Moving to a new office invites a lot of emotions.
Some can be accepting and understanding, while some can resist the move.
It is natural to feel concerned about how the employees will react to the office move.
To help to accept this drastic change in the place of work, communication is the key.
After all, you would want to start the work at the new office space with a lot of positive vibes and keep the negative ones at bay.
To help you achieve this ideal atmosphere of work, here are some important tips for you.
1. State a Clear Purpose of Move
The employees should fully understand the purpose of the move. Explain the reason for the move and give them as many details as they want. Keep the communication channels open from both sides and encourage them to ask questions about the move openly.
Steer clear of the confusing or vague explanations and be straightforward with the answers. They will feel satisfied only when they are aware of the whole reason for the move. If not, you can leave them confused and irritated on the management for not giving them a proper reason.
2. Listen to What Your Employees Have to Say
We understand that sometimes, it can hurt to hear some of the honest views of the employees. But the best part is that the more you hear them out, the better they will feel to get them off their chest. Instead of letting them vent behind your back about the move, encourage them to speak up their feelings in front of them. Be it an angry expression of emotion about the change of place or a welcoming one, let them have the stage and vent them all out.
Most of all, listen to what they say. Try to be as understanding as you can and give them the due credit for speaking up.
3. Communicate the Move Well in Advance
Don’t make the mistake of informing us about the move just a week or two before. You will only end up getting the wrath of the entire employee population!
Give them a minimum of a month’s notice if the new office is within the city. If not, even a two or three months’ notice won’t hurt. Give them sufficient time to prepare for the change in the office. Some may want to think about new transportation options, while some could even want to change their place to stay at a place close to their office. So, it’s best to let them know about the new office space and the date of the move well in advance so that they can get their life in order.
Note: When you have many things to organize, it is better to prepare the office moving checklist to keep your work aligned. You can also divide the checklist into two forms: one is for your reference, and another is for your employees with guidelines so that they can keep their stuff with them. It will decrease your stress and help you in a timely move.
4. Be Prepared for Resistance
In an office move, there are bound to be some resistance from the employees, and it is best to be prepared for it. The crucial part of handling such situations is to be as understanding as possible and give them the support they require to ease themselves for the move.
5. Try Something New with the Move
When the change comes with the relocation, some companies make the best out of it by introducing something new. It can be as simple as introducing a new sitting order or adding a new recreation room, or something bigger that transitions the way they work. As some employees may not be happy with the relocation, it is vital to choose something that gets excited and takes away their attention from the relocation.
6. Organize a Celebratory Move
Who wouldn’t like a celebration? Immediately after the office relocation, the employees may not be comfortable with the new setting. To fasten the time they take to get familiar with the surroundings, you can organize a simple office party.
As a nice welcome into the new office, organize a cool after-office party on the office premises to get accustomed to the new office space. Organize some games and light liquor to help to loosen up and feel at home at the office.
7. Keep a Check After Moving
Don’t think that the big ordeal is done and dusted once you have moved in. This is where the actual problem begins to start. Even those employees who were okay with the office move may find themselves feeling restless or out of place.
Hence, as an employer, you have to keep a check on your employees regularly after the relocation. This is the high time when they need your attention and care. Show compassion to what they are going through and keep your doors open for any employee to walk in and speak about their issue. Some may even face some problems at home due to this change, and it is time to show them some compassion and be a bit relaxed initially.
Apart from helping to settle in, one should also not lose focus on the main part of the office move – hiring good office removalists like Move My Stuff can help you in easily relocating all your stuff safely and properly. You can check out their website for more information MoveMyStuff.
Hire them now to take care of the packing and transportation works while you can focus on helping your employees to accept the move.
Nicola Holder 