Planning and Management of Office Relocation

The Managing Director of SGS inspection Services Nigeria Limited requested that his personal Assistant should present a report on office relocation project to know if she could come up with facts that can make the planned merging of their two offices into a new location by next year a reality. She commenced by giving the rundown of the relocation process from the introduction to other facts that she felt that were catching to the ears and will aid when the project will be finally executed. Below were the right ups.

INTRODUCTION

Office relocation is an interesting exercise if properly planned and executed. This can be a flamboyant business that can stand on its own. It is an epitome of a beginning which comes with divers opportunities like introduction of new technologies and working practices. This with clear evidence can turn around productivity, self-esteem and energy or thrust.

On the other hand, office relocation can be seen as the most stressful event a company can undergo when it is poorly managed. It can be characterized with costly mistakes which could be avoidable. You can agree with me that it is uncalled for that a company is relocated to a place where it lacks concentration on its daily tasks, get distracted of focus from here and there. Hence, it is imperative that you see the relocation not just as a movement of facilities and operations team but should also have in mind the business stability and the impact on revenue. Therefore, for the move to be a success every arear of the company must be involved in input and communication. [Online]. Available from www.helpmovingoffice.co.uk

So, this has to be thoroughly planned by analysing the what the project is all about that what does it take to do this to the expected milestone. you must plan from the preparation to the actual movement of the office. The best practice to achieve this is by developing a checklist which is a step by step process of planning and relocating form an old office to the new one.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

In recent years, the traffic gridlock in Apapa area of Lagos metropolis where the operations of the industrial, manufacturing, oil and Gas sectors business have its excellence has been a nightmare. This is as a result of the dilapidation of the roads that provide access to Apapa. The inhabitants of this area including workers within the environs have not been smiling over the situation associated with movement by road on board motor vehicles there as they spend half of the man hours on the road on a daily basis, the cost of the transportation is not even to be mentioned as it has increased by 150% of the old price. Even some sole business owners within that vicinity have been experiencing high slow in business transaction as a result of this. This situation has led to loss of revenue to some businesses, high cost of business operations and clumsiness in business. Some businesses have packed up because their clients / customers find it very stressful to access them as such, they devise alternative means and in some instances, they look for their competitors. And when an establishment starts losing its customer one after the other, it has no choice than to pack up to save the cost of paying for the premises without generating revenue. The situation of the road on a daily basis can be seen in the picture below.

https://propertypro.ng/property/commercial-property-for-rent-victoria-island-lagos-L2625

SGS Nigeria has its head office in Victoria Island Lagos with operation offices in Apapa and Port Harcourt. So, it is being affected by the gridlock. Its staff working there have shown their dissatisfaction on the whole situation and how it’s affecting both man hours and performances. It has led to truancy and non-punctuality to office. Most of them decided to work from home. It became a problem that management has got nothing to say about all these exhibitions because it understands the stress they are passing through.  Such environment is not too good for health. So, it no longer complies with the legislative law of health and safety. The issue of staff off Apapa office always complaining that they lack the opportunity of interacting with fellow colleagues Victoria Island and having access to the MD whose office is seated at Victoria Island Lagos also became a point to consider.

It also became imperative that the organisation should consider the cost saving in order to remain competitive, you can testify that if revenue can’t go up, you can’t achieve margin expectation and generally the world economy is focused on price reduction to achieve this expected margin. SGS sees paying rent for two offices in same city, maintaining the facilities leads to massive overhead, so during the years kick of business meeting, the MD and the members of the management came up with plan of relocation.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions are posited to guide in reaching the research objectives

• What are the requirement and plan for the relocation?
• Which relocation company will ensure your properties are moved safely without damage?
• What is your budget?
• What date do you want to relocate?

PURPOSE

The purpose of the project as she proposed are mentioned blow.

• To go by the world economy class and to ensure that the organisation establishes an urgent need for cost saving to enable it remain competitive in business
• To establish a central location where all the branches of SGS will merge and transact its business with common goal of reducing cost and maximising revenue.  There will be payment for just an office location and most facilities will be used commonly. This relocation will make a great impact in the revenue of the organisation as there will be cost saving on rent, personnel, IT resources and even power consumption.
• To have a location which will encourage collaboration and familiarisation among the staff.

BUSINESS CAPACITY MUST MAINTAIN STATUS QUO

One thing the managing director has advised was that the business capacity should be maintained as the relocation goes on. So, it became obligatory to pay proper attention on maintaining the business speed and make sure that the overall operations are properly regulated. So, another objective which was to hold the size of the business, this being a manageable task must be handled carefully without compromising the number of clients in the database instead maintain the records of the previous clients and inspire them on continuous use of their services even after the relocation. You can go ahead by offering them special offers and schemes. Considering the number of staff that will be involved in the project, she envisaged the likelihood of double burden on the rest of the staff at work to manage other operations. But the relocation was seen to be a necessity to reduce operational expenses on renting two locations. This was not intended to affect attending to their clients in any way. The entire operations will be taken proper care this period.

