Office Moves & Change Management
Office Relocation Change Management Challenges
An office move can be a turbulent time for staff. The chaos of relocating and settling in a new environment and changes to routine can all take their toll on your workforce. How you handle the office move for your staff and manage the change can mean the difference between success and failure for your business.
Effective change management for your staff can result in improved productivity and a motivated workforce before, during and after the office move. Managing organizational change, such as an office move, will be more successful if you apply these basic principles:
- Understand how staff react to change
Most people do not like change. Your staff will be used to their commute to and from work and may be comfortable in their existing office environment. But most companies will have to go through the process of moving office at some stage. When you are announcing your office move to staff, be mindful that some will be extremely wary of change and it may take some time for them to adjust.
- Keep Staff Informed
Give as much information as possible to staff and as early as you can. It's a good idea, if you have an intranet to give weekly updates about the progress of the move and how the office design and layout is progressing. Staff will need to know the dates you are packing and moving as they may have to re-schedule client meetings around the move.
- Allow for Question-time
Staff will undoubtedly have lots of questions surrounding the office move and it's important to allow a forum where they can ask questions; either as a one-to-one or in groups. This will help to reassure them and promote positive messages and expectations about how the new office will improve the business.
- Expect some Adjustment
There are bound to settling in issues when you get to the new office, some may be practical which can be easily fixed, others may require emotional adjustment. Allow staff to raise any concerns they have about the new office and value their feedback.
To help you effectively manage the change of an office move, the HR Guide to Moving Office offers practical solutions that will ensure a happy and smooth office move for staff.
Planning an office move? Go the office relocation planning resource center
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Start Planning Your Office Move
Wherever you are in your office move process Help Moving Office has the information you need to plan your office move properly.
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Access The Resource Center
With over 15 guides, checklists, tools & calculators the Resource Center has everything you need to plan, organize & manage a successful office move.
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Office Relocation Services Directory
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