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Top tips for packing when relocating your office

At Johnsons we’ve been moving homes and businesses for over 100 years – so we know a thing or two about transporting and relocating items from A to B. We always say that the packing and preparation stages of a relocation are amongst the most important – so here we share some of our top tips to help you to quickly and confidently get ready for an upcoming office move.

Communicate the move to all staff

First things first, share the news with your staff. A business move is an exciting new development – so get everybody on board and explain the motivations and benefits of the office relocation.

Organise your team Assign roles and clear responsibilties

Who is going to be involved with the office move? Think about how you will co-ordinate your team to ensure that you’re optimising manpower at all times before, during and after the move. Everyone will have a role to play. For example, some staff will need to maintain ‘business as usual’ throughout the relocation, answering calls and emails and overseeing the daily running of the company. Some staff can be in charge of packaging and protecting breakables. Others can organise boxes with a sensible, logical labelling system.

Keep staff morale up

An office relocation can be a confusing and stressful time for staff – as the upheaval and distraction of moving can be disruptive. Try to organise time outside of normal business hours to prepare for the move, and minimise disruption as much as possible by segregating office areas and packing areas. Plan celebrations to commemorate the move once you’re settled in, and get in some extra refreshments and supplies to keep everyone going throughout the move itself. If you’re going to be packaging everything up in the evening but normally work 9-5, order a take-out for everyone to incentivise them and increase involvement.

Packing tips

Different items require specialist attention – so be sure to read up and research before you start dismantling and dividing your physical assets. Furniture will need to be taken down piece by piece and boxed up according to the assembly instructions to make things easier at the other end. Filing cabinets will need to be emptied and secured – documents will need to be organised and safely stored. Pay special attention to IT equipment, computers and other devices – and ensure all data is backed up before you begin. If you have servers or a large number of computers you’ll need professional assistance to ensure that nothing is damaged and no data is lost. You can find out more about our specialist IT removal services here.

Want to learn more about business moves with Johnsons? Get in touch today or find details of our dedicated service here.