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Updated on: 11/12/2023

Moving offices is a big deal and while it’s an exciting time for your business, it can come with it’s own challenges and complexities. That said, if you’re well prepared and organised, it doesn’t have to be challenging at all. 

Whether you’re a small start up business with only a handful of employees or a large corporation, this blog will equip you with as much knowledge and consideration, to ensure a seamless transition into your new workspace, with as little disruption as possible.

6 things to consider when planning an office move include:

1. Research your removals options.
2. Prepare the new office space.
3. Set the date of your move.
4. Allocate one person to lead the move.
5. Pack your belongings into labelled boxes.
6. Give access to your removals company.

1. Research Your Removals Options

First and foremost, you’ll need to research commercial removal companies in your area. Google Reviews are a good indicator of how reliable these companies are, and you can rest assured that you’re going to get the best service based on these.

Each removal service will take a different approach but, with 5* Falconer Removals, an estimator will come to your office before the move to work out a detailed removals quotation. This ensures that both you and your movers are equipped with all of the essential information to proceed. 

Good Google Reviews normally mean good service.

2. Prepare The New Office

Before you’ve even left your current office, you’ll need to know where the contents of it are going. If you’ve got a new space: great, ensure that you have access for your things to be moved in. 

If you haven’t, research storage facilities to arrange a space for it all to be kept. As above, Google Reviews is often a good indicator of who offers the best storage solutions in your area. If you’re based in South Wales, Falconer Removals has a secure and purpose-built modern warehouse for storage that comes highly recommended.

Or, if you’ve still got the time to find a new place, find an office space in your area using a website like Kontor or Instant Offices.

3. Set The Date of Your Move

When you’ve got your quote and prepared your space, arrange some clear dates for the move. When picking a date, ensure that you’ve given yourself and your staff enough time to get things in order.

It’s really important to be realistic when it comes to establishing a timeline for the entire moving process, as it will allow you the opportunity to incorporate contingency plans. By identifying potential risks and challenges that might arise during the move, businesses can build in buffer periods to address unexpected events, ensuring that the move stays on track even if faced with unforeseen circumstances.

How Long Does it Take to Move Offices?

An office move can take anywhere between 1 month to 1 year, and will vary from business to business. Some of the key factors that influence how long the office move will take include things like the size of the team, complexities of the move, the distance of the new office and the overall level of preparation.

One thing that can significantly expedite the office move is ensuring you engage with professional movers and having a well-organised plan in place. Get in touch with our professional removals team here and see how we can help your office move go as smoothly as possible.

This is also a good time to notify those who will be most affected by your change of address, like your partners, suppliers, or internet providers.

4. Allocate The Person to Lead the Move

Allocate one member of staff to deal with the move. This person will be responsible for delegating tasks and communicating with your removals team to make sure everything goes to plan. 

The move leader serves as a central hub for communication between different stakeholders, including employees, management, vendors, and service providers. As all questions and queries will go to this person, you avoid getting your wires crossed and ensure that what you want done, gets done right. Clear and consistent communication is absolutely key for keeping everyone involved informed and addressing concerns proactively.

After the move is completed, it’s a good idea for the move leader to conduct a post-move evaluation to assess the success of the relocation, identify areas for improvement, and gather feedback from employees about how they feel the process went.

5. Pack Your Belongings into Labelled Boxes

Where possible, pack. Make sure that the boxes are clearly labelled, as this will make your life much easier when you unpack. We’d recommend that you do this in a standardised manner, so things don’t get confused.

While we’re on the subject: ensure that everyone takes home their personal belongings and devices before the move.

Depending on your office size and staff numbers, Instant Offices have also recommended putting together a “moving pack” for each staff member, including their allocated desk number, colour code, and information about the new location.

You might want to put boxes into different categories, for example: stationary, charging leads, table accessories, snacks etc. so everything is together.

6. Give Access to Your Removals Company

This one’s crucial: make sure that your removal company have access. Most companies will need enough access for a large van to load. 

This also includes giving your movers keys, access codes, or other information that will allow them into the building or onto the site. 

You should also warn your removals company of any potential access issues that are out of your control, so they can prepare ahead in the event that they happen. 

Access also includes informing the council, your neighbours, and other key figures of the move if needs be. You don’t want your move being delayed by something that can be easily avoided if you plan ahead.

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The key takeaway from this is to be organised. The more organised you are, in every aspect of your move, the easier it’ll be.

To learn more about our commercial and office removals and storage facilities, get in touch.

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Written by Holly Charman, for Falconer Removals.