Having to move your entire corporation to another address can sound like a really daunting task – at least at first. If you arm yourself with knowledge about the corporate relocation process and everything that’s a part of it, organizing this kind of move will be nothing more than a simple part of your work life. Let us share some crucial tips for relocating your office, no matter if you’re a small business owner or a head of an international corporation.
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Planning to Move Your Company to a New Address? Start Organizing the Relocation Months in Advance
When it comes to organizing a move, everyone knows that it is usually a challenging task – and office moves are no exception. The second you decide it’s time to move, you will realize there’s so much to do before you get to enjoy the view out of your new office. Of course, the benefits of relocating are well worth the trouble, but that still leaves you with a question – how do you plan such a huge move?
Obviously, you will need cross-country moving services, but that’s only one piece of the puzzle. It’s important to note that careful planning of the move is half the job done – but you have to start on time. That means beginning with the process at least a few months in advance – in case you have to pull off a last-minute move, that will mean a few weeks for an office move (but keep in mind that this isn’t recommended unless you absolutely have to).
It Might Take a While to Find Suitable New Office Space, So Be Sure to Start Looking on Time
The perfect office isn’t so easy to come by. You will most likely have to look at many spaces before you find your best fit, which means that finding a place to move to can take a while. The space size, location, and pricing are factors worth considering – it’s important to put a lot of thought into the decision on where to move. This is another important reason to set aside enough time to make sure your company finds a great new home.
Inform Your Employees About the Upcoming Change – Open Communication Will Help You Make This a Smooth Transition
Before the corporate move takes place, informing every employee about the upcoming change is essential. Your staff needs to know what’s going on – this directly affects their work life. Plus, it’s expected that the move will affect productivity all around the corporation, so it makes sense for them to be informed. You have to be prepared for anything, especially low morale. The video below can offer you some tips on dealing with that – check it out.
You may not need to think of unique relocation announcements, but organizing a meeting to discuss the move and answer employee questions should be your priority. It’s also wise to keep the staff updated about the process as the day of the move approaches. You wouldn’t want your people to use this change as an excuse to look for a new job – or start wondering, “how does employee relocation work” if we’re talking about a global corporation.
Corporate moves are complex, which is why they require a lot of time and effort
The First Step Is Writing Down a Corporate Relocation Checklist
The main problem with corporate relocation is the fact that you have a lot of things to do before you finally move out to a new office – there are so many relocating essentials to think of that things can get a bit difficult. That’s precisely why the best thing you can do to make this experience stress-free is to simply write all the tasks ahead of you on a piece of paper – you need a to-do list for the move.
This is a proven way to ensure you don’t forget anything and experience a stress-free relocating. In addition to this list, it’s often wise to have a binder for the move where you will keep all the documentation related to this process.
Whether You’re a Small Business or a Global Company, Having a Moving Cross Country Budget Is a Smart Idea
Global business or not, you still have to pay attention to every detail of finances – that includes the money that will inevitably be spent on this move. Sadly, it won’t be cheap, and expenses quickly pile up without you even noticing. Keeping track of spending is easier if you have an expense checklist and a budget for the corporate move. The best policy is to write everything down neatly – think of it as just another part of your business.
A detailed to-do list will offer you the chance to go through this process smoothly
Make Sure You Find the Best Companies That Provide Long-Distance Moving Services
It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about small companies or global businesses that operate on an international scale – relocating offices without help is out of the question. It’s not like you can ask any employee to assist you with carrying desks – you have to contact professionals for this. So, it’s time to start looking into cross-country moving companies.
Checking an online review or two about the long-distance moving company you’re considering is a good place to start. Still, keep in mind that a quick look without scratching the surface of online resources is not a way to choose your cross-country movers – you have to be careful when picking among the many available companies. Stats show that scams are common, and you wouldn’t love being a part of one – trust us on that.
There are many ways to check which relocating companies are legitimate, and one of the most reliable resources includes the FMCSA database of registered and reliable movers. If you learn all about red flags for this kind of fraud, you’ll be sure to avoid a disastrous relocating scam when you contact a mover.
