What I Wish I Knew Prior To My Company Moved Offices

Moving offices-- just like moving your house-- is a huge choice, replete with pitfalls and headaches that can sap the resources of even the most prepared company.

We should understand. Assemble recently moved our business head office from two offices in Midtown Manhattan to a brand-new flagship location in Lower Manhattan. It's a move of just 4 miles, however moving over 100 individuals, spread out across several places, is never a simple job.

To facilitate this move, and ensure a smooth shift, the group here at Convene designated a move committee: a team of professionals, picked for their particular understanding around issues we understood would occur with the big move. Think about them as our moving all-star team-- the Office Move Avengers.

4 of these experts were kind sufficient to share their ideas on the relocation-- what went well, what didn't, and how other business ought to prepare to relocate. Discover from our successes-- and mistakes.

Start with "Why?".

The most crucial consideration our specialists shared was the importance of "Why?".

" Why are we moving workplaces?".

" Make certain everybody knows the 'why' of the relocation," says Slater. "Individuals respect openness. You require to detail whether it's going to be better or worse for them.".

Let's face it, companies move for lots of factors-- in some cases excellent and often not-so-good. Those not-so-good factors (scaling down, decreasing property expenses) can be difficult to navigate, but Slater worries that transparency is essential. "Ultimately, you're moving because you desire the experience to be better for everybody at the other end. Even if you need to move for an unfavorable reason, it is essential to transparently interact why the move is needed. Cutting expenses can be hard, however eventually it's for the very best.".

We moved into our old workplace back in 2010-- when the group was significantly smaller sized.

Of course, a lot of relocations featured lots of good news too-- growing teams, broadening earnings, and brand-new opportunities. Even when things are looking warm and intense for your business, do not take the 'why' for granted. You're still asking people to change their routines, which in many ways is more difficult in great times than bad.

" All interactions relating to the move should always end and start with the key vision of why we're moving workplaces and why this is essential," states Wollemann. "Even when it's simply an e-mail about logistics and timeline, it is necessary to keep in mind the 'why' when you're asking individuals to alter a significant part of their regimen.".

" What remains in It for Me?".

Even the most generous group gamer will have one big concern about any office relocation: "What's in it for me?".

Transitions and routine modifications are tough for everybody, and a few of the modifications may make life harder for a part of your team (longer commute, less familiar community). While you shouldn't belittle or disregard those concerns, make sure you're framing the move around the individual advantages people can expect from the new digs.

Moving workplaces is a huge (and costly) decision.

" If you're moving someplace with excellent amenities, it's a huge message to individuals that our skill is the most essential for us and we're going to take care of you," says Slater. "Whatever the advantage of your brand-new space is, hype that up for the group: more area, better amenities, better area, anything that frames up the critical 'What's in it for me?'".

Choose Your Move Team Sensibly.

Moving workplaces is a big decision-- a really costly decision. Make sure you're picking members of your move team sensibly, and not just throwing any prepared volunteer into the mix.

Our group was purposefully chosen based upon their skillsets-- communications, change expertise, style, technique, etc. Each individual had a role to play, and that function was important to a successful relocation. "Plan individuals's functions ahead of time on the move group," says Vassallo. "Make certain you have your requirements covered.".

Despite the accrued skill, there were a few areas our team could've utilized some extra assist with (operations being a big one). "Certain things I dealt with might have been much better managed by an operations expert. For instance, employing the mover, coordinating all the boxes, what groups need what, and what example they own.".

" Having the right group of individuals to coordinate the relocation and divvying up responsibility is actually important," states Christophe. "We had a really great group, that made it simpler.".

Interact Early and Often.

" Step one is producing a communications plan, where you outline the previously, throughout, and after the move, and make certain everyone has information about crucial dates," recommends Wollemann. The group laid out an in-depth timeline, with corresponding dates for when important products would require to be communicated to the business-- junk cleansing days, last day to load your box, last day in the old office, very first day in the brand-new workplace, and more.

When moving offices, make sure to thank those who made it occur!

Communicating early and typically applies beyond simply your own business too-- ensure to validate with outside vendors like the moving business months in advance. "Start the relocation a minimum of 6 months in advance, not 4 weeks like we did!" states Vassallo. "When I contacted the moving company, they believed I was crazy.".