PROVISION OF SUPPORT SERVICE

There should be a strong support team during this period. This is one thing that the MD had no intention of compromising. There should be adequate provision to improve their support and customer satisfaction services during this period. That means there should be customers’ service availability for the 24 hours in the week and someone must be on to take queries from our clients. The MD does not want our support facilities to be such that people/clients will think or assume that they were neglected or their problems were not given attention. But instead let them be convinced that we are still better of our competitors even on the face of supposed obstruction like the relocation; because we value them and pay attention on their queries. They are the reason why we are in the business

IMPROVEMENT OF IT SYSTEM OF THE COMPANY

The objective to improve our IT services includes the reduction of cost which was incurred   by the two locations. The relocation is aimed at bringing the two locations together under a single roof which will imply the use of one server and same IT personnel. This will generally create an opportunity to introduce the advance technologies invoke. For instance, the internet Protocol (IP) system interface remote and versatile laborers to SMB[*]. This will regulate the regular down, or unsecured don’t permit representative rapid movement and expedite the access to informative content and strong business choices. This will generally prevent loss of income. The relocation process will incorporate plans of taking care of this. People working out of the office like our inspectors in the field need to acquainted with the setting of wherever access to informative data

HUMAN RESOURCES COST

The is another objective of this relocation which has to do with Government regulations on clients is a big test for different categories of organisations. According to Academic essay and reporting, health insurance Portability and accountability act (HIPAG) of 1996 provided security for institution’s system for electronic trade, and privacy of human services information. If the representatives are not corporative, there are the likely to miss of chances and even exceptional thought may expire. So, with the new location, the SMB advance luxurious can be adopted and we can enjoy remote working through IP system. However, the cost of all these must be investigated verifiably and the target rate of return for these

PROCEDURE

The procedure used for this report was researching on the internet on previous projects of office relocation. And some of the reviews on the research of the project are summarized below in short sub headings as

• How it was planned from the start to finish.
• The reasons for relocation
• The risks associated with the relocation
• Benefits of relocating an office
• Cost breakdown
• Steps by steps of relocating an office

SOME REVIEWS ON OFFICE RELOCATION

RELOCATION PLAN

The success of every project has it foundation on the planning meaning that if you plan well, you come out successful but if you plan wrongly you will come out with poor result if not a failure. The moment the decision of relocating your office or business is taken, the next step is to come up with project plan.

Photo © Chipman

What is this plan? Planning here means outlining the necessary tasks for a successful office move. This should also extend to the allocation of these tasks to their respective executors and the time required of them for completion.

The step by step outlined will serve as a guide and with it, you can confirm completion of each step of task. Having a good project plan and following it will reduce, if not eliminate lost time/interruption and loss of productivity. Also, project will be successfully completed on time and within the budget.

According to Chipman, the planning should revolve around

• Have somebody to oversee the relocation
• Form a project team
• Chose a moving date
• Put up a budget
• Then draw a customize plan the relocation

REASONS FOR OFFICE RELOCATION

Despite the fact that relocating an office can possibly lead to a positive change in the general life of a company’s business if you choose the right place, yes it could turn your business around for best. it can also be seen as a tough and stressful exercise. It requires a lot of planning, extra expenses than the usual and involves some further logistics. it can equally be an exciting and a progressive event too.

According to Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert, said “Change is difficult for everyone; but you have to take risks if you want to be successful”. She added that, “The entire difference between being a good business and a great business may well be where you’re situated.”

This will bring us to the reasons that can induce office relocation. These are those situations which could influence your fear of the participating in relocation and it can motivate your decision making in relocating your office. They include

1. Nearness to clients

Who are the major clients for your business? Where do they come from? Are you always on the move trying to reach out to these clients? Or are they always in transit just because they want to do business with you? If that is the case, then you should consider moving. You should all that it takes to be close to those your important clients and customers that you value most. If this is not considered vital, may lead to you losing your clients to your competitors.

As a reputable business you may have realized that your target market has changed or expanded into secondary targets If you find yourself traveling often to reach your clients or do business with them, then depending on the size of the opportunity you may want to be closer, or set up a satellite office.

This is true especially for your clients and customers you hold at high esteem whose match are not easily come by. Securing new customers and enhancing your profit margin isn’t going to get any easier so it makes sense to exceed expectations for the one’s you’ve got already.

