A corporate relocation is exciting. A new office allows your company to grow, showcase your brand and culture, update its technology, and re-imagine spaces to meet your corporate goals.

However, an office location can also be stressful and overwhelming. You have bulky furniture, technology, and equipment logistics to sort out. You must also keep customers and employees happy throughout the transition and minimize downtime.

Careful planning can help you execute a smooth office relocation and prepare your company for the future. Here’s a comprehensive list of office relocation tips covering all the issues you may face and how to deal with them.

Create an Office Move Checklist

Relocating an office is no small task, and a well-organized checklist is critical to ensuring a smooth, stress-free transition. By creating a detailed plan that covers every phase of the move, you can avoid costly mistakes, minimize downtime, and keep your employees informed and engaged throughout the process.

An office move checklist serves as a comprehensive guide, allowing you to track progress and delegate tasks effectively. Here are some essential elements to include in your checklist to streamline your move:

 TIMELINE: Start planning several months in advance to ensure everything is ready on time.

 LEADERSHIP & COMMUNICATION: Appoint a project leader and communicate the move to your employees early. Clear communication helps maintain productivity and minimizes uncertainty.

 BUDGET & RESOURCES: Set a budget and plan for moving logistics, new furniture, and any necessary equipment upgrades.

 COMPLIANCE & COORDINATION: Ensure that you’re complying with any lease agreements and local regulations and work closely with your movers to avoid any last-minute surprises.

By addressing these key areas, you can ensure a smoother move while avoiding disruption to your business operations. For a detailed checklist and timeline, check out our Office Move Checklist blog post.

Decommission Outdated or Unneeded Office Assets

Before you can move into your new space, you’ll need to decommission your old office. Office decommissioning offers you an opportunity for closure that prepares you to move toward a new beginning. Your decommissioning plan should also honor the environment.

You’ll need a plan that also considers your lease requirements, data security needs, and inventorying and sorting your furniture and equipment. Depending on your operation’s size, decommissioning will occur over several months. Six months is a good rule of thumb. If you must decommission more quickly, seek the help of a logistics company that specializes in moves and transition planning like the d’ploy team, powered dancker.

Vet and Hire a Commercial Mover

The choice of a commercial mover is critical to the success of your move. Among the factors to consider are:

EXPERIENCE
You want movers with a long history of successful projects similar to yours. You also want movers who will be reliable and provide the expertise you need in-house.

CREDENTIALS
The movers should have the proper licenses and insurance to meet your needs.

SERVICES
Commercial movers offer different services. Check to make sure the movers on your shortlist provide the services you need.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
When choosing a mover, ask for references and call each of them to see how the mover interacts with its clients.

COST ESTIMATES
Each mover on your shortlist should provide a clear and detailed cost estimate. The best choice isn’t always the one with the lowest price; consider the overall value.

Consider Asset Management and Storage

Asset management is a strategic approach to tracking and optimizing physical and digital assets. It is critical to a successful business, whether you’re relocating or seeking to improve the management of your current space. An asset management program also helps you operate more efficiently, keeps your assets secure, and improves customer service.

An excellent asset management program generally includes:

• Asset Tracking
• Asset Classification
• Inventory Control
• Maintenance Management
• Storage of Unused Assets
• Lifecycle Management
• Compliance and Reporting
• Integration with Financial Systems
• User Access and Security
• Asset Redeployment

dancker has perfected an asset management process to help you save money, make better decisions, and effectively manage your assets throughout their lifecycle.

Plan Your New Office Space

A new office presents an excellent opportunity to plan office space for maximum productivity, collaboration, inclusion, and employee well-being. A well-planned space also creates a pleasant environment with little wasted space. When planning your office space, consider the following: 

NEED ANALYSIS

A good way to start office planning is by analyzing your needs. Conduct research using surveys, focus groups, badge data, and other means to determine needs and colocations. Tools such as office space calculators and space planners can streamline the process.

PRIORITIZE EMPLOYEE WELLBEING

Your employees are one of your greatest assets, and studies show that office space design can impact employees’ physical and mental health. Well employees who believe their company cares about them will be more productive and creative.

