Company removals, Organization

Our checklist for your company move

Contents

 

For a company, whatever its size or activity, the success of a move involves a number of challenges. During the transition, it's all about ensuring the company's productivity, preserving its assets and resources (documents, equipment, machinery, etc.), but also maintaining staff comfort. So you need to plan ahead, and make sure you don't forget anything along the way. Once the decision has been taken, it generally takes 6 months to complete all the formalities. To help you along the way, here's a checklist for your company's move, from acquiring new premises to setting up on site.

Launch of formalities and planning (D-180)

1. Giving notice

Of all the steps involved in relocating a business, it's often the transfer of the commercial lease that marks the start of the formalities. Generally signed for a period of 9 years with tacit renewal every 3 years, the lease usually comes with a 6-month assignment period. You need to take this into account when terminating the lease, so as not to add to the bill for late termination.

company relocation checklist

2. Carry out a premises audit

As soon as youacquire new premises, it's a good idea to carry out an audit to anticipate the layout of the offices and plan any work that may need to be carried out before moving in. In this way, constraints linked to security, the installation of specific equipment or IT can be identified in advance.

3. Thinking about the aftermath

A move is often, quite rightly, an opportunity to question the way you work and what is really useful to your company. You should take advantage of this to get rid of what you no longer need and sort through your archives. You can start by taking stock of what's already there. Anything that can simplify the office move should be considered in advance, to avoid wasting time unnecessarily.

4. Draw up specifications for the move

You'll probably need a mover to move your company's equipment from one site to another. To launch the call for tenders and choose your service provider, you'll need to draw up precise specifications to define your expectations.

  • When would you like to move?
  • Who does what, before and during the move?
  • Who moves the furniture?
  • Who does the boxing?

All these points need to be addressed in your specifications.

Choosing a mover and fitting out the new premises (D-90)

5. Get quotes

choosing a mover for a corporate move

No later than 3 months before the date of the move, you must send the specifications to the service providers consulted to obtain quotes for your business relocation project. Take the time to show companies around your premises (old and new). Analyze the offers carefully to choose the company mover that best meets your needs. Take into account the specific features of each company to help you in your selection.

6. Carry out any work on the new premises

If you've identified the need to fit out your new premises, you need to plan as quickly as possible to meet the deadlines set by the construction companies. This is particularly important when it comes to organizing the computer network connection at the new site. In any case, it's best to get the work done before you move in. You'll have enough to do when you move in, without having to deal with work when you arrive.

7. Communicate with employees to reassure them

The sooner your employees know about the move, the better! You'll need everyone's help to make the move a success. There's no need to add stress to the big change that's about to take place by letting the rumors get around. To facilitate dialogue with your teams, it's a good idea to appoint a moving manager for each department or unit, and to schedule regular briefings to prepare your employees for the company move.

Find out how to prepare your employees for a company move in our dedicated article.

Anticipating your departure (D-60)

8. Plan any work to be carried out on the premises you are leaving

You must anticipate the inventory of fixtures at the end of the lease, and plan for any work required to restore the premises to the condition specified in the lease.

9. Present new premises to staff

Organizing a tour of the new premises will enable your employees to project themselves into their future workspace. You can also take the opportunity to send them a schedule to help them prepare for the move.

Move preparation (D-30)

how to prepare a company move10. Sort files

To avoid moving documents unnecessarily, it's important to sort through your files before transferring your business. Think about the archives stored in the annexes, and plan for the destruction of old files if necessary. Similarly, closed files to be retained should be sorted and clearly identified for possible archiving at the new site. Ongoing files should be dealt with separately, so that they can be quickly reintegrated into the offices after the move.

11. Manage the labelling of items to be moved

Each item to be moved (boxes, crates, furniture, etc.) must be precisely labeled to indicate its origin and destination in the new premises. A code is generally assigned to each office or employee to clearly identify batches to be moved from an inventory.

12. Take care of the new telephone line and Internet access.

Transferring telephone lines and Internet access is vital for your company, which needs to keep in touch with its customers and suppliers before, during and after the move. Plan the transfer of lines well in advance with your supplier to avoid any blockages.

13. Change of address

While the change of address can be carried out a few days before the move, you need to update your communication materials, business cards and letterheads well in advance. Government departments should also be informed of your change of address in advance of the move: URSSAF, tax authorities, etc.

IT roadmap and inventory (D-10)

14. Establish a personal roadmap

With the move only a few days away, it's essential toinform your staff of how the move is going to work. A reminder of everyone's tasks will also help to streamline work.

15. Take inventory of computer equipment

This is a highly strategic mission for companies that are totally dependent on their IT network. It's a step you can't afford to miss, and one you need to prepare in advance to make sure you don't miss a thing.

Completion before transfer (D-1)

Last day before themovers arrive! You need to check office by office that everything is ready to be moved. Department heads must ensure that the latest instructions are followed, to avoid any slip-ups.

D-Day: all hands on deck

What do you need to think about on moving day? Moving operations are best carried out at weekends or during vacations, to avoid disrupting company operations. Don't forget to clean the premises you're leaving in preparation for the inventory of fixtures at the end of the move, so you don't have to pay any costs for restoring the premises.

Final administrative formalities (D+10)

You can now make the final address changes, including mail forwarding. Don't forget to put up a notice on the premises to warn any contacts who are not aware of the company's move.