By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
At some point in the life cycle of your organization you are likely to move your office. A commercial relocation is commonly as hectic for you and your staff as a household goods move, only more so for you because you're responsible for your crew's well-being, too. Below are six strategies to keep your staff focused and included during your office move to Atlanta.Open Communication
Be as straightforward and transparent as you possibly can with your personnel. Let them know the causes for the move--expansion, more affordable office space, or the need to be nearer to infrastructure such as railways or airports--and more to the point, make the move public as soon as possible. When your move is caused by downsizing, reassure your remaining employees that the move is part of a favorable reorientating. Distribute a pre-move calendar that includes essential dates--any task deadlines, the times you're going to be moving, the days that you'll be packing and loading. The greater specifics you provide, the better your team will coordinate their tasks through to the move time. In case something fluctuates in your agenda, spread the word.
Ask for Suggestions
Once you've chosen to make a move, collect feedback from your team--a wish list, if you will--about the place and the kind of office they'd want. If you can, incorporate your employees in the decision making--these are the individuals who got you where you are, thus their ideas and tips should make a difference.
Address Drive Times, Transportation, and Parking
Every business is different, but there are a few constants across the board such as--everyone will have to commute to the office. In case you are in a small city, a move will not be such a big problem relating to things like parking garages, public transit, as well as traffic patterns since they typically are not a challenge. If those are aspects to your workers, you will need to consider how they effect their potential to get to and from the new location in a practical time, and how and where they park if you're in an metropolitan area where parking is at a premium. Map out everybody's new travel and time, and if you are able to, offer to help with transit fare or parking fees. Be receptive to adjustable hours or work-from-home days for any employees who face prolonged commute times.
Provide Information Regarding Day Care in Atlanta
Examine day care and after school care in the new location and offer to help cover the application charges for team members who have to make a change in day care.
Determine Targets, However Have Some Fun
It's not hard to get caught up in the nervousness and adrenaline rush--to the point which very little work gets carried out in the run-up to the office move to Atlanta. Particularly when your move is cross country, it is easy to neglect the tasks at hand when you are house-hunting and marketing your old house and investigating school choices and uprooting families. There will be turmoil and chaos, hence allow your crew some leeway--but be ready to delicately steer any wanderers back on course if they begin to slip.
Human nature being how it is, there will be some low spirits and anxiety within the weeks approaching the move. Again, if your move is long distance this will be more apparent, so provide prizes for staying focused and efficient. Organize packing events or get-togethers for families on the weekends.
Provide an Information Packet on Atlanta
Even in this digital era, an information packet is a fantastic item to get. The particulars of this packet depends on the size of the move--if it happens to be local then you wouldn't have to research schools and local communities. For a transfer which involves moving houses not to mention the business, there are certainly the points you will need to attend to, for instance: local communities, educational institutions, daycare, churches, hospitals/health care, nearby shops (grocery store, drugstore, shopping), dining establishments, vets, fitness centers and after school programs.
Like any move, a commercial relocation to Atlanta will probably be hectic. Making use of these basic tips, it is possible to alleviate some of that tension and make certain it's a favorable experience leading to increased employee retention, so that you hit the ground in good shape the initial day at the new workplace.
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