Office moves and relocations can be a stressful process for your people. Once you’ve developed your office move plan and established the timeline of events, a great way to familiarize employees with their new environment and ease the transition to the new space is through a Move-In Booklet. Since a new work environment will require new ways of working, this booklet can include important information that clearly communicates changes in expectations or reiterates existing guidelines. A Move-In Booklet is a simple and effective way to make the most of your employees’ move experience.
To start, ask yourself these questions:
- What etiquette or behaviors will you expect people to exhibit in the new spaces?
- What protocols should employees adhere to in shared spaces and common areas?
- What wellness elements are present / should be supported in the new environment?
- What departmental resources are available for questions or support?
Be sure to include:
- A message or note from your leadership team that communicates your company’s workplace strategy and business drivers for your office move.
- A floorplan of the new space and the design intents of different workplace settings so that your people understand the orientation of the workplace and why specific furniture/technology/applications were selected.
- “How-To” guides for chairs, height-adjustable desks and/or monitor arms – this is an easy way to make the most of your employees’ move experience.
BEST PRACTICES | SHAWMUT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Red Thread worked with Shawmut Design and Construction on their headquarters renovation last year, providing furniture, audiovisual technology and demountable walls. As a project partner, Red Thread helped Shawmut develop Move-In Booklets in order to communicate the new spaces, design intent, and How-To guides for each phase of their renovation. Because each phase of the project included different work settings, the Move-In Booklets helped to clarify how to use the new spaces, and what the expected etiquette for each was. Shawmut values their strong existing company culture, so they wanted their people to feel at-home and comfortable in their new work environment as quickly as possible.
Looking to hire an office mover? Make sure you know the top 10 questions to ask!
