Author: Joe DiGiovanni

The Modern Office

The New Modern Office is Trending

It’s 2016 and the workforce is slowly shifting from the baby boomer generation to the millennial generation. With that workforce shift comes a shift in office space and lifestyle expectations. Keeping your new work force motivated and happy at work can have a huge effect on their happiness and productivity. Many millennials now want to be part of the open office trend, which means you might be looking into a new office space and an openly designed office layout. While you are shifting your office over to the new modern office trend, keep The Quality Group in mind as we can help you get into your new office with ease.a modern office

Location

The millennial generation puts emphasis on balancing work and home life. Having an office in an urban area with high walkability access will sit well with millennials who are big on convenience. Easy access to work and entertainment in an urban area will be exactly the kind of convenient balance of work and life they are searching for in their life. They also like the option to choose where they work. Finding an office that has multiple workspace options, including outside options, can go a long way with your upcoming employees. While moving into a new office can seem daunting, planning for the happiness of your future employees is important. The Quality Group can ease your move into that modern office by taking every detail into account. We even calculate how many elevator trips it will take to move you and do so at a time that won’t interrupt business.

Space Planning

The modern office trend that the millennial generation expects comes with a whole different setup from the cubicles that used to be popular. Open-concept design and collaborative furniture are now on the rise and require spaces where more than one person can sit. The Quality Group has partners who can help any office optimize its space for the new workforce. They can optimize your office for your workers who need open spaces and for those who need individual spaces.

Furniture

The Quality Group partners with interior design companies that can help any office plan, design, and equip their office with the right furniture. From collaboration furniture to individual workspaces, they can help create your modern office with a perfect blend of open and individual workspaces with furniture professionally modern office furnitureassembled by the Quality Group. Whether you are bringing your previous furniture with you or are looking for new furniture, The Quality Group can help by moving, arranging, and collaborating with you on your furniture needs.

The millennial generation may have a different idea of an office from previous generations but The Quality Group is here to help you get a handle on moving. When you find the new office that will suit your workforce’s expectations, let The Quality Group come and seamlessly move you and create a workspace your new employees will love.


 

Work with The Quality Group

At The Quality Group, we’re your commercial relocation specialists. Founded in 1987 in New Orleans, LA, The Quality Group serves the Gulf States with comprehensive commercial moving services from move planning to furniture installation. No other company puts in the time or preparation that we do to make your move stress and hassle-free.

HR Communication During a Company Move

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HR Can Help You Through a Company Move.

As the HR manager, during a move, your focus is on the staff. Your efforts will go toward giving the staff the right information for the move and making sure they maintain a positive mindset. Check out these tips to be an effective HR manager during your company’s move and ease the staff’s minds into the new office.

Know Why You are Moving

The initial news of the move will be shocking to your staff. Some of the employees may be anxious and some will be excited. Knowing why you are you moving and being able to illustrate this when people come to ask will be key. Conveying the vision behind the move will help ease minds.

Offer Support Channels

Be a part of the planning and communication from the start so you know what is going on and when it will be happening. Knowing each step of the plan will allow you to answer any questions that come your way from confused staff. Be sure to give staff multiple channels to voice their concerns and questions, whether it’s through social media, email, an online forum, or in person.

Map out the new office as part of your HR tasks. Map it Out

Providing maps to staff and clients will be essential to avoiding frustration after the move. Let them know visually and directionally where the new office is and how they can get there. Providing a map of the new office’s layout will also be helpful for staff.

Train Staff

New equipment may come with the new office and may require training to ensure proper use. Schedule out some training time for the new equipment.

Stay Positive

Rumors and bitter feelings may be swirling around the office due to the upcoming change. Staying positive with the vision of the new location and what it means will help dispel negativity. Keep staff updated on news so misinformation is not spread and the move is successful.

As the HR manager, you should plan a celebration after the move. Celebrate

Moving your office to a new location can be stressful so remember to celebrate after the successful move. Celebrating will get your office started with a positive attitude and help people get used to the new place.

