At Precision, our clients often ask us what their employees can do – and maybe what they can’t or shouldn’t – in order to make their office relocation more efficient and successful.
This is an important time that requires a significant amount of planning and preparation to ensure you get it right the first time, and it doesn't end up costing your business more than you expected.
Along with setting realistic expectations and deciding how to move forward (no pun intended) with a company you can trust, there is also another element that you must control: your employees.
While every business move is unique (because of what's being moved, where it's being moved, when it's being moved, etc.), generally speaking here are 4 best practices we suggest to keep your employees in the know and help avoid disrupting their productivity:
How Employees Can Help with Your Office Relocation
1. Provide Employees with a Timeline
While employees will doubtlessly know that a move is going to happen, it’s possible – especially in larger organizations – for there to be confusion around exactly when it will take place. And if the office relocation is happening in stages (e.g. one department or section per day or week), then things can be even more confusing.
To avoid this, create a timeline and publish it on the corporate (intranet) website or shared drive, so that all employees know when the office relocation will start, how it will unfold, and when it will end.
2. Give Employees a Checklist and Enforce Deadlines
Provide employees with a simple checklist that they can use to pack up, label and clean (as necessary or appropriate) their work area well ahead of the office relocation. Be sure to enforce deadlines as well, since the last thing you want is for employees to be scrambling on the day/evening of the move. As well, personal items should be taken home well ahead of moving day.
3. Instruct Employees on What NOT to Do
Some employees may try and help by uninstalling cubicles, workstations and other furniture, or by moving some boxes or bins on their own. Beware, because this can hurt your office move. We strenuously urge you to advise employees NOT to do this. Though their intentions are good, they risk injuring themselves or other colleagues, as well as damaging items, walls, floors, and so on. The best and most helpful thing they can do is to be organized and ready to move, and help their colleagues as necessary.
4. Advise Employees on How to Work During the Move
During the move and possibly for a few days after as systems are being configured and brought online (e.g. telecommunications, security, etc.), your employees may need to make temporary adjustments – such as working remotely or from a home office.
If so, provide them with instructions and tools (e.g. video conferencing software, etc.) to help them stay productive and efficient. This will be good for your business, and even better for your employees who won’t face a mountain of work the first day in their new office!
Contact Us to Learn More
To learn more about how your employees can support your office relocation and make it more efficient and successful, contact the Precision team today. Your consultation with us is free.
