The prospect of moving an office or business can be challenging. But, it is often necessary to meet the changing needs of a company. Of course, hiring one of the moving companies Ottawa can make the whole process much easier. But, there are things you can do to make your move a success. We have made a list of 9 steps for an unhindered and successful office move.
1. Assessment and goals
Think about your current business needs, and also your expected future needs. What do you need from business premises now and what you hope to receive in 1, 3, 5, 10 or even 20 years. Clearly identify the reasons for moving your office and think over both the long-term and short-term needs of your company in order to effectively outline the appropriate plan for moving the office.
It may be surprising how soon important decisions must be made in the process. So it is imperative to know your goals to ensure that you are going to achieve them. At this stage, it is also advisable to collect all relevant facts, including details of the existing lease period and notifications. As well as your current obligations, which will become the basis for the subsequent planning process.
2. Proper planning
In order to plan a successful office move, decisionmakers must come to a consensus about the reasons for moving the office and the overall goals of the project. Key questions to ask at this point:
- Where do you want to move to?
- How much space do you need?
- What key features do you need in your new office?
- What are the planned business goals (including the growth plan) that you need to complete to move
- When do you need to be there?
- What length and type of rental do you want?
- What is your budget?
3. Team building
Bringing the right team of people to manage your office move is a vital step in this process. It is unlikely that any of your employees have the skills, time and experience to independently manage an office relocation project. Any office move, even for a relatively small office, is a serious task. And a collective effort is required for a successful result. A good team should include people who will help facilitate all aspects of the move, including both internal and external participants.
One of the tips is to appoint a project manager in the company at the beginning of the relocation process, which can act as a single point of contact for external parties and keep all internal stakeholders informed. This person should be appointed as soon as possible after the decision to move. And he or she should possess skills and qualities, including:
- Strong communication skills; He or she should be able to communicate effectively with both internal and external members and constantly inform all interested parties throughout the process.
- Time; The project manager should be easily accessible by phone and email, and he should have enough time to devote to organizing a successful office move.
- Trust; The nominated person must have the trust of senior management and the authority to act and make decisions on behalf of the company.
- Organization; He or she needs to be a good organizer of people and processes, ideally, a person with proven management experience who has experience setting goals and working within the budget.
4. Do not put off your successful office move
There is a lot of work in an office move. So the sooner you start, the higher your chances of achieving a smooth and successful office relocation are. We recommend that you begin consideration of options 9-18 months before the expiration of the lease, regardless of whether you are considering moving, renewing or revising the terms. It is imperative that you have enough time to correctly evaluate the various options and take into account the number of leverage and competition between them. This can lead to finding the best premises at the same price or significantly save on renegotiations.
5. Budget
Once the project manager is appointed, work must begin, and one of the first tasks is to create a budget. An accredited project manager with experience managing office moves can be invaluable in setting a realistic budget. A budget is an essential planning tool that helps you evaluate your expenses, plan finances and manage your expenses throughout the process. Budgets can also help you evaluate the success of your project and compare it with your business goals.
6. Work with professionals
Hire the right office moving professionals Ottawa for your office relocation. Moving an office successfully can be difficult, stressful, and time-consuming, especially if you haven’t done this before. Secondly, after the staff costs, the following property costs are usually the next largest business expenses. The decisions you make now will affect your company’s profitability in the future.
7. Think before you sign
We recommend that you do not sign any rental documents without proper legal advice. Your attorneys should be able to agree on the details of the lease to minimize your potential obligations. They should also advise you on the implications of more detailed conditions in the final rental documents so that you are fully aware of your current responsibilities.
8. Communication is key
People by nature do not like change. This is uncomfortable and disturbing. However, conducting a successful office move is a fantastic opportunity to influence positive changes in your business. This can lead to increased business efficiency, improved working conditions and increased staff morale. The key to achieving this lies in communication. Be honest with your staff about your planned office move. Keep them informed and engage them throughout the process. Hold regular meetings according to plans and listen to your employees as they can offer some great ideas that you could implement.
9. Clean and move on
Take advantage of the opportunity that office relocation offers. Throw away old files and clean all storage areas of unnecessary items before moving. Also consider scanning documents that are no longer needed in print and updating outdated equipment, furniture, and computers. And if you have some equipment you no longer need, you can always donate or recycle it.
As we already said, moving your office is a great chance for some additional changes. But, in order to keep working prosperously, you need to organize your business the right way. And a successful office move is definitely the best first step. Follow our tips, and you will be sure that everything will go as smoothly as possible.