Ask for Feedback

Including staff in the move so they know their opinion matters to the company is important. Get feedback from them after the move on what can make the new office more comfortable. In a new place, feeling comfortable can go a long way.

Communicating the right information during the move will benefit everyone and relieve loads of stress. As the HR manager, you can help be a positive influence during your company’s move into a new office.

 

Turnkey Movers

The Quality Group is an All-Inclusive Moving Company

Every business owner understands that moving offices is an enormous undertaking. Effectively planning for a smooth and efficient moving day requires time, resources, and manpower that most companies simply don’t have. Professional moving companies can significantly cut down on the stress and hassle of a complicated move. But why shop around for multiple moving companies that only offer options for part of the process? Here are some ways that The Quality Group can help relieve these burdens, acting as a one-stop-shop for all of your commercial moving needs and allowing your business to focus on present, day-to-day operations and not on future moving duties:

Move Planning

From our very first meeting, we begin to formulate a customized, unique strategy to move your business in the most efficient and effective way possible. The Quality Group takes an all-inclusive moving approach when creating your moving plan, working backwards from the exact date you wish to start business in your new office and location. From there we can successfully plan out the best time to begin the moving process, and handle all obstacles in between.

Project Management

The all-inclusive move includes project managementOur highly experienced and dedicated team works with you to oversee all components of your company’s move to ensure a smooth transition. This supervision and control of personnel, resources, and time allows for a positive moving experience that fosters trust between our clients and us. The most important move we’ll ever do is yours, and we promise to deliver on our claims.

Facility Installation

The Quality Group guarantees a timely, safe, stress-free, and all-inclusive moving job every time. From handling landlords and property owners before the moving has begun, to cleaning up after ourselves once the moving has completed, we take pride in making your experience as easy as possible. Leave the logistics and resource handling to us, and we promise a productive moving experience for your business.

Vendor Coordination

Still looking for a new location, or in need of assistance building new furniture? The Quality Group has developed an extensive network of professional resources throughout the southeast to assist in all aspects of your company’s unique move. From packaging supplies to office space optimization, we gather and organize all elements of your move to ensure the smoothest transition possible.

Furniture Install

The Quality Group can install funiture with their all-inclusive moveThe Quality Group’s extensive knowledge of industry practices and standards allows us to understand the ins and outs of your company’s unique office situation. Pulling from decades of commercial moving project experience, we know just about every way to assemble furniture. Whether you are looking to optimize your work space layout with new furniture, or need all of your equipment re-assembled and re-wired following a move, The Quality Group recognizes what it takes to get your business up and running as soon as possible.

Don’t leave the transition of your company during this vital time in the hands of multiple entities. You need a single, turnkey moving specialist that understands your business and its unique needs, coupled with an extensive knowledge of the moving process workflow. Pulling from years of client trust and strict deadline adherence, The Quality Group is the only solution your business needs for its next move.

Understanding an Office Lease

Know the Fundamentals of a Commercial Office Lease.

If you are shopping around for an office space, chances are you are serious about signing a lease. Whether you are a seasoned veteran and you have signed multiple commercial leases or this is your first office lease, it’s good to have a fundamental understanding of commercial office leases. Below you’ll find a few of the basics of an office lease that might concern you when negotiating. Addressing them early on will ensure you are left with no surprises when you sign.

Type of Lease

Knowing what type of lease you are signing is essential to renting an office space. Because there are various types of office leases, knowing which type you are dealing with will be helpful when budgeting. Below are a few types of leases you’ll come across when office hunting.

  1.  Full Service Lease – This type of lease is all-inclusive for you as the lessee. The landlord pays for all expenses including the taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance costs. This lease is easy to manage as the lessor because you’ll know exactly what you’ll pay each month.
  2. Triple Net Lease – This lease type is the most common and leaves the lesser to pay for the base rent, plus all of the property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs. It requires more involvement and greater responsibility.

