Relocating your business can be a challenge. Employees can feel displaced by the move to new office space, especially if you'll be moving out to new Sydney CBD commercial property - or beyond. Meanwhile, there are all the logistical details to remember - redirecting your phone lines, planning new fit outs, hiring removalists, packing and then unpacking - and of course changing your business cards and email signatures.
Good planning will keep you ahead of the pack and ensure that your move happens as seamlessly as possible. Put a project team together that will be in charge of corralling the troops and organising the logistics of the move. This checklist will help you arrange any Sydney office move and ensure that you've accounted for the important things.
Inform the landlord - once you've signed the commercial real estate lease on your new premises, you'll need to let your landlord know of your intention to vacate your current office. Negotiate a reasonable timeframe to complete the move.
Plan your new space - put together a floor plan for fixtures and plan your new fit out. Get feedback from your employees on how they use their current space and what can be improved as this is a good opportunity to rearrange and streamline your operations.
Arrange for removalists - some companies specialise in office relocation. Get a number of quotes from different companies and check references. Remember to arrange for boxes, packing services, special arrangements for moving computer equipment and most importantly - rubbish removal!
Redirect - start informing your clients of your intention to relocate. Start with email signatures so clients can update their details. Arrange for your communication systems, such as phone and fax lines to be redirected and make arrangements with the post office to forward your mail. You will also need to connect the utilities - water, gas, electricity - at your new location.
Get Packing - do this in increments. Arrange for boxes to be delivered well in advance as staff will need to pack up their personal work stations while common areas, such as stationery, archives and reception areas will need to be packed up as well. Leave computers, servers and printers until the day of the move so your staff can continue working. Get extra rubbish and recycling bins into the office - you'll need them!
Present to your staff - before the official move in, try and give staff the opportunity to walkthrough the site to familiarise themselves with new work stations and space. Ensure that entrance passes are distributed and safety procedures are in place before the move in day.
D-Day - depending on the size and scope of the move, you'll need to set aside time for last minute arrangements. Small moves can happen after hours such as over the weekend and daily operations can continue the next working day. For other larger scale moves, you might need to close up shop for the day, especially if large walls of servers and equipment need to be dismantled and re-installed.
Wind down - once you've made it to your new premises, it's time to wind down. It'll probably take a few days to iron out all the kinks - ie set up voicemail, locate files etc. - but you'll want to get everyone settled in as quickly as possible. Organise a staff day to explore your new surroundings - and to find your local pub!
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