The pandemic has brought many changes to the way the we do business. One of the biggest ways is how you use your office. Chances are, you have adapted your office footprint lately, which can involve transitioning to a new workplace, downsizing, solving for new safety procedures and protocols or totally decommissioning your office. Most likely, these involve an office move.
The pandemic has brought many changes to the way the we do business. One of the biggest ways is how you use your office. Chances are, you have adapted your office footprint lately, which can involve transitioning to a new workplace, downsizing, solving for new safety procedures and protocols or totally decommissioning your office. Most likely, these involve an office move.
Moving requires juggling a lot of details “but it can be much smoother than you think.” After executing numerous moves, Bradac Co breaks down some of the best tips to set you up for success:
- Start purging, recycling and e-wasting: Take the time early to purge your workspace and common areas. Invite employees to take items home that are up for grabs. Identify what can be potentially sold or donated, as these tasks take lead time to orchestrate. Movers can provide refuse, shred, recycling and e-waste bins ahead of the move, when requested.
- If you need a Relocation Manager, bring them on early: you will reap the most value and save precious dollars by bringing on a project manager (PM) to guide the entire move. From inventory work to making sure you are getting fair vendor pricing and a realistic schedule, the PM can save you from costly mistakes and delays.
- Create a thorough inventory: A proper inventory list can take some time and patience, but it will pay off. Take photos, dimensions and detailed notes on your office items for re-purposing and discarding/donating. This will also help a space planner fit furniture into a new office plan and gives movers an in-depth guide to your quantities and the challenges of moving your workspace.
- Contact infrastructure partners early: Do you have extensive audio-visual needs? Furniture or wall items that need to be mounted/connected? Do you need a plumber for fridge waterlines? An electrician to disconnect/re-connect workstations? All of these pieces need to be properly layered into the move schedule.
- Understand lead times for furniture and design items: Those beautiful new conference tables and fabulous workstations often require ordering several months in advance. Know what pieces will require long lead times and order early (or have a First Day of Business plan for office spaces that won’t be complete yet).
- Hire the best movers and understand the bid: We recommend hosting a socially distanced job walk for at least three qualified movers and providing them with as much information before the walk as possible, including a Request for Proposal (RFP) with inventory details, a bid matrix to break down costs, target schedule and building details. Understand the mover bid is it a flat-fee cost? An estimate for time and materials? How many movers/installers are estimated? What are the implications of overtime? These are just a few of the questions we address in our RFP process.
- Clear Communication with Property Managers: At your origin and destination buildings, make sure to align with your Property Manager. We recommend a thorough walk-through at your current building and understanding the details of how you need to leave your office, per your lease. At both buildings, you need to adhere to property rules and regulations such as what days/times can you move, what are the insurance requirements for vendors, do you need to reserve the elevator, arrange for parking permits/security on move day, etc.
- Take care of the little stuff, so it doesn’t become big stuff: Our move checklist reminds you to cancel your food and beverage services, forward your mail, change your address on service accounts, service/move your leased machines, and much more.
Finally, to keep you organized, we have a two-month countdown to Move Day checklist, click here. With these tips in mind, your office move should be much more manageable!