Moving offices-- just like moving your home-- is a huge choice, brimming with mistakes and headaches that can sap the resources of even the most prepared business.
We must know. Convene just recently moved our business headquarters from two workplaces in Midtown Manhattan to a new flagship location in Lower Manhattan. It's a relocation of only 4 miles, however moving over 100 people, spread out across numerous areas, is never a basic task.
To facilitate this move, and ensure a smooth shift, the team here at Convene designated a relocation committee: a team of experts, chose for their specific understanding around problems we understood would develop with the big relocation. Think of them as our moving all-star team-- the Office Move Avengers.
4 of these professionals were kind enough to share their ideas on the move-- what worked out, what didn't, and how other companies must prepare to relocate. Find out from our successes-- and mistakes.
Start with "Why?".
The most crucial consideration our specialists shared was the significance of "Why?".
" Why are we moving workplaces?".
" Make sure everybody understands the 'why' of the move," states Slater. "People regard transparency. You need to outline whether it's going to be better or even worse for them.".
Let's face it, business move for lots of reasons-- in some cases excellent and sometimes not-so-good. Even if you have to move for a negative reason, it's essential to transparently interact why the relocation is needed.
We moved into our old office back in 2010-- when the group was substantially smaller.
Naturally, plenty of moves included great deals of excellent news too-- growing groups, broadening revenue, and new opportunities. Even when things are looking brilliant and bright for your business, don't take the 'why' for granted. You're still asking people to change their routines, which in lots of ways is more difficult in good times than bad.
" All communications relating to the relocation needs to constantly end and start with the key vision of why we're moving offices and why this is essential," says Wollemann. "Even when it's just an email about logistics and timeline, it is necessary to remember the 'why' when you're asking people to change a huge part of their routine.".
" What's in It for Me?".
Even the most selfless team gamer will have one huge issue about any workplace moving: "What remains in it for me?".
Shifts and routine changes are hard for everyone, and some of the changes may make life more difficult for a part of your team (longer commute, less familiar neighborhood). While you shouldn't belittle or ignore those concerns, make sure you're framing the move the specific advantages individuals can get out of the new digs.
Moving offices is a huge (and pricey) choice.
" If you're moving someplace with excellent facilities, it's a big message to people that our skill is the most crucial for us and we're going to look after you," says Slater. "Whatever the benefit of your brand-new area is, buzz that up for the team: more space, much better features, better neighborhood, anything that frames up the critical 'What remains in it for me?'".
Select Your Move Team Sensibly.
Moving offices is a huge decision-- a very costly choice. Ensure you're picking members of your relocation team wisely, and not simply throwing any ready volunteer into the mix.
Our group was purposefully picked based on their skillsets-- communications, modification know-how, style, technique, etc. Everyone had a role to play, and that role was vital to a successful relocation. "Strategy people's functions ahead of time on the move group," says Vassallo. "Make sure you have your needs covered.".
Regardless of the accrued skill, there were a few locations our team might've used some additional help with (operations being a big one). "Particular things I handled might have been much better dealt with by an operations expert. Employing the mover, coordinating all the boxes, what groups require what, and what kind of things they own.".
" Having the best group of people to collaborate the relocation and divvying up obligation is really essential," says Christophe. "We had a truly excellent group, which made it much easier.".
Communicate Early and Typically.
" Step one is developing a communications strategy, where you outline the in the past, throughout, and after the relocation, and make sure everyone knows about essential dates," suggests Wollemann. The group set out a detailed timeline, with matching dates for when crucial items would require to be interacted to the company-- scrap cleansing days, last day to load your box, last day in the old office, first day in the new office, and more.
When moving offices, make certain to thank those who made it occur!
Interacting early and frequently uses beyond simply your own business too-- make sure to validate with outdoors vendors like the moving business months ahead of time. "Start the move at least 6 months beforehand, not 4 weeks like we did!" says Vassallo. "When I read more got in touch with the moving company, they believed I was insane.".
A lot of commercial office structures aren't going to let movers mess up their nice elevators with moving carts and heavy furnishings. "What time individuals can come, utilizing freight elevators, what time individuals can utilize the freight elevators, additional cost for moving after hours, then collaborating with the brand-new structure to have that all take place on the very same day.".
Know Your Employees ... and Their 'Things'.