Photo: © andreaobzerova, YFS Magazine

1. Access to new, better and larger market

The sole aim of running a business is for financial gains and seeing it grow and expand. It is, then, sensible to reflect on whether your current market size and quality is huge enough to enable you attain the maximum expected growth plans or not.

Sometimes, businesses have everything it takes to succeed – brand awareness and the resources to run it; yet you discover that you are not making the required profit due to an unsophisticated market. This implies that your services may be better accepted in a different market where the statistical population will sustain your business’ growth and advancement. Most times you find businesses in a situation where they can clearly see that their market is saturated. For the fact that new markets are always emerging, a resourceful company will always source to identify such markets, relocate there, and boom.

If you have gotten growth elasticity limit of a location, you may be better off by trying to move your business to another place. This calls for move to a location that has a higher target market.

Photo: © Andriy Bezuglov, YFS Magazine

So long, Silicon Valley (AP Photo / Jeff Chiu)

You can cut major costs

A major objective of every business is to make profits and cut costs. The reason for the high cost in business varies. It could be that you are locating currently in a place where life itself is very expensive. It could also be that you are currently situating in more than one location and coming together under a roof could be seen as bringing down cost. Because you are now going to be using same resources for the combined branches. Moving your business from one place to another can help you achieve just that; whether it is down the street, to another city. When you look at the cost of living and running a business at your current locations it may be much higher than what the new location where you are merging can offer.  Every thriving business always looks out for ways to increase profits and cut costs. Sometimes, moving your business may be the best option you have to cut costs and increase profitability. SGS as a case study will see this relocation as a means of cutting cost as we are merging two locations into one.

You need to expand

Relocating your business does not continuously have to be moving from Lagos to Abuja. It could still be involve moving from a location in Lagos to a different location still in Lagos.

This can be the case of sometimes, when you observed that your business has grown and become much bigger than your current space can house. Sometime it happens as a result of may be introduction of new line of business which amounted to employing more staff. There is now constrain on spaces for offices and units, even the cubicles have become over crowded, and your parking lot can longer take the cars for the workers and for operations. Such a situation, calls for you considering relocation. In this case, you may need to move from your office apartment to a bigger place that will take your existing size and level.

Labor and workforce Issues

Looking for suitable manpower could be enough good reason for office relocation.  A business could suffer low supply of manpower as a result of your business location. It could be that the road leading to the location is high fare consuming and high residence rent, this may deny some specialized manpower who would have loved to pick up appointment in your company. Or the present location too may be suburb which some highly specialized professionals too may not consider moving into. In cases like that, you should consider relocating your business. If your business flourishes because of a certain skill which only particular set of employees can provide, then relocating to a place where you will have easier access to these staff should be your consideration.

This can equally incorporate looking for a fresh new talent pool because e employees can enhance or collapse a business. The quality of your workers determines a long way the success or failure of a business. The desire to acquire skilled and experience workforce can initiate office relocation.

Rent

When you are trying to increase your profit margins, the cost of your business premises can hinder that as some rents can be very outrageous that no matter what the employer strives to meet target make profit, it will be difficult to do that. When this is the case, relocation can be the only way out/ best option. At least move your business to a location that is much cheaper than the existing.

Correct Past Mistakes

Mistakes are inevitable in life and all that have to do with it. We all make mistakes. You may have made mistake of choice when you started your business. You choose the wrong location; this may be as a result of improper research or maybe it was booming rightly then marketwise, but your products or services have reached saturation now.

In this case, relocation provides an opportunity for growth. But you should be care of not being of your last mistake, there is a need for you to perform some quality research on your proposed location. You must ensure you relocate to a place where you are certain that it has the optimal condition that will favor your product or service.

One vital thing here that should be in mind is being active on social media, and advance in your online presence. Seek quality advice from trade groups, network better and endeavor to enter into deals with vendors that worth working with

8. Better quality life.

Most business are too time demanding for profit to be maximized. In such a case, you see both the management and other employees always glued to themselves to their systems / computers to make sure no track is missed and this affects work- life- balance. But you may find your business in a location where such factors that could encourage healthy work-life-balance are in built in the system and you will rather be more productive than before. It is very important to draw a line between the professional and personal life; Because of its effect on mental and physical well-being.

Relocating to a proper office space can stop occurrence of this always on the toes and eyes glued to computer syndrome and like I mentioned earlier, it will rather improve productivity which, in turn, supports better businesses performance.

BENEFITS OF OFFICE RELOCATION

When the conclusion of your relocating of office is finally made, obviously, you would have done plenty of researches and consultation who would have advised you on how taxing the exercise is, and how many drawbacks there are. Nevertheless, relocating your office is an exciting, progressive time; and we feel it should be treated in such a way.