The majority of business office buildings aren't going to let movers mess up their good elevators with moving carts and heavy furnishings. "What time people can come, utilizing freight elevators, what time people can utilize the freight elevators, extra cost for moving after hours, then coordinating with the new building to have that all happen on the same day.".

Know Your Employees ... and Their 'Stuff'.

Not all departments in your company are created equal-- each group has their own needs and devices. The HR team requires a room with some personal privacy for interviews and other sensitive conferences. And the finance team requires filing cabinets for accounting paperwork.

Knowing what they'll need in the new location, be prepared to handle equipment and other miscellaneous products that go unclaimed at the old workplace. All the workplace products in the workplace that technically didn't belong to any one person.

Nail The First Day.

You never get a second opportunity to make a very first impression. Day one of a relocation will be chaotic no matter what, however do whatever you can to make it a smooth shift and a celebratory atmosphere.

Creating a celebratory atmosphere on the first day was an important part of our workplace move.

" It's simple to get lost in the logistics but when it comes down to it, people appreciate a few things that will impact them on the very first day-- how do I get in the building and where am I sitting?" says Wollemann.

The moving committee created a welcome package that had directions here on all the basics of showing up to work on the first day and paired that packet with a live discussion a few weeks before the relocation letting people understand what to expect-- where they would be sitting, how to get in and out, mass transit options, and more.

" You need to instruct people on how to prepare, and how to be effective in the new environment-- how to establish their desk, their tech, their chair, whatever," says Slater. "Require time to solve even the smallest of problems and look after the requirements (not the wants) of individuals, either through style, technology, or education.".

There were a couple of products the moving team, in retrospect, dreams were dealt with in a different way. Relocating to a brand-new office, for us, indicated great deals of brand-new IT systems to implement-- new printers, brand-new docking stations for laptops, new structure security, and more. The IT group set-up a war room where people could drop by for support on the spot, but lots of issues might've been avoided by possibly a team-by-team technology orientation.

In spite of that minor trouble, the group nailed the first day experience. "We had an actually celebratory very first day (and week) at the brand-new office," says here Wollemann.

The Lunch Crunch.

One of the most surprising aspects of our move is just how invested people would remain in checking out the lunch spots in our new community. Of all the regimens being altered for the folks in our workplace, lunch unquestionably generated the most excitement and suffering.

" We create an actually good welcome package that included info about the neighborhood, however I wish we included more options for lunch," says Christophe. "The choices we put in there were more unique celebration kind of places (i.e.-- more pricey), and not every day lunch choices.".

Prepare people for their brand-new culinary environments. Search Yelp for the best sandwiches, salads, tacos, and ramen, and make sure you interact that information to the group. Food is a big deal, and you 'd be well served to set minds at ease about where your team can consume in their brand-new digs.

This response did generate a fun and imaginative service-- our team has actually now started a shared spreadsheet where individuals can enter enjoyable, budget friendly lunch spots they've discovered with a brief review that anybody on the team can browse for some new alternatives to try.

The Work's Refrained from doing After Day One.

At 5PM on the first day, it's easy to breathe a sigh of relief and think the move is over with.

Not so quick, says our move team.

" People forget that the relocation and modification isn't over on the first day," says Slater. "Sustaining modification is the most significant obstacle and it's not typically succeeded by the majority of business. Individuals will begin to leave cups and trash around or use the spaces inappropriately. You need to continuously repeat and address concerns the first month as people get used to the area and make adjustments so that the space works efficiently.".

The day one breakfast spread. Remain vigilant, the work's not even close to end up!

" The biggest obstacle is getting people to alter their behavior," states Wollemann. "One way to encourage that is actually to focus the interactions. Even if the sole function is to communicate the date of something or action they require to take, always bring that interaction back to why this change is going to be excellent for the future.".


Don't Forget to Make It Enjoyable.

Don't kid yourself-- moving offices can be a huge old pain-in-the-ass. Everybody understands it.

After investing years in one office, we had all built up a lot of things that clearly didn't need to move to the brand-new area. Since no one really likes cleansing, the group made it fun.

Large garbage and recycling cans were generated and everyone in the business was motivated to let go of all the scrap they've built up for many years. Old paperwork was shredded, conference swag donated, and drawers full of napkins and plastic spoons from lunches previous were discarded.

Throughout the very first week in the new office, special more info surprises were planned, like afternoon cookies or catered lunch, together with unique welcome bags for every single employee including novelty chocolate service cards-- including the brand-new address, naturally.

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