You have finally decided to change the location of your office, and as exciting and overwhelming the idea of a new workplace is, it also makes you feel confused and scared and uncertain about many things. You are probably stressed about the whole office moving process, confused about how, what and when to do.
Your concerns as an employer/business owner will differ from the concerns that will cloud the mind of an employee. Here’s a simple but effective checklist for both employer and employee to help them prioritize and execute their tasks along with the time that will be required to complete each task.
It usually takes around 4-5 months for a workplace to shift to another location.
As An Employer:
- Announce the moving plan to your employees as early as possible:
In a survey on American mental health, 1 out of 4 Americans said their workplace was a source of anxiety for them. Now, add moving to the already bad situation: moving can often upset people or make them anxious and uncomfortable; as an employer, your responsibility should be to prepare them for the move such that it doesn’t affect their mental health negatively. They are likely to experience issues like trouble in focusing, mood irregularities, insomnia that will make them sleep deprived and further worsen their state as an employee. Educate them about the new place, explain to them the address to the new location, talk to them about the change and if it will cause any difficulties for them as employees. Arrange a therapy/counseling session(s) at work if you see the need.
- Finalize the Lease for Your New Location and Give At Least 4-6 Weeks’ Notice to Your Current Landlord.
Plan The New Infrastructure:
Visit the new office location frequently, scan it thoroughly, find out the dimensions and plan the new infrastructure accordingly. We could all use a change, so you probably will not design the new office the same way as the old one. Create the new workspace design keeping in mind factors like easy communication, proper ventilation, lighting and windows, kitchen and bathrooms, and the psychology of color. Discard outdated machinery and see how you can build a new and improved workspace for your employees, a place they will look forward to coming to every morning. Make a list of all the new things you will be needing and of all the things that can be recycled.
- Prepare a relocation guideline for everyone to follow so they do not feel lost and unimportant in the whole process. Engage them and assign small tasks to them so they can feel more included
See if you’re ready to say goodbye to paper this time:
A business and its office should always try to stay with, if not ahead, of the times and the competition. The advantages of going paperless are many, some of which are cost-effectiveness, time-saving, more efficiency in employees, space saving.
Consider this as a chance to clear the clutter at your workplace by shifting all your documents to digital storage. Go through a list of digital softwares to help you manage your documents paperlessly(is that even a word? Well, it should be!) that will help you sort what data you need and which data you’d rather be without. Not just that, it will also make the moving process easier and literally, lighter for you and your colleagues.
- Keep reviewing your plan every now and then and. Keep calm throughout the process and make your new workplace something to look forward to for everyone.
As An Employee:
- Find out if you will need to arrange a new transport service for your commute to the new workplace.
- If the new workplace will not be feasible for you in terms of commute and comfort, look for alternatives and other opportunities, and let your employer know about it so they can start looking for a replacement.
- Keep communication open with your employer, voice your concerns and see where you can contribute to the move.
- Ask your employer what you can do to help make the process easier. Take some responsibility and keep a check on the parties responsible to make sure everything is taking place according to your timeline and under your designated budget.
Every workplace is different and has a different style of going about things. Deciding on a plan and sticking to it will prove to be helpful in avoiding chaos and making your transition smoother. Start as early as possible, and consider using a moving company’s services to help you through the move so that you will have one less big task on your list.
Happy Moving!
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