Resources to help keep your world moving

Medical facilities have enough responsibilities on their plates. The logistics of relocating their medical practices shouldn’t be one of them. The right moving partner can take care of the day-to-day preparations for your relocation with expertise and efficiency, freeing you up to focus on your patients. But in the sea of legitimate and fraudulent moving companies advertising online, how do you know which is the right fit for your medical office? There are some critical factors to consider when determining who you will trust with your sensitive equipment, electronics, patient files and furniture. Cut through the noise by asking potential moving partners these five questions. Are you a full-service moving company? When it comes to healthcare relocations, finding a full-service moving company is a must. Rather than just providing last-minute labor, a full-service moving company is your dedicated support for every last detail, from the initial planning and budgeting to...

As the corporate world returns to in-person working arrangements, some businesses are ditching their long-held offices for even larger spaces. A recent Gensler survey found that top-performing companies are three times more likely to expand their real estate footprint in the future to accommodate more personnel, more collaboration and other work-related activities. Though the popularity of remote work has held steady during the pandemic, companies are finally returning to the office at higher rates, making now the perfect time to begin prepping those new accommodations. The national return to office trended at 42 percent as of late March 2022 compared to 18 percent in December 2021, according to Cushman & Wakefield. If you’re considering moving your team to a new office location, kickstart the planning process by asking and answering these five questions. What’s Your Plan for Handling Your Current Lease? Examine your lease and determine the earliest date you...

The senior living industry is gearing up for explosive growth. In the fourth quarter of 2021, continuing care retirement communities reached 85.7 percent occupancy, according to Ziegler Investment Banking. As the United States population ages, the sector has the potential to reach even higher occupancy rates in the next decade. The NAIOP projected that the 75-and-older age group in the U.S. will increase by 76 percent from 2020 to 2035, creating new demand for senior living. For some senior living communities, renovating or rehabilitating the facilities is critical to preparing for this growth. Roughly 58 percent of senior living communities are more than 20 years old, according to the National Investment Center. Renovations allow property managers to upgrade their facilities, provide better support for current residents, attract new members and signal a change in ownership or services. Here are seven ways to prepare for a successful renovation. Gather feedback from...

At the height of the pandemic, white-collar workers left their city offices at rapid rates. Some say they may never return, leading developers to get creative with the now-vacant commercial office spaces. According to Quartz, downtown vacancies in the United States’ top 10 metro areas are four percent higher than before COVID-19 hit. The Business Journals reported that the downtown office vacancy rate reached 16.3 percent in the third quarter of 2021 — the highest rate in nearly four decades. Some experts are sounding the alarm that these office vacancies could persist as employees occupy less and less office space because of work-from-home schedules. Gallup predicts that office buildings in big cities could see as much as 37 percent fewer occupied desks than in 2019. Faced with increasingly empty offices, city developers are considering new applications for the vacant spaces, such as converting commercial buildings into residential housing. Adaptive Reuse...

In recent years, Atlanta has transformed into one of the best metros for business, rivaling any urban area across the United States. Atlanta’s economic development and job growth continue to accelerate, with global companies making their marks on the city. Invest Atlanta predicts that employers will create nearly two million jobs in the metro by 2040. Here are five factors that have led Atlanta to a competitive position as one of the top places to relocate your business. Advanced Infrastructure Atlanta is one of the leading transportation centers in the U.S., making it convenient for companies with national footprints to receive, ship and deliver goods. Georgia maintains the largest rail network in the Southeast with over 4,600 miles of active rail lines and 28 freight railroads. Atlanta not only serves as a hub for the state’s impressive railroad system, but it also sits at the heart of Interstate 20, Interstate...

It’s a good year to be a Raleigh business. Part of the esteemed Research Triangle, Raleigh has long served as home to a thriving life-sciences sector, cutting-edge technology and top educational institutions. However, during the pandemic, Raleigh’s rapid economic growth has even exceeded that of its Triangle neighbors. Forbes named Raleigh one of the best places for business and careers in the United States — an honor that was no surprise to local employers or employees. Data from 24/7 Wall Street shows the Raleigh-Cary metro area grew by 25.6 percent from 2010 to 2020, exceeding the state growth rate by roughly 14 percentage points. The metro’s median annual household income is around $80,000, compared to North Carolina’s median of $57,341. Raleigh’s gross domestic product has increased by more than 72 percent over the past decade, reaching roughly $95.3 billion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. As Raleigh...

Take a short drive around Huntsville, and you might see several “Now Hiring” signs posted in company windows. When COVID-19 first swept across the United States, several industries laid off or furloughed workers at record rates. Now, the job market has largely recovered, but businesses face new challenges in finding workers. In November, Alabama Department of Labor data showed that the state had 28,657 more online job postings than unemployed people. Experts predict the gap will continue to grow in the coming months. Local businesses must rethink their hiring, benefits and operations to stay competitive. Here’s how three Huntsville industries have pivoted their recruiting strategies to find the help they need amid nationwide labor shortages. Healthcare Sweeping labor shortages have hit few industries as hard as they’ve hit hospitals. One in five U.S. healthcare workers left their jobs between the start of the pandemic and November 2021, The Atlantic reported....

To say business is booming in Dallas would be an understatement. In recent years, Dallas has become a hub of talent and innovation, pulling international headquarters away from locations like Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. Today, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro is home to 24 Fortune 500 headquarters, according to the Dallas Regional Chamber. It’s also the only region in the United States to host three Fortune 10 companies: AT&T, McKesson and Mobil. Before the pandemic hit, Dallas had already attracted some of the country’s top businesses, such as Kimberly-Clark, Deloitte, Charles Schwab, Liberty Mutual, Toyota, CBRE and more. In 2019, the Dallas Business Journal reported that more than 30 companies were considering relocating to Dallas or expanding their local operations. Then families began moving to the DFW area in droves, and their employers followed suit. In the past year, multinational engineering firm AECOM, global fiber company Alkegen, construction...

It’s no secret that most Americans have more stuff than space. An average household in the United States has 300,000 things, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Times also reports that more than 25 percent of families with two-car garages use them for storage, not cars. Every home represents a lifetime’s worth of belongings. When moving to a new home, most people need extra time and room to get all their belongings from one destination to another. That’s where storage in transit (SIT) comes in handy. Here’s what you need to know about this value-add service before your next relocation. What is storage in transit? Moving companies offer storage in transit as a short-term option for people who need to clear their current home of belongings but aren’t yet prepared to settle into their new residence. Rather than racking up charges with a self-storage unit, you can ask your...

The retail industry is proving its resilience by reporting solid earnings and optimistic outlooks for 2022. Despite supply-chain and inflationary pressures, big-box, wholesale and e-commerce retailers have announced new store openings, growth strategies and shopping experiences. Here are four trends experts are watching in the retail landscape. Brick-and-Mortar Shopping Bounces Back After the pandemic upended the global brick-and-mortar sector, physical stores appear to be making a comeback. Fueled by a seven percent year-over-year rise in retail sales, brick-and-mortar retailers performed better than their online competitors in March 2022 — the first time since COVID-19 emerged, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). The NRF reported that U.S.-based retailers announced plans to open more than 4,000 brick-and-mortar stores in the first quarter of 2022 and close only 635 locations, compared to the 2,100 store closings in the first quarter of 2021. Experts predict a sunny forecast for clothing and apparel stores...