How to organize an office move?

In this article we offer valuable tips to manage a successful office move, focusing on involving staff in the process to achieve an optimal result.

A company transfer always has to be linked to a correct change management to ensure that the personnel adapt to the new situation, and consequently the business activity is not altered. Below we offer some tips for moving offices and companies based on the classic theories of change management, adding a few touches of our knowledge derived from the experience of more than 30 years doing removals throughout the national territory.

If you are responsible for the transfer of your office, whether in a large organization with constant change or in a small company that is moving for the first time, you are interested in reading this article, you will find valuable advice to carry out a correct management of said transfer.

Months before moving

Once they have found the new facilities, we recommend making an initial plan of how to locate the different jobs. To carry out this plan, take references as exact as possible and if you have a team of architects, be advised by their experience.

For this task consider which departments need to communicate more regularly and which may need to be located in a differentiated or separate area.

In any case, what we consider most important in this phase is to leave some loose fringes to be able to comment and decide together with all the colleagues. Where would it be more practical to locate the printing area? How do we decorate the office? Do we include lockers near the entrance so that everyone can store their personal belongings? Everything will depend on the budget you have, but the key is to make some decisions together.

Involving the team in part of the design of the new facilities will serve to improve the perception of the offices, thus reducing resistance to changing the workplace.

Days before moving your company

Promote staff rapport, make the move a time for employees to collaborate with each other and take the opportunity to get to know each other better, forging ties and creating a spirit of collaboration and dynamism.

Since the process will take a long time from when the decision to move is made until it is carried out, we recommend keeping the team informed of developments and changes in the project, especially regarding the dates of the move. In this way, the different departments will be able to reorganize their tasks to ensure that the day of the move does not catch them off guard and in the middle of an important project. If the transfer date changes, the rest of the teams should know so they can modify their plans well in advance.

It does not hurt to summon the whole team to make a motivational talk or in case this is not possible to send an internal communication. If things get better, thank your colleagues for their efforts for getting here and if it is a restructuring, remind them that they have been bigger and that working as a team they will be again.

Organizing a preliminary visit to the new facilities will allow co-workers to begin to know the new location where they will work for the next few years. Before the visit it will be important to show different ways of getting to the new location, either with public transport or your own vehicle, as well as the services that exist in the vicinity (bars, cafes, shops, supermarkets, gyms, etc.), facilitating the organization of personal life in the first days of work.

Before moving, it will be essential to establish a person responsible for the transfer to ensure that in the event of an incident anyone knows who to turn to. This will allow a more effective response to small problems that may arise along the way.

The day of the move

During the move, it will be essential to have a person assigned to deal with incidents. This person will solve them if necessary and if not, they will contact the corresponding department to be able to correct the problem in the shortest possible time. Channeling information in an organized way is very important to be able to take the appropriate measures effectively. If everyone tries to solve the problem on their own, we will probably end up creating a bigger one.

If what you are looking for is an effective transfer, hire a serious moving company that can guarantee their experience in carrying out similar transfers. Bear in mind that if you do not carry out a well-planned transfer, there will be very likely delays in returning to operation, in addition to the fact that part of the staff may be involved in solving eventualities that will not allow them to dedicate themselves to their main work. Many times, by selecting the cheapest budget, we hire a little specialized service, being exposed to all kinds of surprises: furniture breakage, loss of documentation or equipment, even the breakdown of computer systems that would entail a very high cost.

Once installed in the new offices, there is no better way to welcome employees than with a welcome pack. A little detail for each worker will help start with positivity and improve the atmosphere in the office. With a tight budget, a simple letter written with dedication can motivate all employees to start in the new offices with energy and with improved habits. It is time for change, it is time to move forward.

After the transfer

It is important to bear in mind that the first days in the new office we will receive complaints regarding the arrangement of furniture or equipment, some of them with more foundation than others. Sometimes, it can be the reflection of the sun on the computer screen (something annoying, but very difficult to foresee) and other times complaints without further reasons. In any case, we recommend having a plan B to be able to carry out initially unplanned internal movements in the shortest possible time. For this reason, at RBR Moving, we offer you the support team service for the first day after the move. This kit will help pick up any leftover packing material, as well as make any minor modifications that are necessary.

Also, after a few months, it may be appropriate to relocate common areas or workstations to improve efficiency and create simpler communication channels. This can only be verified once the equipment has been installed in the new offices for a considerable time.

To try to improve productivity by taking advantage of the change, it will be advisable to distribute a satisfaction survey among colleagues in order to evaluate the level of satisfaction with the new facilities and to be able to correct situations in which someone feels uncomfortable about the situation in the old ones. installations.

The key to organizing a company transfer

Work and organize change as a team, turn resistance into motivation and desire to work in the new headquarters, take advantage of this situation to foster team spirit, and you will achieve not only a satisfactory move, but also positive results generated from this experience.

We hope these tips will assist you in managing the change to your new headquarters or office. If you need more personalized advice, do not hesitate to contact us. At RBR Moving not only do we carry out removals effectively, but we also provide comprehensive advice on the relocation of companies.