Business Restrictions

Commercial lease may restrict what type of business you can have at a certain location. Landlords or city ordinances may restrict the commercial property you want to lease to certain businesses. It’s important to know from the beginning if you can use the property for your type of business. Restrictions you may find include restrictions for restaurants, retail, and medical facilities.

Common Areas

For spaces you may be sharing with other tenants, you’ll want to find out what the commercial lease states about common area maintenance requirements. Knowing how much you’ll be charged for the upkeep of public spaces and what percentage you are responsible for when damages occur will help you to avoid any unforeseen costs.

Maintenance

The commercial lease will state who is responsible for maintenance. Once again, you’ll want to know what costs you are responsible for when repairs or improvements are needed. Will you be responsible for paying when the air conditioning unit fails? Also, do you want to be responsible for repairs or improvements so you know it will be completed in a timely manner? Negotiating the maintenance details in the commercial lease will improve your renting experience.

Signs

As a business, it’s important to label your company to clients and potential clients as part of your advertising. Although it may not seem like a big deal, being able to put a sign outside the building with your name on it is important to your business. Make sure you discuss this part of the commercial lease so you know about any restrictions on signage.

Commercial property leases are complex bindings between the lessor and lessee that will determine how positive of an experience you have while renting a space. Knowing some of the fundamentals of the lease will help you improve your office search and help you to know what you’ll want to negotiate for when you are ready to sign. Be sure to get a real estate lawyer for protection and full understanding of commercial leases. Always remember that commercial leases can be negotiated.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a New Office

Anyone who has ever moved knows and understands that a lot goes into choosing a new office. There are a lot of factors to consider in a certain time limit and because there is so much to do it’s easy to make mistakes. Below is a list of the most common ones that people make when choosing a new office and tips on how to avoid making them.

Underestimating Time

If your business doesn’t account for enough time when choosing an office space, you will be forced into choosing something that may not be best for you. Looking for a space and negotiating an office lease time can take a while. If you know you want to move to a new office you should begin the search 6-12 months in advance of your current lease’s expiration date, and maybe even more if your office is larger than 2500 sq. ft. as your space requirements are more likely harder to meet.

Not Considering Future Growth

Failing to factor in future growth of your company may result in your business outgrowing the office before the lease’s due expiration date. This results in staff feeling cramped and unmotivated, and not being able to get any work done. Future growth should be taken into consideration when choosing a new office. It never hurts to have a little extra space or a couple of extra rooms in your office because that space may come handy later on.

Paying the Stated Price and Not Negotiating

All lease terms are negotiable. Settling for the landlord’s initial negotiations will only ensure that they are getting the most bang for their buck, and it will prevent you from looking after your own needs and interests. Be sure to negotiate the terms that your landlord proposes to ensure you are getting what you need in the new office.

Not Having Legal Representation

A real estate lawyer reviews office spaces for their career. When reviewing the terms of your lease it’s beneficial to have a real estate lawyer on your side to review the lease with you. If you were to review the lease and make a mistake the consequences could come back and hurt you down the line. Make sure you have a real estate lawyer that is looking out for you and who will help prevent this from happening.

Choosing the right office space is imperative to ensuring your business is successful. Follow our tips above in order to avoid the most common mistakes made when choosing a new office space. Doing so will benefit you and your business.

Large Office Move

Coordinating a large office move can be stressful and time consuming. There is a lot to plan and many matters to consider. You need to worry about what day to start getting items together, how to unload when you get to the new office, and how to continue operations during that time. The Quality Group can ease your stress with your large office move by coordinating and executing the entire process. With our proven relocation formula that provides a seamless transition, we will move your large office with precision and efficiency.