Relocation of office happens for so many reasons which cuts across company expansion to moving to another city, and regardless of the reason, it’s often cause for celebration. From changing your office’s interior design to applying advanced ways of working, office relocations can be the inductor for igniting your entire company a make-over, and not just an aesthetic one.

Office relocation can ignite a company into evaluating its mode of operations; this can act as motivator and performance booster; It can also change the insight of the public, employee and customer about the company’s business. This is likely to create avenue for cost reduction. “Business.com, February 22 2017”

If your current location is not convenience operations wise, you might be able to improve your operations by moving to a new location now that you have some history with your sales and operations

Let’s look at some benefits a company can benefit while relocating its company as they are summarized below on the sub headings. These headings have been summarized based on different type of relocations. That is either relocation into a big space or relocation into a smaller space depending on the company’s choice and motive

Grow your company	More space, a nicer office or a better location means it will be easier to improve your workforce: you may be nearer to large talent pools, or you may have the space to take on additional members of staff. Either way, office relocation opens new doors to improving your workforce.   A company that has recently moved to better, brighter offices is also likely to look more impressive in the eyes of prospective employees and clients alike. It’s a signal of success, determination and dynamism: you aren’t just standing still, letting the company fall into a routine.
How to transition your workplace correctly	Office relocations can be a sensitive subject to approach with your staff, especially if there are considerable changes to take into account. It can be easier to employ outside companies to deal with transitioning your workforce. This is due to a number of reasons, including their experience and expertise with doing so, and the resulting knowledge of how to do it properly and empathetically.   Make sure your staff have plenty of notice, and have a large say in what’s happening: the more included employees feel, the more on your side they will be. Ask for their suggestions with location, design and layout. They may have ideas on how to structure the interior to help improve their work, or the most efficient way to sit. You may also find that when you change your employees’ environment, it works as a huge morale boost, encouraging proactive work and positive feelings for the company. Moving offices will give you the opportunity to evaluate how your workforce collaborates with each other, and how they communicate. This also gives you the opportunity to re-establish and build upon your company culture. Workplace transitioning is a huge part of the relocation process, but when done well, it makes the entire journey run smoothly.
utting down on costs	One of the best parts of office relocation is the ability to evaluate your financial outgoings. From utility tariffs to office goods, go through all of your suppliers and discover where you could save money, and how you can improve the ROI you’re getting from the money you’re spending.   Review your current suppliers and ask for quotes from alternative companies. One simple evaluation and review could result in large yearly savings. Likewise, look at the technology you’re using: office relocation is a great excuse for moving to the most efficient and effective systems, in order to save you and your team time and money. It’s much easier changing solutions and equipment when you move, than trying to perform an upheaval in a working office.
New office, new start	There’s no point trying to say that office relocations are easy, they are not. But, they don’t need to be seen as an adverse, time-consuming task. Moving creates an avenue for you to refurbish your business, motivate your staff and save some money; as well as giving you the opportunity to review the core values at the heart of your company an example is the look in the picture below of what your conference/meeting room could be.
Enhance your brand	Offices are a key tell-tale sign when it comes to a company: you can tell whether they’re young and quirky, or more traditional. Outsiders to your business will learn a lot about your brand from your offices; and moving gives you the chance to update your look along with your brand.   The style, tone and purpose of company branding often changes as a company develops, so once you move offices, you’ll have the ability to update your company look in line with the message you want to portray about it. The building, the interior design, the location and the style you choose are major factors in creating your brand’s tone and portraying the right message. Office design and relocation companies will be able to offer some insightful ideas to help you attract the right audience.
Implementing innovative ways of working	New methodologies as innovation introduced to your business may seem hard to implement in your current location as a result of one challenge or the other depending on the nature of the innovation. Eg it may be a new business with high profit expectation as the demand for such service or product is high in the market, because constrain in the current location, it hasn’t been implemented. But once you move, the possibilities double. Your intending new theories and techniques you want to try now have the opportunity to be tried out.   Employees may also expect a total refresh when they start working in a new building.
Improved Operations	If by default you choose your current location because of cost or convenience, you might can enhance in your operations by relocating to a new site where you made enquiries and have gotten history with your line of sales and operations. This new location may have a building with improved digital infrastructure, a free conference room that you can book for meetings and reduced utilities costs.

