Jerry Grisko says you can’t plan enough when it comes to moving an office.
The president and COO of CBIZ consolidated three offices into one new facility.
“You can’t start planning too far in advance,” says Grisko. “You need to think through what works for you in your current environment and replicate it as closely as you can in the new work space. You also need to try to focus on things that can be improved and build that in.”
CBIZ had a facilities director, who’s been helping consolidate the company’s various offices for the past several years, assist with the planning. The company also worked with an outside contractor to help plan the layout of the new space.
The business model focuses on acquisitions, so future growth had to be taken into consideration. The company looked at past acquisitions and how much room they required, then made sure they had room to handle a reasonable amount of growth through options on adjacent spaces.
“We have a total of about 10 years worth of flexibility in the lease,” says Grisko.
The most important aspect of a successful move is having a good plan that’s had a lot of time put into it.
“If you start planning well in advance and work with a planner and someone that can help who is accustomed to making moves, then you can obtain the space plan you are desirous of. If you are making decisions at the last moment, then there’s going to be trouble.”
