Moving an entire office and all the considerations that come with having employees, takes a great deal of planning and coordination.

Whether as part of a merger and acquisition (M&A) or as a move to flexible working post-pandemic, office changes happen for a variety of reasons. It may be that your business has grown beyond its usual walls or that your requirements for space within your current office have changed.

At Anabas, we have lots of experience in relocating our clients to new buildings. As such, we know the things to watch out for and can guide and support you to help with a smooth transition. This blog covers all elements of an office relocation from the large aspects to the small finer details.

How do you manage an office relocation?

There are key areas for your FM team to consider and manage carefully:

• Post-relocation office reinstatement
• Planning schedules for ensuring a smooth transition between the two sites
• A change in the scope of existing facilities management services required and changing resource levels of facilities staff as a result
• Engaging with building occupants

Post-relocation office reinstatement

Once your previous office building has been vacated, there will inevitably be furniture or other items no longer required or temporary fixtures that need moving to return the building back to its previous state.

Reinstatement could include:

• Removing temporary walls that were erected
• Deconstructing office furniture
• Managing the disposal of all the unwanted furniture and other office supplies
• Removing any custom décor and painting the office to a neutral colour scheme
• Removing internal and external branded office signage

All these elements, in addition to any specific to your company, should be included in your reinstatement.

Planning schedules for ensuring a smooth transition between the two sites

Your facilities management team will need early access to the new building to carry out some key activities ahead of your people attending their place of work for the first time. To ensure a smooth transition for your people, your FM team will;

• Implement all Health & Safety and emergency planning procedures and processes
• Carry out all Covid-19 risk assessments and train facilities staff accordingly to the Covid-19 safety measures in place
• Conduct pre-move familiarisation/orientation tours to gain knowledge of the new facilities
• Produce move plans for all staff equipment and consumables
• Test new technology, systems, and processes in place for the effective FM service delivery Identify appropriate work schedules for all services in scope

Any maintenance works will also need to be managed and completed during this time, ahead of staff attending the workplace. There also may be remediation or facility upgrades needed, and this will require scheduling in good notice.

New facilities staff

If the new office space is larger than your previous facility, or over a set distance, asking the existing FM team to relocate with the office isn’t always feasible. Planning for staff changes, handovers and more with your existing team is just as important as the move itself.

Whether this means hiring an extended team, outsourcing your FM needs, or pulling existing contractors on fixed term relocations to assist with the move – these factors must be taken into consideration when planning for the new site.

Change in scope of existing FM service delivery

An office relocation is also an ideal time to review the existing FM service provision and discuss any changes you may need in the new space. This could be a service review, a change in strategy or simply a feedback session. Maintaining your relationship with your existing FM provider, is helpful in ensuring a smooth transition during office relocations, as they will already be familiar with your company and its needs.

Engaging with building occupants

On the day(s) of the office relocation, multiple teams will need to be on-hand to ensure a smooth transition. It is useful to have:

• Concierge teams to direct people carefully
• Switchboard teams to direct calls if the telephone system has changed
• Reception teams to welcome guests and manage meeting systems
• FM operatives on hand to carry out inductions and DSE assessments with all staff

Relocating to another office

There are many factors that will play a part in relocating to another office. With our approach to service delivery, Anabas is well equipped to assist you in all aspects of your office relocation.

Our experience across a wide variety of sectors means that no matter the specific needs of your relocation, we are equipped and experienced to help. Get in touch today to find out how we can help with your office relocation.