Lead Your Employees Through A Stress-free Move
Gaining a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace means adapting—constantly changing to meet the disruptive evolution of business. For many organizations, keeping pace with change means moving offices.
Relocating a business is tough because there are a lot of moving parts and people. Plus, productivity must be sustained despite the enormous upheaval.
If you’re a member of your company’s relocation committee, this article offers concrete steps for enhancing communication, coordination, and managing the move objectives with department teams.
If you don’t know what any of that means, jump over to the Business Relocation Checklist to ensure your strategic expansion doesn’t turn into a demoralizing money pit.
Optimum Moving is one of the best moving companies in NJ because our long-term growth strategy depends on attracting and retaining customers by delivering unmatched, white-glove service.
Most businesses don’t have a process for hiring dependable movers to pack and transport their offices. One way we engage our clients and potential clients is by sharing.
the secrets to a successful move:
our experienced local and long-distance movers use every day.
The in-depth article you’re reading now expands on that checklist by providing 4 actionable steps you can easily take to add happiness to your corporate move.
- You can’t communicate too much.
All the best horror movies give you just enough detail to let your imagination take over. Fear of the unknown can really throw people off their game and create widespread anxiety, as well as fire up the rumor mill, which throws gasoline on the fires of the first two.
Company leadership wants to control the narrative right from the beginning. This is an opportunity to gain trust by giving everyone in the organization what they want—specific details on what change means for them.
The relocation committee should have liaisons in every department so employees have a familiar person to go to with questions and concerns. This process also delegates individual communications so the committee doesn’t get overwhelmed and pulled away from its other work.
Liaisons should hold frequent meetings to keep everyone up to date on the move and help them prepare to do their part. Additionally, it’s a good idea to have some meetings focus on personal issues. On the outside, employees may be taking everything in stride, but if there are any below-the-surface uneasiness, it’s best to address it as soon as possible.
The communication process of every move is unique, but here’s a list of talking points to get you brainstorming on what your employees may need to know:
- Will employees be packing their own desks? Will they move files and office furniture?
- Are professional movers being used? Who are they?
- Can employees work remotely during the move?
- Are there any compensations or incentives to relocate with the company?
- Make it a team effort.
The relocation committee doesn’t need to get bogged down on details if they open the process up to the entire organization. Unleash your department liaisons from being mouthpieces and empower them to be problem solvers by facilitating on an individual level how the committee’s big plan will unfold.
Some examples include finding departmental solutions to limiting downtime, letting employees give input on the new office layout, providing regular morale boosters and pep talks to keep everyone united and willing work for a positive outcome.
- Don’t move anything you don’t absolutely need.
There’s no better time to take a critical look at your desk and office to decide what to toss out. There should be time set aside when you can empty out every drawer, cabinet, and shelf. Decluttering puts you in a healthy state of mind and gives you a fresh start in your new location.
Even if a company hires commercial movers, typically employees are responsible for packing their own desks. Resist the urge to just dump your drawers into boxes. Get rid of the pens that don’t work, the old notes, scraps of paper, things you forgot why you held on to, etc. Start the process slowly as soon as possible.
Pro tip: Bring your personal items home little by little and move them into your new office yourself. They may not be covered under the mover’s insurance.
Make sure you label your boxes according to your company’s procedure, which should written out for each employee. You don’t want to be that person who’s missing a box.
- That’s what families do—they help each other.
Most of the focus and energy is spent on moving the office, but especially if a company makes a long-distance move, consider broadening your communications to include useful information for making a personal move.
A good place to start is with this Residential Moving Checklist.
Some ideas for long-distance relocations include providing contact information for real estate agents, school systems, and long-distance moving companies.
If an organization makes a local move, try scheduling group visits to the new office and go for lunch in the neighborhood.
Remember—the goal is for everyone to have a happy move.