Even the best-planned relocations can unravel if people aren’t prepared for the change. The difference between disruption and a smooth transition lies in how leaders manage the human side of the move.
Key Insights
- Relocations succeed when people feel prepared, not just when logistics are perfect.
- Ignoring change management risks morale, productivity, and retention after the move.
- Strong communication, timing, and ownership turn disruption into smooth transition.
Once an office relocation is on the horizon, the natural next step for leaders is to dive into the logistics. Of course, finding the new site, planning the fit-out are all critical elements of a successful move, but what often trips many organisations up in the longer term is a failure to manage the people factor.
Most people resist change by nature and by habit, so the biggest challenges often come from adapting to a new commute, workplace design or unfamiliar systems. That’s why staff engagement in an office move, clear communication and day-one readiness in the new location need as much attention as the logistics. When they’re neglected, the relocation can be remembered for workforce attrition and disruption rather than a smooth transition.
Technology plays into this too. A relocation is rarely just a change of address; it often comes with paperless policies, new visitor management systems, or upgraded meeting room tech. Leaders often see these as improvements for the business, but for staff they represent another layer of change to absorb.
Of course, not every office relocation will hinge on managing change. A small team moving a few doors down may experience little more than disruption on the day. But when a move involves greater distance, a larger workforce, or new ways of working, the people and culture impacts often outweigh the logistics. Change management becomes just as important as the physical move itself.
How leaders underestimate the human factor in relocations
It’s easy to assume staff will simply adapt once a new office is ready. Yet relocations that look like successes on paper have sometimes been followed by a loss of key people, or months of disruption as staff adjust to unanticipated changes in commute, environment and systems. We know of one multinational organisation that lost almost a third of its workforce after moving to a new site in the past few years. This was a direct consequence of underestimating how much the change would affect people’s day-to-day lives.
The organisations that handle it well take a different approach. In one relocation we supported for a professional services workforce, the move involved several significant adjustments:
- Staff moving from private offices into open-plan
- Tighter restrictions on personal appliances in the new green-rated building
- A new site further from the clients and stakeholders they interacted with daily
Each factor alone had the potential to unsettle staff if left unmanaged. Combined, they posed a considerable threat to morale and attrition in an industry that relies heavily on long-term professional development and retention.
What made the difference was the “one-two punch” of an experienced project manager and a dedicated change manager. The project manager anticipated the practical obstacles before they became an issue, from file storage to IT dependencies, while the change manager worked with leaders to engage staff, coach managers and prepare people for the change ahead. Together they absorbed risks before they could spill over into disruption, turning a potentially fraught relocation into a smooth transition with strong retention of key staff.
Making change management work in a relocation
If relocations succeed or fail on the people side, what does effective change management look like? Four elements matter most: change networks and champions, a clear communication strategy, the right timing and visible ownership. The principles are simple, but they require dedicated ownership to deliver.
Change networks and champions
Relocations that land well usually have a network of “move champions” or change agents inside the business. These are peers who explain what is happening, gather feedback and help their colleagues through the transition. They act as a two-way channel by raising concerns back to leaders, and reinforcing key messages inside teams. Staff are far more likely to trust practical updates from a colleague than some generic comms about the new building.
Communication strategy
Communication needs to go beyond high-level benefits. People want to know the details: where will I sit, what happens to my files, how do I log into the new systems on day one? A strong communication strategy for a relocation works in phases:
- Creating awareness of the move and its drivers
- Building understanding of what it means for different groups
- Helping people prepare for go-live
- Supporting adoption once they are in the new environment
Each stage should be specific, timely and provide a way for staff to ask questions and get answers.
Timing matters
Change work should begin well before boxes are packed. For larger or more complex moves, you should aim to start at least six months out, but closer to 12 if you have the runway. That doesn’t mean every week is busy for whoever is managing change; often there is a lull between drawing up the strategy and the phases of execution. What matters is that people have time to clean out files, adjust to new policies and plan their commute before the pressure of moving day.
Clear ownership
In an ideal world, a complex relocation has both an experienced project manager and a dedicated change manager. The project manager keeps logistics and IT on track, while the change manager works with leaders to engage and support staff. Together they cover the full risk profile.
Not every organisation can resource both roles. If you can’t, it’s still vital to nominate someone who owns the change. Without that focus, the people and culture elements can quickly fall through the cracks.
Need help managing the human side of your office relocation?
Even well-planned relocations can falter if the people side is left to chance. If you’re navigating staff concerns, introducing new ways of working, or just want to check whether your change management approach is robust enough, we’re up for a conversation.
Quay Consulting is a professional services business specialising in the project landscape, transforming strategy into fit-for-purpose delivery. Meet our team or reach out to have a discussion today.
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