How To Prepare Your Employees For An Upcoming Office Relocation
If the time has come to move offices, taking measures to make the process less stressful for yourself and your employees is essential. After all, as with any relocation, commercial moves can be overwhelming and time-consuming, especially when you also have to organise the relocation of your employees.
Remember - this time can also be daunting for them. Your employees will likely have settled into your current office environment and the relocation may force them to change their routine. To keep your employees happy during this time, follow our top tips for preparing them for an office relocation.
As soon as you decide to move office and have selected a new location, it’s time to let your employees know. After all, the relocation may add extra time to your employees’ commute or may make it difficult for them to get there on time altogether, in which case they may need to consider their options. Unfortunately, some employees may choose to leave the company as a result of the relocation, so it’s important to give them plenty of time to make this decision before you move offices.
Give them as much information as possible
If your employees don’t know much about the area your office is moving to, they may be concerned about having to spend Monday to Friday working there. This is especially true for those who drive or rely on public transport for their commute, as they’ll likely be worried about parking and accessibility. To make life easier for them, give them as much information about the local area as possible, including parking zones, public transport routes, nearby gyms, cafes and so on.
Make alternative arrangements for employees
It may take a couple of days, or even longer, to pack up your office and relocate to new premises. However, asking your employees to take a couple of days off could be frustrating for them - especially if they have tight deadlines to meet and clients to keep in touch with. If you aren’t able to relocate during the weekend, you’ll need to make alternative arrangements for your employees. This may include lending out laptops or paying for them to use an external co-working space for the days your office is out of action.
Be aware that, if you’re relocating your office to a completely different area, many of your employees will need to make changes to their commute, childcare arrangements and lifestyles as a result. For instance, they may have to leave home earlier to arrive at work on time, which may make it difficult for them to drop off their children at school. If you can, try to be as flexible as possible by offering flexible hours to the employees who need it most.
Don’t expect them to help with the relocation
You may be tempted to save the pennies by asking your employees to help out with the relocation. However, this is an unprofessional approach to take and is likely to cause them a fair amount of stress. After all, they probably don’t want to spend their days boxing up computer equipment and loading desks into cars! This is a job for the professionals, so give your employees a break and hire a dedicated storage and removals company.
At Rose Removals, we specialise in a wide range of storage and removals services, including commercial moves. Whether your business is moving across the city or across the globe, we’re the BAR-accredited removalists you need. For more information about our range of services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Devon-based team of professionals today.
