An office relocation requires more than moving your furniture from the old to the new premises. Organization, logistics and relocation management are necessary. To ensure a smooth and successful move we have put together a guide to help you keep on top of planning the relocation.
1. Preparations
First, the preparations for the relocation: The more detailed you prepare the company move in advance, the less chaos will occur on the moving day and the faster you will have relocated into your new office.
As soon as you have found a new location: Sign the lease and set the date for the move.
Termination and handover of the office
If you have given notice within the notice period you can move out without hesitation and the landlord must take care of finding successors. If you terminate outside the notice period, you must either pay rent until your notice period has been met or you can search for a successor yourself that will take over the running contract.
Make sure to check your tenancy agreement as it contains all the conditions you need to meet when moving out. In addition, consult your landlord or property management to avoid misunderstandings. Advertise your old office on well-established property platforms which usually list offices as well as private homes if you are responsible for finding a successor.
If there are damages to the rented property for which your company has to pay, report this to your insurance company in good time, as minor corrections may already be repaired before the move.
Do-it-yourself relocation
If you only have to transport a few desks and a manageable office inventory you can carry out the move yourself – without a professional relocation company. In this case, all the work falls back on to your employees, from dismantling the furniture, to transportation, to unpacking and setting up the inventory in the new place. If you have a small, dedicated team that is ready to work after hours, this should not be a problem. However, remember to organize suitable removal transportation and provide sufficient packaging material for the move. Protective transportation equipment, such as blankets or newspaper for sensitive goods should be organized beforehand. Our do-it-yourself relocation article tells you everything you need to know about moving on your own.
Office relocation with a professional removal company
If you want to move with a professional office relocation company, you should make an appointment with the company of your choice to come by and have a look at the office and inventory. This allows them to make an individual offer, which provides you with a detailed overview of the services offered. It is important that you pay attention to insurance when choosing a removal company. On one hand, the removal company itself needs to be insured, certified and have an entry in the trade register. On the other hand, it is advantageous if you take out a removal or all risk insurance before the move. Some removal companies will offer this to you as part of their relocation package. Insurance protects you in the event of a legal dispute and your office inventory in the event of damages.
Inform and coordinate employees
It is important that you give your employees an itinerary of the moving scheduled and what preparations each of them have to make. You can do this, for example, via daily communication channels. In addition, it makes sense to hold a meeting at which all employees are informed about the upcoming move. Clearing desks, dismantling projects, etc. is better left to the responsible employees so that no important documents are lost or projects are unnecessarily damaged.
Ensure that boxes and protective equipment are delivered to you in good time. Once everyone has packed their belongings into boxes, nothing stands in the way of a smooth relocation. To stay organized all boxes should be labeled so that files and belongings are returned to the correct owner and do not get lost or misplaced during the move. If there are particularly sensitive or important items, it is advisable to personally take them to the new location.
Planning the office furnishing
The office layout and furnishing should be planned before moving into the new premises. Usually, you will receive a floor plan, with which you can plan the interior in the new office. Planning the new furnishing will also show which furniture can no longer be used and what needs to be bought. The new furniture should be ordered in good time so that it is assembled and ready for use before work begins.
Address changes
The address change is a rather unpopular aspect when it comes to preparing for the relocation, but one of the most important. Especially because it is the official company address. Among other things, the following points should be addressed:
- Set up redirection order at the post office
- Change of registration for city/municipality
- Change of registration with the AHV compensation fund
- Change address on the website and other directories
- Change printed documents, company stamps, etc.
- Create company signs for the house entrance, mailbox, etc.
- Inform banks and law firms
- Re-register company vehicles with the Road Traffic Office
- Re-register insurance policies
2. The day of the office relocation
If you booked a relocation company, they will do most of the physical work for you. This means that on the day of the move you can lean back and leave the work to the hired professionals. It is important that you as a contact person are available at all times or even on site. The following applies to the remaining employees: Either home office or they are on leave for one day due to relocation. Determine this in advance so that there is no confusion on the day of the move.
If you haven’t already received the keys to the new location the day before the relocation, you should do so before moving in your office inventory. Walk through the new premises with the property management or the landlord and check for damages. To make it official fill in a handover protocol so that you are protected in the event of damages. Both parties need to sign the protocol to make it valid.
3. After the relocation
After the relocation, the first priority is, of course, setting up the new office. This includes:
- Attaching the company signs
- Setting up phone, internet and fax connections
- Note down electricity, gas and water meter readings
- Report any damages in the new office to the landlord or the property management within 14 days, preferably via a registered letter
- Check insurances for the new location
And finally, a tip you can’t repeat often enough: Start planning your move in good time because as the organizer of the office relocation it should be your concern that all employees can move into their new workplace stress-free and on time without the company losing important resources for the core business.
