Moving a business can be a necessary step for continued growth and success, but that doesn’t mean the moving process is easy—especially when it comes to maintaining productivity. Tackling moving tasks on top of your already busy schedule can stifle your productivity. Then when it comes to employees, they may also have a hard time working at full capacity in the midst of change.
the good news is planning and consideration goes a long way. You can keep productivity running at its peak by incorporating these key tips into your moving plan.
Be Transparent with Employees
Nothing reduces productivity quite like uncertainty and stress, so you want to make sure that your employees are feeling neither—which can be a challenge since change is a great fuel for both of these. Generally, your employees will want to know what this move means for the company, but mainly, they want to know what it means for them and their job, especially if you plan to move your business to another state.
Start by holding a meeting as soon as you know of the upcoming move. Even if you don’t have all the details ironed out yet, it is better that they hear it directly from you rather than office gossip or another source. Tell them what you do know and have an open discussion that encourages questions. Generally, your employees will want to know what this move means for the company, but mainly, they want to know what it means for them and their job. Will this move mean restructuring? How will the new location affect their commute? Will they keep their current position and responsibilities?
Beyond this initial meeting, keep your door and inbox open for any additional questions. As supplementary information and a timeline for the move comes to a head, send out email updates to keep everyone in the know.
Know Your Timeline
A rushed move is far more likely to interfere with productivity than a leisurely move, so give yourself a large enough time cushion to complete all moving tasks without scrambling. The ideal time to start looking for a new location is 4-6 months out from your intended move date. We understand this may not always be possible, but this timeframe is optimal to find a space that is well-suited for your business needs. Plus, it gives you enough time to outfit the new office with any additions.
While moving into a new home may just require a fresh coat of paint, optimizing a commercial space for your business entails a bit more planning. This may include running wires and cables for phone and internet, adding or removing walls or fixtures, and installing furnishings. You want everything to be ready for move-in day to ensure everyone can do their job efficiently— without being distracted by any installs or shuffling.
Don’t Delegate Moving Tasks
A key to not losing productivity during your business move is keeping your employees stress-free. What’s the best way to stress out your team during a move? Leaving them uninformed—which is remedied in our first tip— and adding moving tasks on top of their regular responsibilities.
Employees should not have to take on extra moving tasks unless they volunteer or the task is in line with their job. For example, asking IT to install equipment in the new space is warranted, but asking accounting to pack up the kitchen, not so much.
Hire Professional Help
While you shouldn’t be loading up your employees’ plates with moving tasks, you also don’t have to bear the load on your own. Hiring a professional Full Service Local Moving Company can clear your moving list and allow you to return your primary focus to work. Here are a few hires you should consider:
Office Move Manager: Their one and only focus is your move. You pass your moving checklist to this person and they tackle everything for getting quotes from movers to confirming building and elevator access on move-in day.
Professional Organizer: If you don’t want to concern yourself with the layout of the new space or the best way to organize it, this is who you need to hire. A professional organizer can plan an efficient layout and storage system to that will make the new space organized, functional, and primed for productivity.
Movers: They have the training, knowledge, and equipment to make your office furniture removal quick and efficient. Plus, having professional movers handle the heavy lifting can safeguard sensitive equipment, as well as eliminate the risk of move-related injuries.
Time Your Move
Moving on a weekend is ideal since it is your best bet for minimally interfering with working hours. However, we do understand that for a variety of reasons, this isn’t always possible.
If a weekend move isn’t part of your moving plan, then consider letting employees work remotely for a few days. This ensures that the move isn’t physically distracting them and gives you time to prep the new space as well as troubleshoot any issues that arise before your team moves in. When considering professional movers for an international move, reputable services like those found at https://threemovers.com/shenzhen-international-moving-companies/ can offer valuable assistance in ensuring a smooth and efficient relocation process.
Get IT Settled First
Speaking of the move, the first department you move in should be IT. Moving IT in first not only gives them time to set up any equipment, but it also allows them to familiarize themselves with the new setup and work out any technical issues before everyone else moves in. Plus, with this approach, their full focus on move-in day can be on helping other employees with their computers. In general, this will help everyone to settle in a lot faster and give the best bet for ensuring productivity right off the bat
Moving a business certainly has a lot of opportunities to stunt productivity, but the bottom line is, it doesn’t have to. With the right planning, you can make your commercial move operate like clockwork and safeguard the productivity that is essential for your business to continue to thrive.
