Relocating Employees: 3 Important considerations
Business decisions, cashflow or the need for more space may cause a company to relocate their office to a new location. This decision will have a major impact not just on your business, but also on your staff, and it's important to consider what affect the relocation will have on your employees when deciding the location of your new office.
An office move may affect how your staff travel to work, how well they work in the new environment, and may also affect their employment contract. It is important that you give due consideration to each of these in the very early stages of the move and ensure you follow best practice as an employer.
Let's look at these 3 important employee relocation considerations:
1. Contracts
Every employer should be given an employment contract upon starting work with an organisation. An employment contract defines the terms of the relationship such conditions of employment and also states the place of work. It is important that employers review these contracts to check for the inclusion of a “mobility clause” which means that the employers have right to move their place of work, within certain limits and with enough notice. Employees who do not have a mobility clause in their contract can choose whether or not to relocate, or at least come to some agreement with their employer that suits both parties.
2. Personal considerations
A new location may pose problems and have an adverse affect on the employees travel to and from work. For example if the majority of employees travel to work by car, you will need to ensure that the new location offers the same amount of parking. Conversely, if the majority of your staff travel to work by public transport, your new office ideally needs to be located close to public transport. The distance of the new office from the existing one is a key factor. Moving in close proximity is preferable as it will cause least disruption to your employees commute, as well as their other family responsibilities and lifestyle.
3. Professional considerations
There are bound to be a few hurdles along the way settling in the new environment, and it may take some staff longer to settle in than others. It is important to help staff settle in quickly by providing all the things they need in order to carry out their duties effectively and provide training on any new office equipment. Get feedback and suggestions from them to make their working lives as easy as possible.
For more information on how to follow best practice when relocating your employees, download the Moving Office HR & Employment Legal Checklist.
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