but it can also be helpful to have an overview of the bigger picture when planning an office move.

To help you plan your move, we have created a list of the top 5 things to put on your office move checklist.

1. Budget

An office move can be an expensive project and the costs can vary depending on the size of the business, distance of the move, transport of fragile or specialist equipment, and cost of cleaning and repairs in the old workplace.

It’s essential to budget this out carefully and include all possible costs, even if they seem unlikely to occur. Will your new space need a redesign and fit out? Will you be transporting furniture or buying new items? Will the contents insurance cost more at your new premises? Will you partner with a moving expert or manage the entire process in-house?

These are all questions to consider at the outset so that you are not surprised by costs further down the line. It’s much better to have a budget that you end up coming in under, as opposed to dealing with extra costs throughout the project.

2. Timeline

Planning for an office move should ideally start at least six months before the move itself, and at this stage a detailed timeline should be created. This can include everything from major project milestones to furniture audits and stakeholder engagement.

The timeline may take some time to pull together but will be invaluable as the project progresses, helping to keep everyone on track. Include all relevant parties in the creation of the timeline, such as HR, IT, comms and the moving company, so that everyone knows what is expected of them. 

3. Employees

With all the moving parts of an office move it can be easy to forget one of the most important aspects – your employees. The move will have a big impact on your staff and it’s critical to keep them in the loop throughout the project.

Communication should be a two-way street. Don’t just tell employees your relocation plans – explain why the business is moving and invite feedback at all stages. Survey your staff to find out what they want from their new workplace, right down to how they want their desk arranged. This will get buy-in and make the process a lot smoother.

Identify a handful of employees who have a strong standing among their colleagues – they may be great leaders or social butterflies. Engage them as Move Champions to support your project and act as a conduit between the project managers and the employees.

4. Inventory

Some business may opt for a whole new set of furniture to accompany their office move, though this can be pricey. Smart furniture management can save money and is great for sustainability, and there are plenty of options other than landfill for furniture that is no longer needed, including refurbishing, recycling and donating.

We recommend a digital audit for the clients that we work with. It’s efficient, easy to manage and multiple people can access the database, wherever they are. Audits should capture everything about an item, including its condition, location in the new space, or what will happen to it if the business no longer needs it.

A comprehensive digital audit also helps with budgeting as businesses can determine what new furniture it needs, as well as project potential income from recycling or selling unwanted items.

5. Project management

Tying everything together is a project manager. Many businesses choose to work with a relocation partner to project manage the move as the expertise they bring is so important, especially for a business that has not undertaken a move before.

Whether this role is in-house or with an external consultant, your project manager will keep track of budgets, timelines, communication and more.

We have supported clients all of sizes with their business relocation, from project management to handling the entire move process.

Get in touch to discuss how we can support your office move.