SUPPORT WORKPLACE CULTURE

Ensure your workplace design enhances your company’s culture and mission.

CREATE FUNCTIONAL ZONES

Develop zones within your space to support specific activities. For example, create spaces that foster collaboration while also having spaces for quiet work. Also, create customer spaces, employee recreation areas, and break rooms. Ensure that the acoustics and visual privacy tools are appropriate for each function. Technology can also be used to enhance functionality in each zone.

MAKE SPACES INCLUSIVE

A diverse workplace enhances creativity. To ensure your workspace is inclusive, incorporate adjustable furniture and equipment. Also, ensure aisles, desks, and all workspaces can accommodate wheelchairs.

Understand the Costs & Build a Budget

Budgeting helps ensure a smooth move without unexpected costs. Office relocation costs can vary widely, which is why partnering with an experienced logistics company like dancker can be helpful to better understand and prepare for the costs associated with a move. Often, costs to relocate fall within seven major categories:

 
MOVING COSTS

These costs typically include

• Hiring a commercial office mover.
• Packing materials.
• Furniture disassembly and reassembly.
• Insurance that will cover potential loss or damage during the move.

 
COST VARIABLES

This category includes the variables that will affect the cost of your move.

• Office size (Square footage, amount of furniture and equipment, and number of employees.)
• Weight and volume of assets/
• Equipment that may require special handling.
• Labor hours required of the movers.
• Distance.
• Moving date. Some dates are peak times and have a cost premium.
• Building regulations. Some rules may add to the overall cost.
• Additional services, such as packing and unpacking, IT setup, and cleaning.
• Decommissioning plans.

 
NEW OFFICE EXPENSES

• Rent.
• Deposits.
• New furniture and equipment.
• Renovation and construction. The size of your space, type of materials, and project scope will affect these costs.

 
EMPLOYEE COSTS

• Relocation costs for employees and their families if the move is long-distance.
• Potential overtime pay.

 
IT AND COMMUNICATION COSTS

• Disconnection and reconnection of IT services, phone lines, and Internet.
• Setting up an IT infrastructure in the new space.
• Data backup and security.

 
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

• Fees for architects, engineers, and contractors who design and build the new office.
• Legal fees for negotiating the lease.

 
HIDDEN COSTS

Hidden costs are miscellaneous expenses such as

• Cleaning services
• Permits
• Waste disposal

 
dancker is an experienced office relocation and logistics company and can help you develop a realistic budget for your move.

Gain Buy-in From Employees

Employees often become anxious during times of change, especially office relocations. Anxious employees are less productive and creative, and their angst can negatively affect your bottom line. On the other hand, engaged employees are more likely to develop innovative solutions, provide excellent customer service, and remain loyal.

Here are some tips for maintaining employee morale during the move.

COMMUNICATE

Open communication allays fears and lets employees know that management values them. If workers receive frequent, frank updates from management, the rumor mill will be less active. Stress how the move will benefit employees.

ASK FOR EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK

Ask for employee feedback on designing the new space for maximum comfort and productivity. Also, give employees some control over their new space by encouraging them to personalize it.

PROVIDE RESOURCES

Offer support services and resources to help employees adjust to the move. If the move is long-distance, relocation packages might include moving expenses, home buying and selling help, and job search assistance for spouses. For all moves, provide information on the new location and its neighborhood.

DESIGN HEALTHY WORKSPACES

Provide spaces that respect different workstyles, such as solo and collaborative. Also, provide adjustable furniture and ensure accessibility for the disabled.

CELEBRATE

Have small celebrations at the end of different phases of the transition. Plan a big party after moving day to celebrate employees.

Plan Early for Workplace Technology Relocation

An IT relocation plan should be part of your overall moving plan. Begin planning how to move your IT about three months in advance.

AVOID DOWNTIME

Downtime is costly, leading to lost customers and unhappy employees. Work with each department to plan for business continuity. A commercial mover with IT experience is essential.