We dedicate our resources to your large officeEquipment

No office is too large for The Quality Group to relocate. Our consultants start each move by determining the size of your relocation and what equipment will be needed to ensure your office is moved safely and securely. Our large inventory and many resources allow us to move your items in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. When we move your large office, all of our resources are dedicated to you until you are comfortably settled into the new place.

No Cost Surprises

Your large office may have hundreds of pieces of equipment that need special attention during a move. This may bring you to worry about the cost of the move increasing as it progresses, but that doesn’t have to be the case. We use our expertise and outside resources to anticipate challenges. When you move with The Quality Group, you get our not-to-exceed pricing principle, which means we try our hardest to refrain from adding unexpected fees. We tell you the expected price upfront and work within the quote.

Effective Process

Our proven process delivers an efficient move with little to no down time. Our consultants assess your large office and coordinate our three teams to create an efficient move with no wasted time. We provide a relocation plan specific to your large office needs and factor in everything, even the weight capacity of the elevator, to deliver you your ideal customized move. Our process leaves you with no worry, as we organize and plan the entire process based on when you want to be in the new office.

Additional ServicesWe offer additional services during your large office move

Your new office is obviously going to be different than your old office. It will have a different number of rooms, different dimensions, and a different flow. You might be unsure as to how you want your new furniture to be arranged or if you even want it anymore. If you don’t want the hassle of deciding how to arrange the furniture, leave it to the Quality Group. We can optimize and organize your new large office based on your needs or manage your furniture until you decide. We can provide new furniture customized to your office or store your furniture that you are unsure what to do with. Let us know how we can help and we will provide you with exactly what you need.

The Quality Group can move any sized office, from 1,000 to 400,000 square feet and beyond. We can relieve your moving stress and relocate your business into the new office with a customized plan so you can focus solely on your business. Your relocation doesn’t have to be stressful when you move with The Quality Group.

What to Look for in a Commercial Mover

After making the difficult decision to move your business to a new office, you have to find the best company to help get your there. There are a lot of moving companies out there, and not all offer the same services and provide the same quality of move. When you’re choosing your perfect moving company be sure to consider the following must haves in a moving company.

   Insurance

Finding a moving company that is insured is very important. You’ll want to make sure your moving company insures your equipment for a range of possible risks during transit or while in storage. This protection will give you peace of mind during relocation.

Estimate Cost

Hidden fees and tacked on costs are common occurrences when dealing with some moving companies. Find a company that lists all costs and be sure to inquire if packing, cleaning, and supplies are included in the estimate. Some companies like The Quality Group operate on a not-to-exceed pricing basis and build every step into their move plan when estimating a relocation. This prevents you from incurring unexpected costs and going over your budget.

Employees

The employees at a moving company will be the key to a good or bad move. Hire a moving company that staffs in-house personnel. In-house employees are more invested in their job than subcontracted employees and will take more care of your furniture and equipment when packing and moving it on and off the truck. Hiring a company that invests in their employees will result in a better moving experience for you.

 

Equipment Care

The proper care of your computer equipment, electronic devices, and data wiring structure is essential during a move. These items are often easily broken and damaged due to their make-up. Finding a moving company that has experience moving sensitive equipment is essential, as it requires extra attention. Look for a company with the necessary experience and packaging supplies to safely relocate your equipment. If you have specific instructions for the care of certain equipment, call a moving company like The Quality Group who listens and adheres to special requests.

Service 

If you are looking for a minimal-involvement moving experience then you’ll need to find a moving company that offers a full-service move. The Quality Group offers a start to finish moving experience that includes the planning, managing, and execution of your move so the only thing you have to focus on is your business. Find a company that helps you through every step of the moving process, even the cleanup of your old office.

 

Picking the right relocation company for you and your office doesn’t have to be a hard decision when you know what to look for. One that is worth their salt will help you through every step of the moving process to ensure your move is worry free. Your new office is not far off so consider each must have and choose your perfect moving company.

Will You Move My Small Office?

