Managing employees successfully through an office move
Keeping your employees informed through an office is all important. Moving office is likely to bring a fair amount of upheaval for any team, so communicating effectively will help you minimise any misunderstandings and engage positively with your staff.
Here are our top five tips for managing employees successfully through an office move:
1. Give plenty of notice
Make sure you start communicating the reasons for the move as early as possible, highlighting what it will entail and how everyone will benefit. Be upbeat while staying realistic - if people are likely to experience some inconvenience in the short term, say so, and explain that it will only be temporary.
2. Keep the lines of communication open
Communicate with your employees throughout the process, and keep the communication flowing both ways. Give your team a straightforward route to voice their concerns. And share regular updates, whether it’s by email, the intranet, team meetings or newsletters. You could even suggest a team visit to the location.
3. Seek your team’s feedback
Ask your team to share their thoughts and ideas on the move. And make sure there’s a straightforward route for them to voice any concerns. Getting people involved can be a great way to boost enthusiasm. The more you value your staff’s contribution, the more support you’ll be lively to receive.
4. Anticipate staff concerns in advance
Plan how to deal with potential issues before they arise. If travel to work is going to increase, could you reimburse the extra part of the journey? Perhaps you could investigate the government’s ‘Bike 2 Work’ scheme or run a shuttle bus service from the nearest train station. In the same way, consider how much you’re prepared to invest in technology for mobile working, or relocation costs.
5. Respond quickly to complaints
Respond rapidly to any worries or complaints. If you let any concerns linger, it could only make things worse. So, encourage people to be open about any worries and work collaboratively with your management team and the employee in question to find a swift resolution.
Please visit our HR Guide to Moving Office for everything you need to know on keeping staff engaged throughout an office move.
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