A lot of businesses are looking to downsize their office, and contrary to the typical assumptions about relocating to smaller premises, many of these companies are thriving.
Since the start of the 2020s, businesses that are able to do so are moving towards more flexible forms of working, which not only means a larger catchment area of talent to employ and higher levels of job satisfaction, but also lower rental costs. This is sometimes known as “rightsizing”.
That is not to say downsizing is the best option for every business, but a lot of companies looking for office removal services are doing so in preparation for moving to newer, streamlined, smaller facilities.
There are right ways to relocate and wrong ways, so with that in mind, here are some top tips to easily downsize your office without having major downtime or a lot of stressed employees.
Consult All Stakeholders
Ultimately, it is vital to ensure that relocation is right for you in the first place, and the best way to avoid disruption is simply to stay put if it is the right choice.
Often moving is the best option, and so you should consult your employees, both those who work primarily in the office and those who work remotely but are likely to touch down at your office, as well as regular clients, contractors, freelancers and other visitors.
This will affect the size of the new office you need, the number of breakout areas, meeting rooms and hotdesks required, as well as shape the new location of your office.
Give It Time
You generally have a lengthy notice period you need to give your current landlord, so you will have a lot of time to get this right.
Typically, an office move should be planned at least six months in advance for a relatively small office, and at least a year for a facility with at least 10,000 square feet of space.
Do An Audit Of Your Assets
Before looking for new facilities, set up an audit of all the property the business owns and is going to need to keep on-site.
Take an inventory of furniture, equipment, machinery, stationary, important assets for work and records that you are legally required to keep.
Categorise them by what you need to keep, what you would like to keep and what you can safely get rid of. The latter category can either be sold or removed straight away, saving time and energy when the actual moving day comes.
This also might mean doing a lot of scanning of paper documents to ensure there are digital copies preserved.
Think Of The Future
When you relocate, the worst eventuality is that you suddenly need more space and need to move again, so make sure when looking for suitable replacement offices that you choose one that keeps your future plans in mind.
Have Lots Of Time To Pack
Order storage boxes in advance and instruct staff to fill them a few days in advance to ensure that their personal effects and important files are securely moved.
Work With Professionals
Working with a professional service that specialises in offices will help minimise the disruption and make your life a lot easier.