Your business is unique. It has carefully picked and appreciated employees, special equipment you’ve invested in for optimal performance, and extra items that show who you are as a business and express your personality. You’ve put a lot of effort into building your small business and now that it’s time to pick up and move elsewhere, you want someone who will show the same dedication to your relocation as you do to your customers.

That’s where the Quality Group comes in, because no matter how small your office is, they commit to your move 100 percent.

A Quality Move

The Quality Group dedicates itself to providing a superior relocation experience every time no matter the size of the move. That means it follows the same procedure for every move and dedicates all their resources to you when the move day comes. Your small business gets the same dedicated teams as other businesses including the origin team, the destination team, and the driving team.

We help small businesses move with little down time.Quick Turn Around

We know your small business can’t be out of operation for long because of the time sensitive work you do. We offer a quick turnaround so you are up and running again without noticeable downtime. With our three dedicated teams that are each assigned their own station, each move is executed efficiently. The Quality Group ensures that you’ll never be left waiting for the movers to arrive.

Specialty Focused

We understand that as a small business you may have specific limitations or special equipment that needs extra care during a move. With our commitment to you, we will find a solution for every concern by fulfilling special requests and committing 100 percent of our attention and resources to your small business. We have experience moving all kinds of equipment, from hospital technology to regular computers and can meet the required care your equipment needs. We also have worked within varied timelines and can work out one for your specific needs.

No Cost SurprisesThe Quality Group gives small businesses upfront quotes so there are no surprises.

Sometimes as a small business you have to be price conscious, and The Quality Group understands that, which is why we operate on a not-to-exceed pricing basis. That means you’ll never be surprised by hidden or unexpected fees. The cost of your move will never exceed your quote so you can be confident that your move is affordable.

As a small business that provides unique services in a personal manner, you deserve the full attention of a moving company when you are ready to relocate. Experience that dedication with The Quality Group today, and let us help you move to your new office.

Data Backup During a Move or Company Relocation

For any modern company, an important part of office relocation is ensuring that you have secure and up-to-date backup for your data. Studies have shown that 60 percent of companies that lose their data are out of business within 6 months and a full 90 percent are out of business within two years of a total data loss.  It’s easy for data to suffer loss or damage during a move, so it’s important to take preventative measures by having a data backup in place to minimize risk, and ensure that your data is protected during the moving process.

There are different options for you to consider when deciding on how to keep a backup of your data. Consider both options and choose the best for your company, or use both for extra protection.

Having your crucial data backed up before a move or relocation is a must.

Quality Group can store your data off site.

Storing Your Data Off Site

Keeping it away from the move is a great option. You should ask your internet service provider if they can recommend a good data storage center.

 

 

 

Using the Cloud to Store Data Store your data in the cloud.

The Cloud is a popular and inexpensive storage facility often used by companies. It’s also easy to restore, and can be automatically updated from any location with internet access.

After you choose how you will back up your data, you will need to plan further. These plans will likely feature an IT Test, and planning for any accidents.

IT Test

When you are organizing your relocation, include a test plan to make sure all your critical equipment is working correctly and to check that nothing has been damaged in the move. This needs to be done when everything is on site, and before your staff arrives, to minimize disruption.

Planning for Accidents

Having a plan set in case of disaster is important as well. Any modern business is extremely dependent on equipment and phones so it is important that they’re working. Failing to have a workable backup plan could cause your business to suffer.

Planning and executing these different steps will take different amounts of time, depending on individual business. Taking these essential steps allows you to make your move much smoother.

Pick a moving company with experience in moving data infrastructure.

Whether you have a back up plan in place or not, it is vitally important that you chose a company who has vast experience in moving data infrastructure. This doesn’t just mean a company like the Quality Group, who is insured but also one who can minimize down time in addition to data loss. When you are ready to move into your new office it’s important that data is not only kept safe but also that you have no operational down time.

If you would like to find out more about how the Quality Group goes above and beyond to protect your data, please give us a call today.