How To Ensure Your Staff Are Ready For An Office Move
Moving is often a cause of excitement. Is your company is growing, and it’s time to move to larger office space. Or are you moving to a more modern and cost-efficient space? But making sure your staff are ready for an office move can be more complicated than it sounds.
People generally fear change and stepping out of their comfort zone. Taking the right approach to preparing your staff for a move can be the difference between ensuring a smooth transition or a nightmare.
Keep reading for tips on how to ensure your staff is ready for an office move before the office removalists show up.
Communicate With Your Staff Effectively
Not much is worse for an employee than finding out news which directly affects them right at the last minute. Or, hearing it second hand from someone else.
Your first focus after the move is confirmed, should be to communicate the information to your staff. This way, they will have plenty of time to prepare for an office move.
Keep in mind that if you are moving to a whole new location, it may have a significant effect on your employees. This includes their commute times and childcare arrangements. As well as their general day-to-day routines.
It’s not enough to tell them your business is moving, also explain why your business is moving.
Will it affect their jobs? What will be the impact on customers and clients? What about suppliers?
Create A Moving Calendar
To help reduce the stress your staff will feel moving to a new office, provide them with clear timelines for moving, including the process for moving day once the removalists arrive. The best way to do this is to create a detailed, shared moving calendar.
Be sure to list any key milestones which must be completed by specific dates. By planning everything out in great detail, it will help keep the office move organised and reduce stress. Ask for a volunteer or team from your staff to create and manage the calendar.
Let Your Employees Be Involved In The Moving Process
Instead of just telling your staff the details after a move has been organised, let them be involved in helping with the entire process.
This helps your staff accept the change sooner, and feel like they have a platform to air their concerns and also provide input. The most effective way to do this is to establish a moving committee who then leases with management. This gives staff a great platform to ask questions, and have their concerns addressed.
Consult your employees about feedback for the design and layout of the new office. You can help to reduce the challenges and stress that comes with moving and create a positive and exciting environment.
Declutter and Organise
Moving all your office supplies, furniture, and records to a new location is very time-consuming. It also takes your staff away from doing work. But it’s also an excellent opportunity to organise and declutter years worth of items.
Ask your staff to go through their belongings and to pack away their equipment, files, and documents. This helps you to move into a new office in an organised way and make a fresh start in a new space.
Provide boxes and labels to staff. Also, ask them to bring their personal items such as ornaments and photos themselves. This will ensure their belongings don’t get lost or damaged.
For office removal experts who minimise downtime to ensure a smooth transition for staff and clients, call Next Level Removals today for an obligation-free quote on 1300 005 400 or contact us online.
