Key Elements to Oversee During a Workplace Relocation

If you’re planning a workplace move, you’ve likely realized a lot more goes into ensuring it goes smoothly than the physical act of moving spaces. Senior Principal Kelly Barlow has utilized The Clearing’s workplace change management principles to help organizations of all sizes transition to new environments smoothly and successfully. Here are her key areas of focus to facilitate seamless moves that allow organizations to hit the ground running in their new space.

Effective communication is essential during workplace moves, as a lack of it can lead to dissatisfaction and anxiety among employees.

Communication tends to be strong in the early stages of a workplace move, with announcements highlighting exciting changes like a great new location or top-tier amenities. However, as construction begins communication efforts often dwindle. Many projects fail to keep employees informed about ongoing developments and future plans, causing them to lose excitement and believe the move will never happen. This lapse may then be followed by a sudden burst of communication: “We’re moving in two weeks,” which only heightens employee anxiety.

To prevent this shock to the system, The Clearing works with clients to maintain a consistent flow of communication throughout the entire process. We provide regular updates on construction progress (with photos), new technologies being implemented, and practical information for Day One of the physical move or space transition. This approach reduces surprises and eases anxiety, enabling employees to stay focused and effectively perform their jobs while preparing for the upcoming move.

A move schedule is directly related to communication. Everyone is curious about the move schedule, but sometimes it’s hard to pin down because construction efforts can be variable. Meaning even the best-laid plans sometimes must be adjusted. The timing for your move could be off for any number of reasons: slow permitting; all of your new chairs getting held up in delivery; or the construction crew hits a water line and everything is delayed while it’s repaired.

While it is important to communicate the schedule to employees, there are a few best practices to ensure you’re doing so effectively. First, keep move dates vague for as long as possible; instead share target timeframes or months, such as spring of this year or “May/June.” This helps set manageable expectations. Once you start missing dates, people start losing faith. Secondly, when you can use concrete dates, put them out there for everyone to see (we recommend at least two weeks prior a move) and immediately begin providing specific information about what people need to do to prepare.

Use your internal resources to create a set of logistics coordinators. Think of these folks as move ambassadors who know the business, who’s who, what should move, what shouldn’t move, and where items are going. Your move coordinator(s) can help answer questions that employees have or that the movers have so they don’t all flood into the project team. Instead, there is a core person or people who can gather questions, answer them, or bring them to the right person to get answered.

Identify your coordinators 60 to 90 days pre-move so you can educate them about the process before they engage with employees. It’s a great leadership opportunity for team members looking for growth opportunities and because they’re familiar faces, employees are typically more comfortable going to them with questions or concerns.

Ask people to start organizing and packing without providing details about the move– and people will have questions. Where will I sit? Where will I park? Do I need to pack my desk or will the movers do that? This is why it is important to inform your employees about move logistics.

Here are a few items to cover when communicating move logistics:

• Roles and responsibilities—what must employees do vs. what movers will handle
• Any days or times when employees cannot be in the building
• What should employees expect on Day One in the new environment (i.e., answers to the logistical questions like parking, seating, entry process, IT specifics, restroom locations, who to contact with issues, etc.)
• What and how to pack,  including specifics such as:
  • What move materials will be provided (e.g., cardboard boxes, crates, IT bags, labels) 
  • Packing and safety instructions (e.g., put your first, empty crate on a dolly BEFORE you pack it, crates can only be stacked three high)
  • What should and shouldn’t be packed (e.g., don’t pack potted plants – they’ll spill and you’ll have dirt on your belongings; do pack your work materials and files) 
  • Items the movers will and won’t move
  • How to label boxes/crates

Once again, this goes back to communications. For move orientation, we recommend holding sessions at least two weeks before a move – ideally, before anyone sees boxes and crates around the office. It’s critical to hold sessions at times that meet ALL employee schedules and ensure virtual attendees are considered. Following orientation sessions, include links to the orientation materials in your regular move communications to give people every opportunity to engage.

All of these focus areas ladder up to our biggest objective: ensuring a great “Day One” for employees in the new environment. My colleague, Nick Srebrow, recently wrote in detail about The Clearing’s Day One concept.

Day One is the first experience employees have when a workplace change goes into effect – in this case, their first day walking into a new or newly renovated space. Getting it right sets the tone for success and puts your organization on the path to achieving its goals. Getting it wrong may lead to a host of negative feelings, distractions, and disruptions that prevent your organization from meeting its mission. The old adage applies: you only get one chance to make a great first impression.

Ask leaders about their vision for Day One in a revamped space, and you’re likely to encounter a familiar response: they envision their team seamlessly transitioning into the new environment, embodying the intended aspirations from the outset. As Nick wrote, that vision is commendable. However, leaders must remember that a great Day One doesn’t just happen – it’s the result of extensive planning, coordination, and nailing the areas of focus covered above.

Plan Your Move

As you’ve likely realized, executing a smooth workplace move requires a lot of planning. It’s also a tremendous investment. As we have covered in this space before, investing in workplace change management is the best way to maximize that investment – i.e., ensuring a great Day One and beyond. 

The Clearing’s people-first approach to workplace change management, executed by our industry-leading team, is the safest bet to drive that ROI. Before you plan your big move, let’s talk – we look forward to helping you create the Day One experience that sets your organization up for success.