Tips for Effectively Using Move Planning Software

By Reagan Nickl
Enterprise Customer Success Senior Manager
SpaceIQ

Any type of move is enough to up-end workplace balance. Whether it’s one employee going across the hall or relocating the entire company to new facilities, moves are disruptive. Even more chaotic is the perception of change, which often sparks automatic resistance. There’s a lot to be said for facilitating a swift, low-stress move. To pull it off takes major pre-planning and help from move planning software.

Handling the chaos of a move is the quickest way to instill confidence before, during, and after. A proactive approach to move planning takes much of the stress out of the actual action. More importantly, move management software creates a framework for order. Providing a seamless, minimally invasive experience subverts the negative outlook many people have about moving and change.

Done right, a move may actually excite a workforce. Here’s how to tap into a positive experience with move management software.

1. Study the data first

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This expression attributed to T. Bert (Thomas Bertram) Lance, the Director of Office Management and Budget in Jimmy Carter’s 1977 presidential administration. Four decades later, it still rings true in so many ways—including for a workplace move. The message to absorb is don’t fall into the trap of making change for the sake of change.

Every move should have a well-researched thesis behind it: “Moving will solve X problem by affording us Y and Z.” The catalyst behind the move should center on a specific problem, and the result should provide measurable results to correct that problem—without creating new issues. Needless to say, there’s a lot of research involved.

This is where office space analytics come into play. Like a scientist, test the validity of your thesis against relevant data. If your workplace feels cramped, look at space utilization data. If your lease is overburdening your balance sheet, look at cost per head and revenue data. Contextualize your concerns to validate them before you make any changes. You may indeed validate your thesis. Or, you may disprove it with data showing opposite effects. It’s even possible you uncover a different problem, which forces a change in approach.

Before making changes, cultivate an array of data that supports your thesis and identifies key variables to be addressed. It’s not just about confirming the need for a workplace move, but contextualizing the goals of it.

2. Create multiple floor plans

Once you’ve identified the problem and gleaned context about why it exists, begin planning the solution. In the case of any workplace move, this usually starts by mapping out a new floor plan. How are you going to maximize available facilities to attack a current problem?

Here is where space management software is vital. You’re not going to plan the perfect floor plan on the first try, and even if you do, you won’t know until you compare it to other iterations. Take the time to create several layouts that address the current problem. Then, evaluate them thoroughly on their merit. Do they successfully solve the issue? Are they minimally invasive to the status quo? Can you get appropriate stakeholder buy-in?

The more options, the more opportunities for success in your move. Narrow them down to the one that best addresses your thesis.

3. Integrate with messaging apps

Communication is critical for a successful move. That’s why one of the most important features of move management software is integration with messaging apps.

Whether you’re collaborating with one person on a small move or a team dedicated to a major relocation, integrated communication keeps everyone on the same page. The best move management software enables all communication forms, including:

• Group and individual messaging
• Subject and thread organization
• Floor plan and move document export
• Task delegation and collaboration
• Calendar integrations

The more integrations move management software offers, the less likely something will slip through the cracks.

For example, sending an email with a task can quickly lead to trouble. The email gets missed or deleted, and the task is never accomplished. With the right integrations, this simple problem doesn’t occur. The task is assigned to a specific person, who receives a confirmation email and an alert through their messaging app. The task is added to their calendar, including pertinent information. Someone can easily check the status of the task in, say, a Slack thread and collaborate if needed.

The more opportunities for integrated communication through move management software, the better the chances of a seamless, on-task move.

4. Create point-to-point plans

When the time to execute the move arrives, a generalized plan won’t do. Point-to-point, granular plans are the keys to success, and they’re best facilitated through move management software. This is especially important as more people become involved and the scope of the move gets bigger. It’s critical for everyone to stay on-task and focused on their roles in the bigger picture.

Point-to-point plans can be built with templates for quick action. For example, if Marketing’s only task is to pack up their desks and unpack them in a new location, their point-to-point plan can be that simple. Just provide the who, what, where, when, why, and how details and an avenue for them to ask questions.

For robust plans that include multiple steps, take the time to plan them out in detail. For example, provide a comprehensive timeline and actionable checklist for IT when it comes to hooking up electronics and getting the network back up and running. Plan contingencies, as well.

Regardless of the number of individual plans or their complexity, house them in your move management software. That way, they can be exported, collaborated on, and archived for reference.

5. Monitor in real-time

Among the most important reasons to use move management software is to manage tactics in real time. As people check things off their checklists, accomplish tasks, or run into problems, information will be immediately available via a dashboard. It’s the quickest way to address obstacles and provide progress reports. In the end, it adds up to better move management, a smoother transition, fewer problems, and positive sentiment among everyone affected.

Keep reading: what is move management?