Relocating a business involves extensive planning. As a result, many more people are affected by the process. Keeping your employees productive during the move helps smooth the transition from one business location to the next. Look at a few tips to keep employees productive during your office relocation.
1. Develop a Strategy
Start planning your relocation’s success months ahead by assembling a team of managers or senior staff. Here are some tips:
- Develop a strategy to spread the word about the move so everyone on staff knows their role at every stage.
- Schedule your move for a time of year when business is slow so that you can minimize disruptions. As a result, your team will have an easier time maintaining productivity.
- Appoint individuals to lead various aspects of the move. For example, determine who is responsible for finding movers, packing boxes, and organizing office efforts.
2. Give Employee Morale a Boost
Employee morale and employee productivity are directly related, and certain elements affect employee morale in all workplace situations, such as:
- Recognition and reward
- Effective leadership
- Efficient communication
- Supporting a good work/life balance
Throughout the relocation, remember these key concepts, as they are just as important when the workplace is in a different state. For example, be sure the office staff has leadership in place to guide them and effectively communicate expectations.
3. Think About How Many People You Should Schedule
Consider the billable hours you pay for your employees. Without a fully operational setup, you will likely not need the workforce to be the same size as usual. You can keep employees productive by assigning them to specific tasks. However, employees with little to do may be left unscheduled to save money and prevent many employees from being on the job.
4. Transition Some Employees to Remote Roles
Transitioning some employees to a remote workstation during the move may be a simple solution to keeping some parts of the business functional. As you dismantle workstations at the office, consider if allowing specific employees to fulfill job duties at home could work for your business model.
5. Create a Clear Task Designation Chart for Employees to Follow
The office workplace, amid a move, looks much different than the standard workplace, and employees may require out-the-ordinary tasks and projects, unique expectations, and diverse skills. Therefore, employees must know what roles they are expected to fill during the transition. Create a clear plan that designates specific tasks and projects for different individuals. Ensure these plans are visible and that everyone in the office knows what they should do daily.
6. Give Employees Incentives to Work Toward
Moving can involve substantial mundane tasks that employees can quickly grow tired of handling. Offer incentives to keep productivity levels up despite the change in workplace requirements. For example, let the office employees know if you get all paper files transitioned to digital files by the end of the week, you will provide lunch for everyone or a partial day off.
Get Support from an Office Moving Company
Having access to professional guidance during an office move can simplify the process so you can focus on keeping employees as productive as possible. If your business faces an upcoming relocation, contact us to discuss your needs with one of our knowledgeable representatives.