The process of achieving the advantages of office relocation can appear daunting, at least in the planning stage. But when done right, an office move can be extraordinarily rewarding and not that stressful. One of the most important parts of relocation is preparing employees for it, which people often don’t treat as such. You should be at ease knowing that Arizona Moving Professionals are here to help you by breaking down your relocationinto a series of simple tasks. The only challenge here is to prepare for the change. If there are considerable changes, such as moving to a different country, it can be a sensitive subject to approach with your staff. Use the situation as an opportunity to re-establish and build your company culture and get it organized in an improved way.
Include everyone to avoid the biggest mistake during an office relocation
The first thing to do when organizing an office relocation is to include your employees into the process from the start. That’s how you avoid doing tasks under pressure or superficially. You should get your staff engaged in the office relocation plan.
If there is no empathy between the leader and his team, you will not be able to understand how office relocation affects your company. Communicate and ask questions from the start. That kind of approach creates loyalty. If you don’t hide anything, the employees will appreciate the honesty. Once you notify everyone, you can start to come up with some incentives to motivate a few of them who are reluctant.
The incentives can be related to office space, game rooms or helping your people find their new homes in family neighborhoods. Whether big or small, people will welcome the incentives and you will have happy people once again after the office relocation is complete.
Your number one priority should be happy workers. At the end of the day, they are the ones who keep your business running.
Office relocation resistance
Any decision you make means you’ll have people satisfied with office relocation and the ones who won’t be. The best way to handle this is by acknowledging the reasons for resistance and making an objective to create balance.
What is the first worrying question for employees here? They are wondering if they are keeping their jobs or they are experiencing fear of change. Are there going to be employee layoffs? Will the organizational structure be the same? You want them to understand change is good and everybody will benefit as a team. On the other hand, if you are planning to downsize, then be honest and let those people know immediately.
A change in environment can be a huge morale boost which encourages proactive work and positive working experience. Start establishing your main requirements and get your employees involved in the move. Delegate roles and responsibilities. This helps to keep the team motivated and such a team effort creates positive energyin the collective that can do a lot for your company.
Estimating office relocation costs
Once you have everyone on the same page, you can start estimating moving costs. Don’t let the expenses throw you off completely when you check them too late. First, you need to choose an experienced and reliable moving company.
Truth be told, this part of the process might be the most boring one. It can bring a lot of frustration if you don’t get organized and put no effort into it. It might be slow and painfully tiresome, but should be your priority number one. Get a precise and most favorable estimatefrom the moving company, and find out the full costs. Arranging different surveyors to visit your office is inconvenient.
Meeting times get all mixed about and this stage can last as long as two or three weeks until you decide. Phone surveys are not much easier and also inaccuracies can occur. This is where video surveys come handy, so we advise you to try hiring a moving company that offers them. It’s a totally different experience when having to plan an office relocation.
Video chat is the best way to start organizing an office relocation for any busy entrepreneur.
You can talk to your mover through a video chat, record your office inventory and receive a super accurate estimate – all on the same day. This is the most attractive way to make sure you there are no more hidden fees and moving costs to pay attention to later on. Schedule a time that is suitable for you and you can make an appointment anytime you see fit.
You’re planning an office relocation – but where to?
This kind of a new journey can be a stressful experience for you, but not for your company. When organising an office relocation, start with a moving checklist of everything you need. Security, bandwidth, 24/7 access, air con/central heating – and so on.
Do your research based on those requirements and really narrow the list of convenient locations down. Some of the booming locations (or most popular) include London as one of the major financial centers in the world. Your business there can connect with the environment. Another type of environment grabbing all the attention lately are startup hubs. They are ideal for small companies with advancing tech, software and Internet culture. Whatever you choose, office relocation is usually useful both for expanding your business and important connections.
Choose where you are expanding your business carefully, after doing a lot of thorough research.
Make your new space a home
When you complete the office relocation, and the business picks up its pace, it’s time for a break. We don’t mean stop doing what you are doing so successfully. No, but pause for a minute and smell the roses. Thank your employees by making the place theirs as much as yours. You want your employees to love their new office. Put together a calendar for the things you want to be done, and track your progress. Checklists improve efficiency and don’t leave a lot of wiggle room for mistakes.
Start by going down the checklist by priority: Space decor, installing telephones, organizing security services, selecting furniture etc.
Decorating and organizing the office space to make it more enjoyable for your employees
Just think of all the wires, and all the electronic devices, docking stations, printers, folders od paperwork, and personal items on the desks in your offices. They all make a room full of open desks appear very disorganized. Spruce things up and make the environment more enjoyable by following these tips and tricks:
Wiring – conceal the cords in a stylish way and get that fast Wi-Fi operational
Liven things up – bring the outdoors in for a healthy atmosphere with plants, wooden decor elements, etc.
Winding down – establish and designate a comfy lounge area, add a Fussball table and some cozy furniture. Think about how cool of a boss you become when relocating a piano together with your new lounge room adds to the excitement around the firm. Trust us, adding a sleek piano for maximum relaxing effects on your trusted employees.
Add a splash of color for ingenious thoughts, and to inspire creative minds
Community tables – arrange a place for employees to interact freely
Save space for the kitchen– a space to eat and get refreshed with the collective
Office decoration improves employee satisfaction, motivation to work more effectively and thus increases the company’s productivity.
Careful planning brings optimal results
We didn’t mean to make it sound like office relocation is a walk in the park. It takes a lot of careful planning. Efficient organization and proper employee management will be your two most coveted skills.
However, some aspects of office relocation can definitely be fun. That’s why our main advice to you is don’t do things generically, do them differently.
And do take advantage of the technology that’s out there. Hire a moving company that leverages technology and innovation for the most proficient office relocation of your career.