Booking a Cross-Country Moving Service for an Office Move Can Often Include Storage Services
Once you finally contact and hire movers, you’ll probably ask yourself – what should I ask for corporate relocation? You don’t have to stress much about that – just let the movers know it’s an office move, and they’ll know what to do and how to handle fragile items found in the office, such as computers.
However, one thing that they can’t do for you is decide whether you require storage services to pull off this move. You have to consider the possibility of booking this service – it would be especially beneficial if you’re relocating to a smaller space and don’t know what to do with excess desks, chairs, or plants. Storage service can be the quickest way to solve this dilemma. Plus, since these facilities are climate-controlled and have the best conditions for storing stuff, you can even use them to store some important documents for the time being.
Packing Up the Office – Here Are the Tips You Could Use When Wrapping Furniture and Personal Belongings
Relocating furniture from the office probably sounds like the biggest challenge – how do you pack all the desks, chairs, and sofas? The easiest way is to simply book packing services from your movers and let them take care of everything. If you really want to do it on your own, be sure to learn how to pack furniture properly – with special blankets designed for this cause.
You will also need boxes, obviously – get various sizes. Bubble wrap and packing paper will be unavoidable, as they are required for wrapping electronics. When it comes to the personal belongings of your staff, it’s wise to let everyone take care of the things on their workstations – smaller boxes will be useful for this.
Consider Decluttering Before the Move, Especially If You’re Relocating to a Smaller Space
Storage services can solve your problem with excess items, but you can also simply get rid of them when packing. Decluttering is recommended before every move – whether local, long-distance or international. Consider the possibility that some things from the office could maybe find a new home. This also gives you an excellent opportunity to change the interior design of the office space.
Learn all the tips for packing an office, just like you would for a home relocation
Don’t Forget to Change the Office Address – Here’s Who Needs to Be Informed About This Move
If you get swamped with tasks or experience some anxiety about the move, it might be too easy to forget who to contact and notify when relocating. That’s why we’ve prepared a list of everyone who should be informed about this change – here it is:
- Clients and business partners,
- Financial institutions,
- Insurance companies,
- Service providers,
- US Postal Service,
- IRS,
- Licensing agencies.
Transferring Utilities Is Also a Crucial Part of a Smooth Relocation Process
For whatever reason, forgetting to transfer utilities is quite common when relocating to a new home or office, which is why it is worth mentioning. You can hardly expect anyone to work in an office that has no water, electricity, or internet, don’t you think? Before you contact the staff about returning to in-office work, ensure the utilities are transferred.
Before staff returns to the office, ensure the utilities are all set
After the Move – Tasks That Await You After Long-Distance Movers Unload the Boxes Off the Trucks
All the boxes have made it safely to their new home thanks to relocating services, and the new space looks great. Does it mean that there’s nothing left to do before it’s back to business as usual? Of course not – you still have a task or two to handle before you can enjoy all the benefits that the new office will offer you. Here’s what to put on the “after the move” part of your to-do list.
Clean the office space
Whether the previous renters or owners left the space in decent condition or not, hiring cleaning services is essential. Deep cleaning is necessary after every move-in, whether it’s a home or an office – this is a well-known practice.
Create sitting arrangements
This likely won’t be a complex task, but it’s essential and will greatly affect the atmosphere in the office. It’s one of those moments when knowing your employees is crucial – you want to ensure team members who collaborate on certain tasks are close to one another.
Decorate the new office
Working in a beautiful and pleasant space can increase productivity, so paying attention to interior design is surely important. No one likes to look at empty walls all day. Consult your staff on this – ask them what they want to see in the office. They will appreciate being involved.
Throw a move-in party for all the employees
What is a move without a party to celebrate it? Everyone will be happy to relax after such a significant change, and it could be an excellent opportunity to bring the team closer together. This is just what a business needs after an important transition.
Relocating a Business Is a Complex Task, but It Can Be Done With the Help of a Reputable Cross-Country Moving Company
Relocating is no one’s favorite activity – it’s quite stressful and time-consuming. However, if you contact the right movers, it can be a smooth and efficient process. That’s why we emphasize the importance of looking for reputable movers and using all the available resources to pick the perfect crew. With the assistance of movers you can trust, office moves are a breeze.
