Moving your business from one office to another can be a lot of work. Moreover, it never feels like a good time to do it. Packing and moving can take a lot of time and disturb day-to-day operations in the office or even impact sales. That’s why one of your best solutions is to relocate over the holidays. In this article, you’ll find some of the most important things to know if you’re thinking of moving your business during the holidays.
Why Moving Your Business During The Holidays Makes Sense
The holiday season is a generally slower time of the year for many firms. Moreover, during holidays is when workers get most of the time off during the year. As a result, there are usually fewer people around the office. This means that the equipment, computers, furniture, and other items can get packed with fewer people in the way. Your workers will not be frustrated when dealing with extra noise or items that they need are already packed and on a moving truck.
If you’re planning on moving your business, don’t wait to do it after the holidays. After the holiday season is over, people will start coming back to the office in larger numbers, refreshed from the break, and the chaos of relocating could seriously disrupt their productivity.
Plan Your Office Move Ahead Of Time
As with any relocation, it’s critical to meticulously plan and organize every detail in order for the process to run smoothly and on schedule. This is true even if you’re not moving your business during the holidays. However, planning ahead can make a huge difference during the Christmas season. First, staying organized as the holidays approach can be very challenging, but you shouldn’t give up on your planned timeline. And, second, by planning everything a few months ahead, you won’t have to struggle to find movers at the very last minute. According to Verified Movers, the holiday season can still be a very busy time of the year for most moving companies.
Most Important Steps Of Planning An Office Move
While we did emphasize the importance of planning a move ahead of time, it’s not only about hiring the movers in time. There are plenty of things you should plan when moving your business during holidays. Some of them are:
Create an office relocation strategy
If it’s not possible to move the entire office at the same time, decide what parts should be moved first. For example, some departments are more valuable than others or have more stuff. Take everything into consideration and plan the move in a way that makes the most sense to you and your employees. If a department is still in the office during holidays, consider moving them last to disturb them the least.
Form a moving team and assign duties and responsibilities
While helping an office move most likely isn’t in your employees’ list of duties, they can still help out if you need them to. Make sure you’re explicit about your expectations while also acknowledging that relocation is not part of their regular job responsibilities. Most of the time, your employees would be happy to help out if you just ask.
Make a plan for your new location
If you’re moving your business to a new space, you need to figure out the layout of the future office. Try to visit the new space at least once or twice before the move to get a feel of the place and decide what department will be located where. However, take into account how things worked back in the old office. If everybody is used to HR and payroll being right next to IT, consider placing those two departments near each other again in the new place. This will help people get used to the new space more quickly. Moreover, even before you sign the lease, make sure the new office space fulfills all your needs.
Hire a reputable commercial moving company
Don’t hire the first commercial moving company whose ads you see online. Instead, interview a few companies, get their quotes, and check online reviews to make sure you hired the best movers.
Getting ready for the actual move
This includes everything from packing up to moving day. When packing, make sure all boxes are clearly labeled so they don’t get mixed up at the new office. Moreover, if you have an organization system in place, don’t give it up after the move. And, if you don’t, moving is a great time to start one. With just a few changes, you can organize your new office which, in turn, can improve your productivity.
Discuss The Relocation With Your Employees
It’s not all just about the physical move; you also have to adequately prepare your employees for the upcoming change. That’s why it’s important to lead the entire process by being open and honest with your employees. When you announce the incoming relocation, make sure you answer all of their questions. The most important piece of information to give them is how the relocation will affect their daily routines. Let them give you feedback and make sure they feel heard if they have any concerns.
Throw A Party To Celebrate A Successful Move
Once everything is done, host a special gratitude gathering to show off your new office. This is a fantastic way to express gratitude to your staff and clientele for sticking it out during the relocation. Everybody will be able to check out the new space and have a great time during the office party.
Final Thoughts
Moving your business during the holidays is no walk in the park. As with any move, there will be challenges; you just have to stick through. As long as you do your job as a leader and a boss, coordinate your employees and plan the move ahead of time, everything should go by smoothly. Moreover, don’t forget to let your clients know you will be unavailable during this period. As long as they are aware you’re relocating, it should be an issue for anyone
And if you are looking to move your business, we can help with our free office relocation service. Contact us today to find out more!