CONSULTATION : Moving Offices – Use A Professional

We are thinking about leasing some new premises for our business. They will be slightly larger and will provide more effective work space. Do you have some thoughts on the ins and outs of this?

The important thing is to make absolutely sure you really need to move. There is lot involved in relocating which can be costly and disruptive to your business. So do make sure you have worked through clear definition of why you want to move and what the expected outcomes will be.
Then take long hard look at the costs. One of the most challenging issues, if you already have lease on your current premises, is timing your relocation. If you don’t get this right you could end up paying for two leases until either your first lease runs out or you find someone to take it over. Secondly, there are hidden costs that can be missed. For example, your current lease may have clause that expects you to return your current premises back to their original state. There may still be some depreciation to carry from your original fit-out. If you move before this is fully depreciated you will still need to carry the cost.
Then appoint skilled project manager for the move, especially if you will be carrying out fit-out work on your new premises. Then let the project manager develop the project plan and budget and work it through with them in depth. Be as challenging as you feel you need and push hard to identify risks. Sign off the agreed project plan and budget and ensure there is formal change procedure in place.
If you are refurbishing the new premises make sure you physically walk around with the project manager and talk through the plans of where things will be and what they will look like. Pay particular attention to the location of power points and computer ports. Also do this with your key staff to ensure buy-in. If you ensure you have real reason for moving and choose the right project manager it should all go like clockwork. The key issue is to plan early and in detail to avoid longer term disruption to your business.



I find that because the internet is so rich in information this acts as barrier to me actually using it effectively to gather information and learn. Now that my career has progressed to management role I know I could be using it more to help my own development and understanding of management. Can you recommend some good sites please?

You are right in saying that the huge amount of information on the internet acts as barrier. It can be very daunting to try and sort the good from the bad. However, it can also be very rewarding. I use the internet to gather research information on management in my role with NZIM. The sites I refer to change with time but the broad groupings of headings remain fairly constant. I look at sites to do with management gurus, magazines and newspapers, management consultants, and management books.
Currently I look at the following people-oriented websites: www.jimcollins.com – site with wealth of research-based information on what makes companies work well; www.rbl.net – great site based on effective research and delivering information on strategic HR and leadership; and www.managementlab.org – highly interactive site dedicated to identifying the skills required of future managers.
On the magazine and newspaper front I look at: www.nzherald.co.nz – which has dedicated management news section in its ‘Business’ area; www.economist.com – which is perhaps one of the best sites in the world for gaining an external perspective of what is happening and also has specialised management section and survey of the latest writings on management in other publications; http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/hbr/index.jsp – an excellent source of writings by leading people on management and leadership issues and case studies; and www.management.co.nz – an excellent local source of articles on management and leadership.
Then there are the consultant sites. I look at wide range of these but particularly refer to the McKinsey and Co site with its quarterly set of articles that reflect cutting-edge work in the management consulting field – www.mckinseyquarterly.com/home.aspx?srid=6.
Then there are the management association societies around the world. There is of course the NZIM site – www.nzim.co.nz the Australian Institute of Management – www.aim.com.au the British Chartered Management Institute – www.managers.org.uk and the American Management Association – www.amanet.org.

Kevin Gaunt, FNZIM, FAIM, is CEO of NZIM Auckland and has been senior executive with, and consultant to, some of New Zealand’s largest companies.

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