It is well known that any form of change can be unsettling for staff – and this can certainly be the case with an office move. Staff’s expectations and concerns need to be managed and HR has a key role in communicating the project to their employees.
Moving office is a great opportunity to affect positive change management, improvement in business performance, increased morale and momentum – but for this to happen it is crucial that the office move happens successfully.
Our own market research reveals that in over 70% of cases the person assigned to manage the office move is doing so for the first time. This means, therefore, that the office relocation project is typically managed by people without the experience, skill set or time to handle this important role. At the same time, they also have to continue to run their business and focus on their existing workload and commitments. No wonder moving is ranked as one of life’s most stressful events!
Having worked in the commercial property world since 1995, I have seen first-hand how being given responsibility for organising an office relocation can be a complicated, time consuming and stressful journey into an unknown world. But it doesn’t have to be like this – because like any process, an office relocation can be broken down into a series of simple tasks and checks. The intelligent use of your project planning documents, spreadsheets and checklists will not only help you plan the office move, but also act as your road map to carry out the many tasks involved with the project.
It sounds obvious but there are some simple, golden rules that if observed should ensure a successful office move. Over the course of the coming weeks I am going to share them with you.
# 1. ASSESSING YOUR NEEDS AND CURRENT SITUATION
What is the purpose of your office relocation and what are you wanting to achieve? You need to be clear about what is driving your potential office move. Lease break? Lease expiry? Planned growth? Contraction?
Only after you establish why you want to move office will you be able to define your needs and map out your office move plan. There are some big decisions that must be agreed as the start point in carrying out the move and which will form the basis of the subsequent detailed planning process. Once you have established a clear direction of what your business objectives are you can then get on with finding the right office space to deliver them.
Make sure you are you in a position to move. Questions you should be asking yourself include:
– What is your current situation?
– Have you checked your existing lease?
– How much notice do you have to give?
– What are the conditions for leaving your existing property?
– What are your current obligations & liabilities?
Top Tip: remember to contact a specialist Commercial Property Solicitor to look over your existing lease and advise you of your obligations and how to exercise your notice correctly.
I hope you find my first Golden Rule useful. You can access all 10 Golden Rules along with more free information, guides and checklists to help you manage your office relocation at www.HelpMovingOffice.co.uk
Don’t try and reinvent the wheel when you can use tried and tested moving office tools and guides.
