How to take the pain out of your workplace relocation

Relocating a workplace can be an exciting and important step forward for your company. However, such a huge stride will never be without stress, so it’s important to think about how you can take the pain out of your office relocation.

The first thing to think about is how to engage your employees in the move. From creating a survey to find out what they’d value in a new workplace, to setting up a focus group of staff representatives who can provide advice and feedback on the plans, an engaged workforce is much more likely to feel happy about the move than one who feels they’ve had no say in it. Then make sure you communicate with your staff regularly, so they understand what is happening and what they need to do.

Remember also that an office move can be personally painful. Many employees, especially those with long service, can feel attached to their physical place of work, and may find it painful to start working in a new place. Be sensitive to those stresses and strains, and staff are much more likely to accept the idea of the relocation. Equally, if you’re moving to a new geographical area, consider how you can help your valued staff to commit to the relocation. Whether that’s offering help towards rent and mortgage costs, removal fees or paying a retention bonus, this can actually help your bottom line. You’ll retain good staff and this employee retention means you won’t need to invest in the recruitment and training of new employees.

Lastly, ensure the relocation itself is meticulously planned and carried out. Many companies find that engaging the help of a professional corporate relocation company takes a great deal of the stress out of an office relocation.