McCannErickson_01

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVATAGES OF OFFICE RELOCATION

This may feature some information similar to benefits of office relocation but in a different version

ADVANTAGES

• Creates room for expansion

Photo: SunGard

Most times, operating a business in a confined location and premises does not allow the business profitability excellence, relocating to a more broad premises may create impression on the world around that financial is a vitality to business. Some Large organisations like SGS can decide to consolidate into one premises. This is exactly what SGS is planning, bringing together the Victoria island and Apapa offices together in one premises.

• Better space use: You can look out for spaces that can accommodate all the operations of the business including car parks and even some recreation spots that the staff can use during their break periods.
• Ignite a fresh start: During relocation, one part that cannot be overlooked is the financial expenses. This means a general analysis from the utility bills to company properties. Everything should be evaluated including your suppliers. Doing a thorough check on your spending and suppliers, you could find out where you can possibly save money, reduce your overheads and increase your return on invest (ROI). This can be done by sampling different suppliers‘ quotation where you can identify a right one that can be of quality and of a lower cost which can amount to a very significant savings

Photo: Arnold KLP

• Business re-branding: Your office can be rebranded into what you are proposing when you relocate to a better location.
• New Technology: A review of your current technology can lead to enjoyment of a new face of technology by relocating your office to a place of much efficient and effective system. By so doing you have saved time and money for the team

COST BREAKDOWN

As earlier said, moving an office is a scary task which if you have your way, you will avoid but a point comes where it become a necessity that it must take place. when the decision has been taken, you need to gather all that is required and cost them. The cost breakdown can go in this way as summarized below

• Cost of new place
• Outsourcing help
• The potential new purchase of equipment and furniture
• Cost of any lost business during the move

NEW SPACE

What is the size of operation?

How do you want the office look to be? As work station? If yes, how many work stations do you require to accommodate your staff? Or do you want each staff to have a separate office? How many offices will take the number of staff you have you have?

How many laboratories do we have?

How many chairs and tables need replacement?

What new design of reception do you require? A standard and good looking reception?

Internet and cables for the new office, are you relocating the old one or you are establishing a new one?

New installation and of cable and internet

Reassembling of disassembled items from the old location

CURRENT OFFICE

Disassembling of the items in the old location

Moving of server

HIRING A PROFESSIONAL MOVER

Packing of the things at the old location in readiness to transfer to the new location

Now you have all these expenses listed out and cost of start and accomplishing each, you are now ready to follow the steps required for you to move your office or business.

STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL MOVE OF OFFICE

According to Morgan Lovell, there are ten steps to which can guide to a successfully office move. they are summarized below

Where to start

There various reasons for office relocation but most time bore down to anticipation from current lease expiration and interruption in tenancy. Relocating an office could be a very fantastic opportunity that you need to critically analyze if your current space is fit for use. It can take care of any expectation for future development or flexibility to changing work practices.

Morgan further says that relocating an office provides opportunity for companies to consider some thrilling changes like:

• Working practices: examining modern working ways
• Workplace culture: When you are new in a place, there is bound to be changes which will make an impact on culture, this will need to be managed which will need to be forehandedly managed
• Brand identity: Relocation can be a good time that you may think of changing your company brand identity to meet up with some new generation corporate companies.

These can make a great impact on Staff motivation and efficiency. It can aid staff retention and talented staff can easily be engrossed. Improved internal communications and collaboration

Picture from Morganlovelle

Build your project team

Building a projectis very apparent in office relocation. Here you gather personnel cutting across various talents and skills to form your project team.  This team must have a project team leader who has good knowledge of project management and commands the authority to make decisions and has the ability to drive the project forward.  This leader should get all relating to the project on the target including the team members ensuring delays and procrastinations are minimal. He, together with the team should ensure the proposed office reflects the space at hand having the company brand and other key aims in the initial plan.

When this done, you can now employ other internal personnel from different business divisions as supports to the project lead. These include aspects like HR, IT & Marketing. This is for the development of highly quality project team involving great wealth of expertise in office spaces. They will support in delivering the project.

Picture from Morganlovelle

Decide on what you want to achieve

A lot of people have been looking for opportunities of redesigning their offices to a more attractive and business oriented way, but to start or carry it out became a hard nut to crack. When eventually a decision of relocating the office arose, it creates an enormous occasion to critically advance in the way your company functions. Before this is rightly achieved, you need to define some definable like: –

1.What kind of space do you want to create?

2. What is the key thing your organisation would value more?

The answers to the above questions should present to you a perfect design of what your office is to look like. So, come up with answers to these questions.

Whichever way you answered them will definitely make impact on your budget and any project circle spans. Therefore, it is good to be realistic with the answers. Don’t forget to rank them.

