If you’ve executed an office relocation project, you know there’s an understandably strong focus on connecting with employees and workgroups to identify their needs and address any uncertainties they may have. However, your executives and senior staff will likely have their own questions and concerns. Their interests span many aspects of the business, and their view is typically across a longer time horizon as they plan out the organization’s strategic direction. Understanding what the leadership group worries about can help you minimize disruptions to the company and ensure your relocation project is successful.
The potential for productivity loss is among the most common concerns for leaders at the executive level, and it’s one shared by department heads, managers, and frontline supervisors. As employees adjust to new work environments and deal with disruptions during and sometimes after the relocation period, there are numerous ways productivity could be negatively affected. Routines will be out of whack for a bit, workers may struggle with technical issues related to setting up computers and equipment in their new locations, and access to the usual support resources may be more difficult while everyone focuses on the move schedule. The simple act of packing and unpacking—not just individual offices but also shared workstations, supply closets, and other areas—takes time away from regular work tasks. At the department level, these issues don’t look overwhelming, but when viewed across the business, executives may worry how disruption-at-scale will affect operations.
Possible repercussions on client or customer relationships are also often at the top of senior staff’s concerns when an office relocation is in the works. Some of the worries naturally center on aesthetics, such as what sort of impression clients will get if the lobby or conference rooms are in upheaval and the hallways are lined with moving boxes. Ensuring clients have seamless access to support teams, online help centers and documentation, order portals, and can quickly connect with account executives if they have questions are also top of mind at the highest levels of the business. Because visible disruption could negatively impact client confidence, this is likely to be something the leadership team wants to address before moves begin. And, of course, employees’ ability to maintain deadlines and work quality despite the disruptions will be key to ensuring overall service delivery during the relocation.
Fear of gaps in operational continuity is a frequent discussion point within individual departments, but your executive team will likely express more concern about this than any mid-level manager. Downtime of essential systems and processes could create ripple effects across the business, straining resources in multiple functional areas and requiring time for recovery and restoration of normal operations. Any delays in product development or delivery, or barriers that hinder revenue-generating activities could dampen cash flow or reduce financial projections over the long term. Depending on which (and how much) critical functions are affected, there may also be compliance and regulatory risks that bring unwanted attention or result in fines or even work stoppages.
There could be concerns about maintaining data security and ensuring a smooth transition of technology systems during the relocation process that aren’t obvious to the individual departments involved in the move. Many businesses have a large contingent of devices and equipment that are managed by the facilities management or manufacturing teams, for example, that could severely compromise network security and data protection strategies if they aren’t handled properly. Talk with your technology groups in depth to determine their needs and concerns around securing connectivity in new locations and managing user credentials as employees transition from one work area to another.
PMAlliance, Inc uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project portfolio management.
