Moving is an inherently stressful and complicated process, even if you've
found a new location just down the street or you have a minimalist office.
After spending weeks (or even months) searching for a new building, negotiating
your rent or mortgage, and legally changing your address, you then have to
arrange for your equipment, supplies, and furniture to be moved. Naturally, you'll
make some mistakes during this process. However, in order to minimize the
impact of these errors and ensure a fast and efficient move, here are three
things to avoid:
Forgetting to take measurements
Your large commercial printing equipment had no problem slipping through
the front door of you current place, but it may not even come close to fitting
through the new office door. The last thing you want on moving day is to get
stuck disassembling your furniture or server racks on the sidewalk so you can
get them inside. Measure your biggest pieces of furniture and any doorways that
they will be taken through to avoid any moving snafus. You'll be able to take
apart things that won't fit before the day of the move, and things will go much
more smoothly.
Packing away items you'll need
You may be preparing for a move, but that doesn't mean that you can stop
working. For instance, if you have a meeting the day before the move, you'll
want to leave out important documents and information relating to the client's
account or have access to comparable computer records; if everything's packed
already, you may have no choice but to dig through boxes or reschedule, either
of which wastes time. Don't make the mistake of packing away something you'll
need before the move. Feel free to pack non-essentials like your wall art,
extra monitors, unoccupied chairs, most trash cans, etc., but make sure to
leave anything that will still be needed until the actual day of the move.
Not hiring a moving company
Do not be the boss who assumes that their employees can handle moving
complicated equipment. Your graphic designers and marketers may use the laser
printer every day, but that doesn't mean they'll know how to move it properly.
In fact, if your office worker throws out his or her back trying to move heavy
items, you may face legal action or a substantial workman's comp payout, so
it's truly best to leave these jobs to trained, equipped professionals. By hiring a commercial moving company, you are
safeguarding your equipment and employees from any harm.
In addition, a moving company will be familiar with the ins and outs of
organizing and installing furniture efficiently. Your employees will likely be
preoccupied with getting settled, and may not be concerned with putting your
file cabinets in the right place. By hiring a company to perform this work, you
can ensure that everything finds its correct place without inconvenience or
incident.
Relocating your office can be trying. Make it easy on yourself and your
employees by following the above advice.