You must put the team through the steps of your new office and its location so that nothing will be missed from the company’s needs during delivery

Inspect a proposed potential workspace if it has what you need in it. These can include:

• Travel times
• Parking space
• Public transport
• Accessibility from the major road
• Local amenities
• Rent costs
• IT/mobile coverage

The availability of these above elements will determine if you are happy with the place or not, whether or not this new office can meet your requirements.

Picture from Morganlovelle

Approach the right commercial property expert

Looking for a right commercial property expert means you have successfully formed your standard project team lead by senior stakeholder, your location been set, office block criteria has been set and budget confirmed.

So, you should search for a well skilled commercial property expert to complete the relocation processes.

It is usually advisable to seek to use a sound agent, this can make the whole process easy and live will be easier for the project team.

While searching, consider the following as aids

• Enquire from colleagues and customers for references
• You can seek for references and testimonials from old customers
• You should find out if they are familiar with the area you are searching in
• Equally explore on online for more findings
• Ensure they the technical know-how when it comes to commercial property

Ensure these different options are shortlisted and this is done by the property agent. But you should bear in mind that the property agent you chose should support your project team making the project less-burdensome or easy.

Select your design and build partner

Once you have selected your new space, discover a design and build partner and of course your partner must be an extension of your project team. This must be a specialist who is to give you exactly what you desire and to the standard you want it.

They will need to understand your brief, provide the enthusiasm to drive the project forward and possess the expertise to swiftly deal with any challenges your office move may encounter.

Don’t compromise your vision by accepting a company that cannot measure up to it, as this relationship is absolutely crucial to the success of any office relocation and fit out. [Morgan Lovell]

Start this process by creating a list of factors and then rank them in order of importance.

These could include:

• Check the knowledge and experience of the concerned in your sector
• Does it have stand out status
• Permit to operate and sustainability
• What is the financial status or epileptic?
• What is their HSE like? This must be paramount. So, insist on the Health and safety   record
• Seek for recommendations from past customers

Once your list has met the above criteria, you need to bring this before your project team for their opinion before entering into agreement.

With this, the team would be able to approach some firms for enquiries. Narrow down the number of contractors in your list to about three or four, get them briefed and arrange for a day of presentation from each of them. Also, at this stage you should be prepared to meet with the entire project team for more one on one enquiries. Please do not be scared of asking questions that may be considered tough so far it will aid your decision making. The contents of the proposal should have included conceptual designs that can meet your desires and expectable costs this project but don’t peg on this to be your deciding factors.

It is advisable to take some time out to visit some offices designed and delivered by your prospective partners for their other clients and also some live sites that they are working on to see how they operate.

Don’t focus on microscopic details at this stage.

Designs can easily be twisted, but be sure that you understand the thinking behind what has been offered. The overall designs should meet the brief, even if the colours in the concept do not match the walls and floors of your ideal office.

Consult, collaborate, and listen

Now that you have appointed your ideal design and build team to act on your brief, you are now operating on a high level of energy and enthusiasm. One thing you shouldn’t forget is that you are now a target. Every eye is on you expecting a cute delivery of the project. That is fine. So, the time is up for you to involve the staff and host meetings with the selected Design &Build partner and their own team. This is for them to

• Determine how your business operates
• Have a better understanding of your business
• Interact and seek the opinion of the entire business group members on their expectation for the new office. This will require some interactive sessions with the staff and this will make them understand the business setting and can decide on what their focus will be to avoid mistakes that could lead to redoing it a second time which amounts to resources waste. For you to achieve this, you will need to work with the viewpoint of ‘no surprises’ from the foundation of the project. This will help to minimize resistance to change, and create a positive thrill around the project.

When the staff are engaged from the onset of the project and are kept informed, you can go ahead to expose them to opportunities of being part of the process through brainstorming sessions and/or meetings.

FINDINGS/RESULTS

METHODOLOGY

The process of relocation of office to a new site entails very strategic planning and scheduling for documentation. It involves but not limited to moving the furniture and equipment, getting in touch with utility companies, assets disposal, making time table for relocation with key dates and list of vital people to be contracted during the relocation.

A systematic planning shall be conducted, and analysis on the required tasks to be completed. The project intends to work with the project team from start to finish. This is planned to use resources, manpower and estimated time to the delivery of each stage. It will be aimed at reducing, saving risks and cost. So, this bring us to the importance of not making your decision in a hurry as it can take like anything not less than a year. For some very big organizations relocation from start to end can take up to five years (Haines, 1970)

As was earlier said, a project team will be formed for a successful relocation. This team must be led by a Project Manager, followed by the Office Coordinators and then Other Staff. Allocate tasks properly to various categories for smooth process no matter the degree of confused nature of various task how tedious the tasks may be.