Not all departments in your business are developed equal-- each group has their own needs and devices. Designers need unique monitors and locations to sketch. Sales individuals require a quiet workplace for making calls to clients. The HR team requires a space with some personal privacy for interviews and other sensitive meetings. And the financing group requires filing cabinets for accounting documents. "We did interviews with each department to find out about what they require and how they work," recommends Vassallo. "That went a long way in being prepared for day one.".
Besides knowing what they'll need in the brand-new place, be prepared to handle equipment and other miscellaneous products that go unclaimed at the old office. "I discovered that a lot of things weren't declared by anybody, and someone had to choose what to do with it. For example, all the office products in the office that technically didn't come from any a single person. Someone needed to choose what gets tossed and what needs to come with us.".
Nail Day One.
You never get a second chance to make a very first impression. Day one of a relocation will be chaotic no matter what, however do everything you can to make it a smooth more info transition and a celebratory environment.
Developing a celebratory atmosphere on the first day was a crucial part of our office move.
" It's simple to get lost in the logistics but when it boils down to it, people care about a couple of things that will impact them on the very first day-- how do I get in the building and where am I sitting?" states Wollemann.
The moving committee created a welcome package that had instructions on all the essentials of arriving to deal with the first day and paired that packet with a live discussion a few weeks prior to 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 advise people on how to prepare, and how to be successful in the new environment-- how to set up their desk, their tech, their chair, everything," states Slater. "Take time to resolve even the tiniest of issues and take care of the requirements (not the wants) of people, either through education, innovation, or style.".
There were a few items the moving group, in retrospection, wishes were dealt with in a different way. Moving to a new workplace, for us, meant lots of new IT systems to carry out-- brand-new printers, new docking stations for laptops, brand-new structure security, and more. The IT group set-up a war room where people could stop by for assistance on the spot, but numerous problems might've been prevented by maybe a team-by-team technology orientation.
Despite that minor hassle, the team nailed the very first day experience. "We had a truly celebratory very first day (and week) at the brand-new workplace," states Wollemann.
The Lunch Crunch.
Among the most unexpected elements of our relocation is simply how invested individuals would remain in checking out the lunch areas in our brand-new area. Of all the regimens being altered for the folks in our workplace, lunch unquestionably generated the a lot of enjoyment and suffering.
" We create an actually great welcome package that consisted of details about the area, however I want we consisted of more choices for lunch," states Christophe. "The choices we put in there were more special event type of places (i.e.-- more expensive), and not every day lunch options.".
Prepare individuals for their brand-new cooking surroundings. Scour Yelp for the best sandwiches, salads, tacos, and ramen, and make sure you communicate that information to the group. Food is a huge offer, and you 'd be well served to set minds at ease about where your team can eat in their new digs.
This action did generate an enjoyable and innovative service-- our team has actually now begun a shared spreadsheet where individuals can go into fun, cost effective lunch areas they've discovered with a brief evaluation that anyone on the team can search for some brand-new choices to try.
The Work's Refrained from doing After The first day.
At 5PM on the first day, it's simple to breathe a sigh of relief and believe the move is over with.
Not so fast, states our relocation team.
" People forget that the move and modification isn't over on day one," says Slater. You require to constantly repeat and attend to issues the very first month as people get utilized to the space and make adjustments so that the area works effectively.".
The the first day breakfast spread. Stay alert, the work's not even close to finished!
" The greatest difficulty is getting individuals to change their habits," says Wollemann. "One method to encourage that is actually to focus the communications. 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 terrific for the future.".
Do Not Forget to Make It Fun.
Do not kid yourself-- moving offices can be a huge old here pain-in-the-ass. Everybody knows it.
You can make things more manageable by working in some enjoyable. One way our group did that was by hosting several "purge parties." After investing years in one office, we had all collected a lot of things that plainly didn't need to relocate to the brand-new space. However considering that no one actually likes cleaning, the team made it enjoyable. Time was shut out on everyone's calendars for a "purge celebration," complete with tacos, beer, and music.
Big garbage and recycling cans were brought in and everyone in the business was motivated to let go of all the junk they've accumulated for many years. Old paperwork was shredded, conference swag donated, and drawers complete of napkins and plastic spoons from lunches previous were discarded.
Throughout the first week in the new office, unique surprises were prepared, like afternoon cookies or catered lunch, in addition to special welcome bags for every worker consisting of novelty chocolate organisation cards-- featuring the new address, obviously.