Please welcome guest writer, John Cole.
Minimizing Productivity Loss When Moving Office
Relocating your office absolutely needs a lot of preparation and it can also be stressful. You might just wish that you could pick your office right there, put it in the box and easily transfer it to a new place. Sadly, it does not work that way. But how would you exactly move your office without losing costly productivity? Here are some of the tips that might help:
- Plan everything.
Have a moving plan. You can ask one or two of the manager to help you with the moving plan. Prepare boxes, folders, and binders for all the documents. Visit your new office ahead of time and determine how you want the space or each room to function. Determine if your existing furnishing still fits your new office and create a plan as to where you put the telephones, computers, electrical, etc.
- Delegate or outsource tasks.
You can’t handle all things alone and to save your time and minimize productivity loss, delegate tasks to some of your managers or workers. Have someone to handle all communication related tasks such as informing clients about your new office address and informing all employees the timing and their roles in the move. Hiring a couple of office designers would be a great help. Their expertise and professional knowledge in planning is indeed very useful.
- Sort and clean out before you move.
Sorting is the most important thing when moving to a new place. Let your employees separate those things that are outdated and no longer needed. You can sell it or donate to charity. Scanning some of the documents before moving is also advisable. Make sure to pack everything properly. Do not forget to hire a cleaner to do the rest of the cleaning while your employees are busy packing.
- Give up old furniture and fixtures.
Moving to a new office is a perfect timing to consider updating your old furniture and office fixtures or even your office equipment. Aside from saving the time and money packing and transporting those, you are also giving your office a fresh, new look. Start considering this if your office needs a facelift. If you decide to have a new set of furniture and fixture, make sure it will be shipped to your new office address.
- Label boxes properly.
It is always important to place things orderly in their respective boxes and label them properly. Place office supplies in one box and office tools to the other box. You need to group them accordingly and label them “Supplies”, “Tools”, “References”, “Electronics”, etc. Of course, do not to have your “first day essential” box that contains the things you need to set up your new office.
If you are planning to move to a new office, make sure to keep these tips in mind to minimize productivity loss. Aside from these, you can also schedule the move on a weekend to avoid productivity loss. The key for a stress-free and successful move is to plan things and be prepared for the unexpected.
