How To Manage Change - Office Relocation

Why do we have to move, anyway?

Volition I lose my office with a view?

How am I going to get anything done with all those people around?

No matter the level of complexity, workplace change can be a challenge for employees. Moving into a new office tin signal a shift in company culture or direction. Information technology can produce a variety of emotional responses and even have lasting effects on visitor morale. This type of change tin can be challenging for both employees and management, simply information technology doesn't accept to exist tumultuous. Below I identify four stages of reaction employees typically experience during workplace transformation.

Anticipating these stages tin can ease the transition into a new workplace. A Change Management approach generates agreement, ownership and excitement among employees. It specifies fundamental activities and communications that will minimize disruption to business. It keeps staff informed of business imperatives, updates them on project details, educates them on pattern decisions, and provides opportunities for them to phonation questions or concerns during the adjustment period.

A wise approach to change management involves anticipating typical reactions to modify as they progress and addressing them. The typical stages nosotros come across most ofttimes are: Avoidance, Resistance, Promise and Enthusiasm. In each phase, our chart shows a strategic step for managing change in the face of these responses. These steps are designed to deliver the correct level of information and engagement at the right fourth dimension to build excitement and maximize preparedness.

Stage: Abstention

"They have said that we're moving earlier, but it never happens."

one. Concur a pre-planning session.A project champion and senior leadership can ensure that change direction programs volition be funded and supported.

2. Build a change team.Assemble the change team to include the project champion, a pocket-sized group from the design steering committee, key stakeholders, reps from HR and IT and, ideally, someone representing internal communications.

3. Perform a workplace survey.Conduct an all-staff survey on topics capturing both current situations and hereafter desired outcomes, such as mobility, work style, workplace support, workplace needs, storage and technology. The results from the survey along with a Visioning study and focus grouping summaries will serve as the development platform for a workplace standard. This standard likewise provides a method for measuring success.

Phase: Resistance

"I bet they're taking away my view and giving me a smaller desk."

4. Change team kick-off meetings.Hash out local end-users and site characteristics, review and schedule change direction activities and plant roles and responsibilities.

v. Hold a leadership session.Change activities should begin before the real estate transaction is finalized. The procedure commences with a local leadership session, during which the change team introduces the change management process, discusses project goals and schedules and presents the new workplace strategy. The team will also ascertain the expected success measures at this time.

Stage: Hope

"I wonder if we could become what we've always wanted."

6. Launch an internal website.An internal website or web log can be useful in informing staff of updates regarding the new office projection. A member of the change team tin can manage the content for this site and respond to comments. Themes of the internal blog tin can include "Countdown to Motion," "Survey Results," "What's in information technology for me?" "Our New Building," "Preparing to Move," then on. Plans, layouts, renderings will be popular, but the seating chart volition exist the hottest.

vii. Concord a managers session.To help proceeds buy-in beyond the company, department heads and team leaders meet to prep for the upcoming changes and responsibility of delivering news to their teams. This too allows room for feedback.

Phase: Enthusiasm

"I can't look to move. The new infinite looks amazing."

8. Organize town hall meetings and brown pocketbook lunches.To communicate the current condition of the project, create a series of "topic specific sessions" open to all staff. Presentations at these sessions volition focus on subjects including new workplace concepts, new technology, furniture mock-ups, workstation specifics and overall planning concepts. In the event of a relocation, a "new neighborhood orientation" could feature the location of transit, nutrient and coffee shops. Farther sessions tin characteristic updates on function etiquette or a full general exploration of the benefits and challenges of the new workplace.

9. Acquit site tours.At that place is nothing more exciting than seeing the actual space. Once drywall is up and the infinite begins to have on the shape of the new function design, difficult chapeau tours can be bundled. These can be coordinated in diverse stages towards the finish of construction, with the last tour conducted prior to move-in and once the seating chart (if there is ane) is finalized.

10. Create a new office welcome bundle.It's move-in time. A welcome letter from the president or local office leader, instructions on using the infinite, reminder of role etiquette plus a small souvenir such as a souvenir carte to a nearby coffee shop are a squeamish finishing touch to the change management program.

A change management strategy may not solve every issue that comes up during the large move, only information technology can smooth many ripples before they beginning.

Download VOA'southward "Ten Steps for Managing Workplace Change" report here.

About the author
VOA's Angie Lee has more than than 25 years of experience in interior compages and pattern. She is nationally recognized for her strategic planning, programming, and design expertise, and her power to lead and evangelize projects with the highest standards of operation. Her design leadership enables her to successfully implement design solutions that realize the goals, vision, and needs of each client. As VOA's workplace strategist, Lee will leverage manufacture knowledge through peer review and national workplace benchmarking and inquiry to her clients. Her feel designing workplace projects across the country provides her with a broad understanding of trends and facility needs, lessons learned, and technologies that traverse borders.