Let me quote the 2 Parrucci and D.Targ and HR (1988) who said working through the move with local leader though may take time but it makes relocation easy and smooth.

THE ROLES AND DEFINITIONS OF THE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF THE PROCESS

The Project Manager

A project Manager is the overall supervisor of the entire relocation from start to finish. His primary responsibility includes but not limited to strategic planning, organizational design and succession planning. He provides guidance to other member of the team by acting as a facilitator.

As a facilitator, he will do the following;

• He should be able to work in partnership with the staff at every point during the relocation process
• He must provide a time frame during this changeover period
• The project manager should have another plan for the process
• He should be having periodic meetings with every other person involved in the project
• He should be able to maintain progress report as well as exploring the new station for new business opportunities

Project Manager should possess the following qualities;

• Must be influential
• Must possess good communication skill
• Must quick decisive skill
• Must possess full knowledge of the organisation’s structure
• He must have excellent risk management skill, proactive and analytical skill
• For the final analysis, he must possess a good leadership quality

Detailed Project Plan

From the introduction, it was successfully identified the aspect of IT that needs to be addressed, while everything is going on, it is imperative that the business capability is being retained, that is there should not be any compromise regarding the business capacity, integrity and professionalism. The aim should always look at how the business can grow with the new site we equally have in the plan the smooth relocation of the office, human resource management and how the mobile employee can gain strategic business for the company. The plan has manned the critical aspects of time and resources to manage the office relocation in a very efficient way from the experience of M.E Porter (1998), the project process may lead to operational changes of a company compare to what existed

Planning and scheduling

Office relocation planning is not an easy task as planning determines how smooth and successful it turns out. if it is not properly executed, may affect the business. It requires much effort and a well-structured management approach.  Summarized below are the planning of an office relocation. This is from the time of start, implementation and finish of the entire process. They are in the sub headings as

Defining deadline

what is your deadline for concluding this? There must definitely be a deadline for the existing the rent and a commencement date for the new site. Our current lease will expire by 31 December 2018 so the new lease for the new location is expected to commence by 01 January 2019 so this means that by this time we ought to have relocated to the new site. attention has to be paid on avoiding any clash with the Landlord of the current location who is not happy that he is losing a tenant like SGS. So, every hand must be on deck to ensure that every pin is relocated to the new location on or before this date.

The IT is set up to use one week and three days to set up all computer system

Allocation of Tasks

All hands must be on deck by the team members to help figure out the tasks involved. They will collaborate to assign or allocate the task of general and administrative tasks.” Consultation and coordination are pertinent at every stage of office relocation” McDonald and Huckfeldt (1988)

The project team are categorized into 3

• The project manager
• Administrative Staff
• Employees

ALLOCATION OF TASK TO THE TEAM

The task will now be shared abased on the team categories

Project Manager

The project manager is to manage the daily activities of this relocation he will delegate out tasks or responsibilities among the office coordination. An office relocation requires collaboration and corporation (oneness). He gives each group its tasks like I earlier said an office relocation is not a one-man thing, it requires collaboration of innovative, proactive minds. The project manager will allocate specific tasks to the administrative and ensures that they are carried out as required. He draws a pamphlet of schedule of tasks assigned to each category and it will be handed over to them. This pamphlet contains the tasks, their start and finishing time, plan for the relocation. this will be shared among the team members. As the project manager, he will the one to

1. Time the relocation activities
2. The proposal is to be evaluated by him
3. He is to carry out the cost assessment

Administrative Staff/Office Coordinators

The administrative staff should carry out the task delegated to them without compromising the project integrity. In all, the coordinating staff has to accommodate the following

• Taking custody of the role assigned to you and carry it out as required
• Ensure you maintain reality and achievability for a successful relocation
• You must help the project manager
• You are to collaborate with the employees in coordinating the activities and send report to the project manager
• You must keep yourself updated with the up-comings in the process.

Other Staff/Employees

Though the employees have no much task in the process. The only thing they need to do is to make sure that coordination of activities that concern company business running must not be interrupted during the process. They will have to provide a strong support to keep the functions of the business without leakage. So here, the remaining staff form part of the administrative staff who are fully involved in the relocation by being connected remotely like the inspector in the field in their various sites or homes ensuring that works go on.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Carry out Risk Assessment

For every operational task, there must a risk analysis and assessment provide it involve human beings. This is to identify the possible risks associated with that task and then find out the possible means of eradicating and control them. For this relocation process, there are like to be some expected risks but in the process that they did not occur, fine; but it has to be borne in mind

1. There may be unpredictable cost
2. There may be failure in setting some equipment
3. Problems may arise from installing communication and data cables
4. There may be loss or damage of some inventories
5. Unconditional delay and postponement of the relocation

With the risks assessed, we can devise means on how to minimise if not eliminate them.

