Moving to a new office has its share of challenges. From replicating the perfectly harmonious ecosystem you have established in your current office space to make sure the move doesn’t hamper productivity and outcomes, there are many things you have to look at when planning an office relocation. However, the current state of the Chicago real estate market makes it the perfect time to finally relocate to the office of your dreams. Let’s discuss why.
Chicago’s Commercial Real Estate Market
The COVID-19 pandemic affected every industry in the world, but one of the biggest blows was faced by the commercial real estate market. As lockdowns around the world eased, many offices that had shifted to work from home decided to adopt permanent remote work policies. This left many empty office spaces in every metropolitan city, including Chicago.
Starting 2023 with an office vacancy rate of 19.4%, Windy City has seen little improvement in the commercial real estate market since the end of the pandemic, according to the Commercial Property Executive. However, the silver lining of this entire fiasco is that you can find plenty of affordable office space in the Central Business District today, as reported by the Commercial Real Estate Exchange!
To find your new office in Chicago or perhaps elsewhere, start by checking out online listings or contacting a local realtor. Once you find your new office, it is time to plan for the move.
Planning for the Move
Planning to move without an actual plan is a recipe for disaster. Let’s start by going over the basic things you must plan for before the move.
Finalize a Moving Company
Hiring movers can make your life infinitely easier. Do some research on local moving companies to find the best Chicago commercial movers that can help you with your office relocation. Before finalizing a mover, ensure they have experience in furniture installation, IT connect/disconnect, and moving electronics.
With a professional moving company at your service, you won’t have to worry about the logistics of the move, the safety of your equipment, or turning your new office into a functional space.
Set a Budget
Many expenses arise during a move; hence it is imperative to set a budget before you begin the work. Calculate a rough estimate of the total cost you are expected to bear during this relocation.
These costs include loss of work hours, the moving company’s fees, and any ad-hoc costs you may incur. With a set figure in mind, you can control your expenses and avoid being unpleasantly surprised when your credit card statement rolls through next month.
Choose a Moving Date
Staying on schedule is one of the most important parts of any plan, which is why you must choose a moving date for your relocation. Pick a day that’s not too long after you sign the lease/sale deed of the new office but not close enough to be impractical.
Give yourself enough time to ensure a smooth transition to the new workplace. We recommend picking a long weekend for the move so you don’t lose too many weekdays in the office.
Making Arrangements at Work
Once you have a concrete plan, it is time to focus on readying yourself and your employees for the move. Here’s how you can do that.
Find a Temporary Work Arrangement
You must first figure out your work arrangement during the move. The easiest would be to send your employees on a couple of days’ leave or ask them to work remotely. However, that’s not always an option, especially considering the difficult economic conditions today.
A great alternative you can explore is renting a co-working space for a few days. This way, you can ensure work continues normally while you set up the new office.
Notify Your Employees
The people who will be most affected by the move are your employees. Therefore, it is important to notify them beforehand. Announce the relocation in advance and share your plans on how to keep work from getting interrupted.
Set clear goals and assign responsibilities for the move. While most of your team will need to keep the show running in the background, you would fare well with the support of a few colleagues, so involve them in the moving process.
Many of your employees have to figure out their commute to the new location. So, informing them beforehand ensures they have time to make arrangements, preventing any tardiness issues on the first day at the new office.
Clear Your Schedules
While you should have a team keeping the business running, you must ensure you don’t schedule any appointments or events for the week of the move. Cite a fully booked calendar as an excuse and refuse any bookings for the time of the move.
With multiple things on your mind, adding meetings with clients and stakeholders during the move will only add to the stress on your mind. Therefore, keep a clear schedule until you settle into the new space.
Preparing for the Relocation
Last but not least, it is time to talk about how to prepare yourself and your new office for the relocation! Let’s discuss the three main things you need to focus on.
Carry out Renovations
Most office spaces need a considerable amount of work before moving in. However, even if you’ve found a furnished space, carry out any customizations/ renovations before the actual move. Whether you want to create more cabins or extend the conference room, try to do it beforehand so that your team isn’t disturbed by construction workers hammering away at the walls after the move.
Learn the Building Laws
Most office buildings have their management committees which have their own set of rules and regulations. Violating these rules sometimes leads to trouble, especially with your fellow occupants. Therefore, learn about the building laws before moving in and share the same with your team members.
Update Your Address
A common problem people face while moving offices is updating their addresses, specifically with clients and other stakeholders. You may have a client turn up at your old office weeks after the move, completely clueless about the relocation.
Avoid this by putting up announcements on your website and social media. Additionally, you can use e-mail or text broadcasts to share your new address.
Conclusion
An office relocation can be stressful, but with a little bit of planning and the right attitude, you’ll find yourself breezing through it. So what are you waiting for? Get busy making your dreams of having an office in the CBD area a reality!
