Tips for Selecting a Project Manager for Your Office Relocation
When preparing for an office relocation, there are numerous factors to consider. Above all, you must find the right office location for your business. Whether you are moving to expand your operation, to cut down on overhead costs, or somewhere in between, the location and layout of your future office can improve staff productivity and enhance customer trust.
Project Manager for Office Relocation
On the other hand, an improperly planned office relocation results in staff frustration, unproductivity, and lost customers. Consequently, the planning stage of your office relocation is crucial to your future success. As a business owner, once you’ve determined that a move is necessary, you will want to turn over some of the day-to-day operations of the moving process to an experienced, knowledgeable, and organized individual. While you may have a knowledgeable and experienced staff member on site, you may not have someone with experience overseeing an office relocation. Not having someone on staff who has experience with office relocation can prove to be a hardship that costs you time and money.
Project Manager’s Team
The person that you select to be your project manager for your office relocation will need a team to help them design and implement this complex operation. We recommend that you have people from all departments to ensure the considerations of all areas included in the move: from IT to your custodian of records. How do you select your point person?
Great Organization Skills
Your project manager must be a great organizer. This person, along with their team, will be responsible for identifying all tasks that you need to consider and complete prior to the move. Additionally, this individual must be able to organize the actual move and re-establishment of your business with as little interruption and lag time as possible.
Communication Skills
Not only must your project manager be a great organizer, but they also need to be an excellent communicator. This person must be able to understand the priorities of all departments, resolve disputes, and relay relevant information from you to the team and vice versa. What disputes might they need to address? During a multifaceted move, it is not unusual for territorial issues to arise and result in emotionally charged hurdles.
Authority
Lastly, your project manager must have the necessary authority to make decisions for the business. You need to trust that the person can address IT issues, identify moving companies, and coordinate how operations will continue without interruption. If your project manager does not have sufficient authority, your office relocation timetable will need to be increased to accommodate additional time for you to oversee all operational decisions.
In Conclusion
If you don’t have a person on staff that is familiar with all the steps involved in an office relocation, you should consider hiring an expert. An expert project manager understands the nuances of an office relocation. As a result, you can rest assured that they will miss nothing. The more prepared you are for the move, the less downtime and staff upheaval you will incur. If you need expert advice to guide you through the process of planning an office relocation, contact us at the National Project Group. We are an experienced office relocation expert. Contact us today.