Personnel - moving the heart of your business
When relocating office, don't forget your employees!
When organising an office move, many managers overlook the very core of their business: the staff. It is not simply a case of shepherding your employees into a separate moving coach and transporting them from A to B; planning and forward-thinking are required. Relocating office can have significant impact on your workforce and due thought should be given when choosing new offices.
Joanne Christie of Personnel Today, a resource for news and human resource strategy, shared her top tips for successful personnel relocation without the headache:
Give your employees plenty of notice and financial support where necessary.
Consider the likelihood of moving when drawing up contracts for employees, terms of future relocation can be negotiated as far in advance as the day a new staff member is employed.
Discuss relocation on a one-to-one basis as soon as moving becomes a possibility. Staff should be given as much warning as possible to give them a chance to assess how relocation would affect their lives.
Does your office move affect the ability of your employees to commute effectively? Look at where your staff members live, particularly those you are reliant on and confront the ramifications of moving with these people well in advance.
Research the jobs market in your new area if moving office further afield. You will need to be fully clued up about the recruitment process when you get to the other end.
The Moving Office HR & Employment Law Checklist shares more tips on how an office relocation can affect your staff.
