Discussing Vital Details with Your Employees When Moving Offices

by Marie Rodriguez

Transferring to a new location is a consistently difficult thing to do. Unless handled appropriately, it can be a source of stress for the employees. Aside from improved lighting, heightened privacy, and larger workstations, research shows that guiding workers on moving days helps them adapt to the dislocation. Hiring moving services should also ease the pressure off the team. The employees can stay focused on their work rather than worry about packing up.

Discussing Vital Details with Your Employees When Moving Offices 3

Another study shows that a different workplace means that rules must be re-emphasized. A new location creates a sense of tabula rasa or a clean slate. If a company is moving to a bigger office, it can also mean more privacy for the employees. These may result in poorer communication among team members and disregarding policies. Therefore, appointing a human resources officer to guide the employees will be a practical approach to avoid misunderstandings among their co-workers.

A tour should suffice to better aid the team in getting acquainted with the new office. This can become a team-building opportunity, creating a shared experience among the employees. Here are key areas that must be prioritized during the group discussions:

New Workstations

The departments must be assigned their respective areas before they arrive at the location. This will reduce the chances of disrupting their workflow as they can mentally prepare themselves for the change in the environment. Without vigorous transferring to another office, they could find themselves overwhelmed by the situation, distracting them from their tasks.

There must be enough space for each team to work efficiently, with proper consideration for the number of employees involved and the physical space they will need to function. The storage of their personal and professional belongings must also be considered. Otherwise, disregarding these crucial aspects could lead to productivity bottlenecks and workplace disruption.

As mentioned earlier, the rules in the respective workstations must be discussed. This includes the boundaries between the desks to avoid conflict among employees in the future. Requesting the human resources officer to explain the office guidelines once more will also be an excellent way to remind their co-workers that a new office is a place of business and that proper etiquette must be observed.

Fire Exits

For everyone’s safety, the locations of the fire exits must be identified as soon as the employees arrive. Although this is usually conducted during a fire drill, all building members must locate the best way out in an emergency. It is also crucial that a floor map marking the exits mentioned above be posted along the hallway and by the doors of every office. This will be a guide to workers in the instance that they forget protocol.

A fire safety marshal must be identified during the fire drill as well. In an emergency, a safety officer on the team or the human resources officer must be in charge if a fire marshal has not been appointed. It is necessary to have a point person to encourage the team to remain calm while following the practiced protocols.

Locations of Amenities

Lastly, pointing out specific areas such as conference rooms, break rooms, and toilets will ensure efficient movement from one location to another. For instance, employees will need less time to use the washroom if they know it. They will be less likely to loiter in search of the facility they need.

Once the amenities are identified, the significance of the change in the environment should sink in. There will be new locations for employees to interact and spend a third of their day in. For companies transferring to larger offices, workers might feel more at home with the increased benefits available at their workplace. This gesture creates a sense of belonging among the team, fueling the desire to reach the common goal of making the business succeed.

The transfer of an entire team to a new location must be handled with patience, discipline, and care. If the employer’s goal is to avoid disruptions or losses in productivity, they must thoroughly plan each aspect of the move. Aside from the floor layout, their employees must consider how the company will function under different conditions. There is a lot of preparation to be done to ensure that the business stays on track.

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