Move Management Checklist: Prepare Your Workplace for a Big Move

Relocating an enterprise to a new facility is the ultimate task management tango. To be successful, the HR, IT and facilities management (FM) departments must all work together with the C-Suite to choreograph moves for every asset and employee across the organization. And without a move management checklist, it can quickly become chaotic.

Just like an elaborate dance, a big move is made up of a series of complicated maneuvers that offer many opportunities for error, including:

• Forecasting spatial needs
• Staying within the allotted budget
• Meeting move deadlines
• Locating trustworthy vendor partners
• Managing expectations

The most difficult part of planning and executing a major office move? Simultaneously continuing to do your regular job. However, with the right move management strategy in place, you can make sure the relocation isn’t a disaster.

Here’s how enterprises can prepare for a big move without compromising on the quality of their current operation.

1. Have a Detailed Plan BEFORE Doing Anything

Craft a move management plan before any action takes place, including:

• Choosing which company you’ll hire for the move
• Setting employee expectations
• Creating a detailed timeline of events
• Establishing a schedule for the transfer of your business information (including utilities, internet service, phone service and contact information listed on all online sources)

Your move date must align with these details. Additionally, set a standard early on for communication between all department heads.

Pro Tip: Purge any unnecessary files, furniture and equipment. Every item you part with is one less thing you will need to move. Furthermore, cleaning house will ensure that your new space is unburdened by years of built-up clutter.

2. Implement Move Management Software

Smaller organizations may be able to squeak by without sophisticated tools, but it’s risky business to attempt a big relocation without move management software. Move management software helps enterprises more easily coordinate employees, assets, space and relocation tasks and minimizes the risks associated with moving large operations.

Pro Tip: Utilize space management software to compare your blueprint to a floor plan of your current and new office locations. With these software solutions, you can assist employees with their move, address service and move requests and plot out department, asset and employee placement.

3. Carefully Pack Every Piece of Equipment

Before you even think about unplugging and packing office equipment, take stock of every single item. (Asset management software will make this task a cinch.)

Implement a labeling system to ensure cables and accessories are grouped with the proper machines from the right departments. When removing cables, do so carefully to prevent pins from bending and other types of cable damage. Place each machine’s cables in its own labeled ziplock bag for the move.

Most importantly, plan strategically so that equipment and corresponding assets arrives at the new location at the same time. Moving an employee’s entire workstation without their computer could seriously derail productivity.

4. Anticipate and Address Stress

Even with the most detailed plan in place, moving to a new office location will be stressful and will affect your employees. They might be upset about giving up their old office or worried about whether or not the new space will support their needs. Some employees may face a longer commute, and your move schedule may not work for everyone’s production pipeline.

Managing employee stress is just as important as overseeing every other detail of the move. The key to reducing stress? A consistent stream of communication. Bring employees into the loop and make time for open, honest conversations with anyone who is upset or concerned. You should also send each employee a checklist to help them organize and prioritize for the move and tell them exactly what they can expect.

Pro Tip: Implementing work order software and IT help desk is the most effective way for HR, IT and facilities leaders to quickly respond to employee concerns related to their workspace and equipment.

While making a big move will undoubtedly be a challenge for everyone involved, having a well-developed move management checklist in place can make sure each department is on the same page and the relocation dance is a perfect 10. (Or at least close to it.)

To make your new office space the perfect fit for all employees, check out our free eBook, The Great Workplace Space Race: How Successful Enterprises are Solving Spatial Challenges.