Communicating office move to staff

Moving office can often have a positive impact on staff; it's an opportunity to bring about positive change, boost morale and performance and leave staff feeling re-enenergised in their new workplace.  Most staff generally embrace the change in new surroundings well, while for others change can be unsettling and this is where good HR management and clear communication is needed.

The key here is to anticipate the likely issues before they are raised as well as encourage open dialogue well with staff in advance of the office move. Some staff will be concerned over possible redundancy issues, or a change in company structure and others will have more trivial concerns like parking, facilities and amentities in the new office. All these can be managed with clear communication as early in the moving office process as possible.  Your company may consider holding an initial briefing meeting with staff where they can voice and air any concerns at regular stages throughout the office move process.

It is also important to be clear and consistent about what message you are giving staff about why the business is relocating. It might be to provide a better environment for staff, to accommodate future expansion or to provide a more efficient service to clients.  Whatever the advantages of your new office space it is important that these are identified and communicated.

There's a number of ways you can involve your staff throughout the office move to make sure they feel valued. It might be delegating certain packing tasks to them as the office move day approaches or getting their feedback about the new office. Keeping staff involved in the office move will help identify any issues so that you can all work together to provide valuable input into the solutions.

Finally, as an employer, ensure you handle the office move correctly from a legal perspective.  Make sure you read the Employment Law Checklist for an Office Relocation.