When relocating from one office to another, it’s easy to lose track of the most important items on your inventory. With many factors to consider, including staff and their equipment, and moving with a minimal effect to workflow, it’s easy to lose track of what’s important. Here’s our comprehensive office relocation checklist to ensure you don’t lose track of your move.

Three months before the move

• Appoint a move coordinator – this is someone you can trust to help manage the process and your employees
• Have your move coordinator appoint move champions to manage individual teams during the entire process
• Contact a real estate agent if you’re selling or renting your old premises, negotiate any overlap of time at old/ new premises
• Meet with the building manager and decide the layout of your new site
• Discuss with the utilities requirements and contact your existing providers to negotiate your relocation needs
• Decide on the important details like budget, the date of the move and what you’re going to need to hire to get the job done
• Acquire any permits and paperwork you need
• Identify and approve the locations of your workstations, printers, copiers and approve the new floor plan
• Identify if any additional furniture or equipment needs to be purchased. Order it and schedule delivery to suit your requirements.
• Schedule wiring/cabling
• Organise IT resources for the move
• Pick the move date
• Organise department resources

One month before the move

• Update employees on the move process and new building information. Don’t forget to update business cards at this point
• Update your key suppliers and clients with your move date and new details – ensure those relationships built on proximity are managed through the transition for maximum retention
• Confirm date with movers
• Reserve the loading dock and goods elevators
• Update your new phone numbers and address with the post office
• Order updated business cards and stationary with the new address
• Begin sorting and culling your records and archives, ensure that you have secure waste bins available for destruction of sensitive items, as well as a general waste facility. Make sure you understand the retention laws surrounding information and records before marking your items for destruction
• Have an environmentally friendly e-waste process planned

One week before the move

• Re-confirm the loading dock and goods elevator bookings
• Deliver boxes and labels
• Distribute access codes or cards to employees
• Update address on your website
• Confirm all vendors and times for their delivery and fit out

On move day

• Clean the old site thoroughly or organise for professionals to clean for you
• Give all employees their relocation goodies pack that includes a map of the new office, OHS and safety information, information about parking and transportation
• Move coordinators and champions will be in charge of staging the items being relocated

First day of business in your new location

• Install IT, furniture, wiring and cabling
• Test all technology and connectivity to ensure it’s working properly
• Ensure you have additional IT support for your teams, we recommend one IT specialist per 50x employees
• Remove all excess furniture, crates and packing materials
• Celebrate! Relocating is stressful, make sure you thank your move coordinator and move champions

There’s a lot to manage when it comes to relocating office which is why we, at Grace, provide professional business services to relocate your entire office without the stress. Lighten your workload and have the experts get the job done. For more information on the Grace Workplace Solutions services, click here.