SET UP YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE

As soon as possible after the site is chosen, visit the site to determine how to set up the network. Be sure you have enough space to install cabling and equipment without creating safety hazards. Also, ensure the power supply and Internet bandwidth are sufficient. Verify that the network is functioning before moving day.

EVALUATE EQUIPMENT

Conduct a detailed inventory of your equipment, including model numbers, serial numbers, and purchase dates. Consider which equipment still fosters productivity and allows you to grow. Find a partner who can help you dispose of unwanted equipment sustainably and choose solutions that better suit your mission.

EXAMINE PHONE OPTIONS

An office relocation is also an excellent time to examine different phone options to determine what best meets your current needs.

PROTECT DATA

Office relocation increases the risk of a data breach, which can be costly. Establish protocols for handling devices, shredding sensitive documents, securing networks, and backing up your data.

MAKE TRANSPORT DECISIONS

Transporting IT equipment can be risky. To protect your assets, use a professional transportation company with extensive IT experience. To choose a company, get detailed quotes, read reviews, and check references. Also, ask each company to tell you how they will protect your data and equipment.

COMMUNICATE WITH EMPLOYEES

An unhappy employee can act in ways that negatively affect your IT move. Communicate with employees to alleviate anxiety and build trust. Ensure team members understand their role in the process. If you plan to use new equipment after the move, train employees before the move to relieve anxiety and ensure a good start.

DO A POST-MOVE AUDIT

Do an audit for each piece of equipment after the move. Also, ensure data remained intact.

Need help with your IT equipment relocation? Check out DBE Systems by dancker.

Office Relocation Q&A with Managing Director of Asset Management + Logistics

WHY IS THE RIGHT LOGISTICS PARTNER SO IMPORTANT?

Big moves and fit-outs can be a complex process to manage. Choosing the right commercial moving partner is essential to the success of your move. dancker distinguishes itsself by being an ally throughout the whole process. We provide integrated solutions, from specialty construction to furniture, moving and logistics, and integrated technology. We’ve been connecting people, places, and technology for almost two centuries and have many satisfied partners.

WHAT ARE THE TOP QUALITIES OF A COMMERCIAL MOVER?

An excellent commercial mover will have the capacity and experience to complete your move successfully. The company will have expertise that adds value to your team and can help your company grow and perform better after the move than before. The best commercial moving companies will also have a reputation for reliability and excellent customer service.

WHERE DO YOU PROVIDE SERVICES?

We provide services wherever our customers are. You can visit us in person or virtually. Our customer experience centers are located in Somerville, NJ; Capitol Heights, MD; Baltimore, MD; and Gaithersburg, MD.

HOW DOES YOUR OFFICE RELOCATION PROCESS WORK?

We can provide a fully integrated approach or provide only the custom services you need. To gain the most benefit, customers partner with us early in the office relocation process so that we can advise them on budgeting and gaining the cooperation of employees, suppliers, and customers.

We provide a comprehensive asset management program that helps you evaluate your assets, sustainably dispose of those that no longer work well, and manage the use of others. We will also work with you to decommission your old space in an environmentally friendly way. Our team has detailed knowledge of office space planning and will design your new workspace to foster creativity. We can also suggest furniture solutions.

Of course, you can customize your experience with us by choosing services tailored specifically to your needs. Whether you choose our comprehensive, integrated services or just our logistics service, we will be your trusted adviser. Simply contact us, and we’ll provide a clear estimate of what we’ll provide and at what price. Then book your service.

Why Should I Trust dancker?

d’ploy,powered by dancker, our logistics division, can facilitate your move quickly and accurately. We have all the qualities of an outstanding logistics provider: experience, reliability, expertise that adds value, and an excellent reputation.

About dancker

dancker is a leader in the commercial logistics and workspace solutions industry, specializing in the design, planning, and management of workplace environments. With over 200 years of experience, dancker provides a comprehensive range of services, including office relocation, integrated technology solutions, furniture procurement, and installation to help businesses create efficient, innovative, and sustainable workspaces. We partner with clients to streamline operations and enhance productivity through customized solutions that align with the unique needs of each business. Our expertise spans across various industries, offering a one-stop resource for all workplace transformation and logistics needs.