Moving your business’s headquarters is unlike any other type of moving. Planning and unpacking everyone’s desk contents must be done with little disruption to the office’s regular business. When you consider that, the process might seem pretty intimidating.
Everyone will undoubtedly have some downtime due to the shift, but all work must be done for your organization to avoid problems with clients, vendors, or any other aspect of the business.
Managing the demands and worries of your employees is one of the things that typically end up needing more attention than you imagined (by the way, everything will need more attention than you thought!). Your staff is affected by a corporate move just as much as any other component of your organization. From having issues with the new location to not obtaining the workstation by the window that they currently have.
We’ve previously stressed the significance of involving your staff in the relocation of your office. Put yourself in their shoes if you want to understand why. A new location may require them to acclimate to new surroundings, change their schedules, work with strangers, and do other things. In ways that even they might not be aware of, it can all increase their stress.
Consider this. Everything in your old workplace—equipment, documents, furniture, etc.—will function the same in the new office. However, the relocation will result in significant changes for each employee. The less impact the transfer will have on them and your firm, the more you will pay heed to their demands and worries. The staff is affected by a relocation just as much as any other organization component, from losing their current window desk to moving to a new site.
Stress has the potential to lower productivity and strengthen resistance to change. Keeping the staff in the loop and soliciting their feedback can suffice to alleviate any misunderstandings or feelings of helplessness they may have regarding a significant shift in their lives.
However, these aren’t the only factors to consider when trying to increase employee involvement in an office move.
The sooner you start talking to your employees, the better. They have more time to acclimate and resolve any concerns if the transfer affects them.
Employees are generally unaware of the reasons behind your decision, but you have the chance to let them know. Whether your company is expanding, it will be in a great location close to amenities, or there is any other benefit or cause for the transfer, it should be evident in all your staff communications.
Begin discussions regarding the relocation and any worries staff members may have in small groups of no more than 12 people. Anyone who needs to speak up will find it simpler to do so because it is a more personal way of interacting with them.
Try collaborating with an employee to devise solutions if they have a valid objection to the transfer. Would things be better if we started sooner or later?
Every employee infuses everything they do with their own unique experiences and talents. Why not use that in your move, then?
Employee participation is especially beneficial while designing the new office layout. Your staff is a fantastic resource for helping you arrange your new area to work more effectively because they are the best people to know your current setup, including all of its benefits and drawbacks.
Yes, you have a lot of planning and preparation for your office move. However, the less influence the transfer has on your most valuable asset, your staff, the sooner you should consider and involve them.
If you have an HR team, they should be a member of your office move team and be kept informed of the office move’s progress. They, in turn, will be in charge of telling your team about the office move and listening to any questions or suggestions they may have.
Choose the communication channels you’ll employ to alert people about the workplace move. If you have an intranet, you might post images and videos of the new workplace while inviting feedback on the layout and style.
Make and implement a plan for internal communication on the office relocation. Included in this should be the priorities and goals established for each stage of the transfer, any potential effects on the employees, and the apparent benefits your workers will receive from moving the office.
You must ensure everything is set up correctly in the new office once everything has been relocated. Everything in the workplace, from furniture and equipment to dashboards and paperwork, should be arranged, so workers feel comfortable. Ask your staff what they think, and if anything about the environment makes them feel uneasy, alter it.
Everyone in the organization must be experiencing tension due to the relocation, and celebrating the procedure is one method to eliminate all that worry and stress. Plan an office party to offer your staff a chance to unwind and prepare for the move while having fun.
Having someone manage the move should be a part of the planning process. Leadership is crucial when moving personnel, just like in many other aspects of a business. Many businesses disobey this counsel, and they pay the price for it.
A relocation specialist is one of the greatest options you have. They can provide insight into what you’ll miss because they’ve moved. The relocation procedure is far more streamlined when someone controls it than it would otherwise be.
For a small business, a relocation consultant might not be as important. However, a relocation consultant will significantly improve the move for a large business with numerous departments.
Another severe error that many businesses make when moving employees is to ignore them. They will almost always try to stall the process because it is a technique that makes them feel excluded.
Additionally, it can cause tension between workers and other migration participants, which would need conflict management. Moving is complicated for everyone involved, but it will be less stressful when employees are involved.
Discuss how it will affect employees’ commutes, working hours, and other aspects of life away from the workplace by talking to them. Employees will probably come up with suggestions that will aid in the transfer if you involve them in the process.
Moving an office is a very stressful undertaking for everyone concerned. The advice mentioned above can help you have a far less stressful move. You will be pleased with the outcomes of your employee relocation if you can figure out how to apply them to your circumstance.
Andrews Installation Group offers more than 20 years of experience assisting home and business owners with relocation. To ensure your move goes as smoothly as possible, we handle furniture delivery, installation, warehousing, asset management, and more. As the best moving company in Tempe, we work hard to deliver and set up your furniture promptly and safely, so you have more time to personalize your new place.
Work with Andrews Installation Group to reduce some of the stress associated with relocating!