BUDGET

This sounds like the most critical aspect of office relocation. The ability to identify, control and manage your moving office budget is very paramount.

When setting a budget for office relocation, it is very important to work out your expenses so you can realize exactly where each money goes into. The following could serve as a guide for your office relocation budgeting and allocation

1. How much do you think your office move is going to cost you?
2. Set a genuine budget for your relocation and do not deviate from it.
3. Do not deviate from your budgeted time execution.
4. Control & Manage your office move costs easily
5. Ensure the team for the process are kept to task and on target.
6. Prepare an up-to-date cashflow forecast for the process
7. Compare & Analyze quotes and estimates for the move

You are not done just with figuring out your proposed expenses and allocating money to each, you need to be organising, tracking how each money is being used and where it put into.

Having evaluated the cost that may be incurred during office relocation, you have made a realistic budget which takes into consideration some unforeseen occurrences as proposed

Team Selection

Like earlier said, the administrative staff are part of the team; so the intention is to utilize them to contribute to the processes. The Roles assignment will be based on their relevant experiences. This will save us plenty of time and costs. As usual the project manager will monitor and manage the coordination of the whole process and will ensure a smooth transition.

Space/Floor Planning

We have professionally analyzed the floor plan effectively, coming up with a suitable design with walls, windows, doors, and fixtures. The team which contains set of qualified space planners will set up the setting for improved productivity keeping in mind the convenience of accessibility and use. Everything according to the plan has been well arranged beginning from the organization of the computers to the seating plan. The whole thing will be we have carefully structured in such a specious and benefiting way.

Communication and Data Cabling

The connectivity has by a perfect system for connectivity. No compromise as it should be understood that most our businesses do not require failure of connectivity. The laboratories personnel need to dispatch the reports of the analysis carried out on daily basis and cannot afford to allow the them pile up as a result of failure in connectivity which is manmade. So, in collaboration with the IT personnel, the team has invented an infallible plan for the applying the world class information technology setup solutions with the most current software required.

Inventory Management

The team will have to prepare an intelligent inventory that will be required at the new premises. They should be clever and careful enough to take sensible decisions of discarding the irrelevant item items that might form garbage to the new site. Carefulness to the highest degree should be applied not to discard useful items. This will help to minimize the cost of moving those items. The documentation has to be carefully managed too. The documents will be shredded or trashed properly to conform to confidentiality criteria.

Hiring a Moving Company

One of the responsibilities of the team is to carry out a smooth, successful task with cost minimal. To this effect they need to hire a specialized moving company which will provide a modified moving solutions at a reasonable rate.

Considering the fact that every aspect of the relocation has been carefully examined and confidently believed that all are well in place to explore the new active atmosphere and believe in trapping more business opportunities. The internal staff will work in conjunction with the movers to rank the tasks and install the equipment effectively.

Conclusion

The above detailed write up expatiated the major tasks involved in office relocation; the planning, challenges, steps, benefits how successful you go about doing this. It has critically been evaluated an exclusive set of interests as well identified the needs or reasons for relocating an office without interfering the business-run or operations. The script has outlined roles of the different categories involved in the relocation especially the project manager whose major responsibility revolves around creating framework for the relocation process. Not left out are the risks involved in this process and internal controls measures to ensure a smooth transition process. Everything have been deliberated on in the report.

Recommendation

I recommended that pure adherence to be paid on the well organized and controlled proposed transition plan, you should not rule out some unforeseen situations that are likely to occur in the process. While considering all the challenges that must be presented to the situation. The theoretical outline for the new office layout has been penned down though there may be actual arrangements which may require insignificant changes. I have recommended that professional design and mover be hired who in collaboration with the team and other staff will devise a more active plan for organising a more prolific work place. The professional mover will ensure that the company’s assets are moved in place without avoidable damage. I equally recommend request for a very competitive quotation from few movers prior to selection. I recommend that you work according to your budget while considering a revise in the budget to accommodate for unexpected circumstances. The report assesses all the aspects of relocation and provides a framework of successful operations.

BIBLOGRAPHY

Morgan Lovell, Guide to successful office move

Business.com (2017), Office relocation positive to moving your business

Lambert Smith Hampton (2013), Managing risk of office fit out

Interactive Space.net, Pros and Cons of office relocation

Mike Douglas, 5 major Business risk areas when moving office and how to avoid them

Toby Nwazor (2016), 5 reasons you should consider relocating your business

Satish Bakha (2016), 5 Brilliant reasons you should consider relocating your business

Adam Torkildson (2015) 5 reasons why you should relocate your business

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