Why Employee Productivity Suffers During an Office Move—and How to Prevent It?

Office relocation has become a common phenomenon in the recent days. As businesses grow, they seek for better and bigger workplaces to build a better infrastructure to serve customers better. Commercial relocations like this definitely benefit businesses in the long run but cause some disruptions as the relocation takes place. Most importantly, office relocation often hampers the productivity of employees. It is important to realize the reasons behind low employee productivity to take measures to mitigate the productivity dips and ensure seamless relocation.
In this blog, let's try to explore the reasons behind the productivity fluctuations during office relocation and how they can be prevented. We will also delve into how professional office movers and packers can help in the process.

Common Reasons Behind Low Employee Productivity During Office Moves

Relocating an office brings up several challenges, disrupting the regular flow of work. Starting from physical clutter to psychological stress, these factors together make the condition of the office not very ideal for employees to work. Here are the most common reasons for the low productivity of employees during office moving-

• Disruptions in Routine: Office moving disrupts the regular workflow in a workplace. Employees in a workplace are accustomed to working in a consistent routine and even minimal disruptions can hamper both employee focus and efficiency. Once the layouts of the office are packed and partially dismantled, tasks that were easy to handle in the regular routine can get chaotic.
• Stress and Anxiety: Office relocations bring stress and anxiety among employees. This especially happens when employees are not properly informed about the new place or new ways of work. Employees can have questions related to new office layouts, changes in commute, and availability of familiar resources can result in stress and anxiety, affecting the energy and concentration of employees.
• Distractions and Disorganization: Office moving causes both mental and physical distraction and disorganization, making it overwhelming for the employees. While relocating documents, equipment, and boxes are likely to get scattered everywhere, making it hard for employees to stay focused. Moreover, the activities and noises during the move create another layer of distraction for the move.
• Limited Access to Resources: Employees often have limited access to their regular resources during office relocation. This can result in low productivity of employees as they do not get access to both digital and physical resources like servers or printers and more. The limited access to company resources can result in unnecessary delays in work processes.
• Adjustment Period: It will take time for employees to adjust to a new workplace after relocating. Once the office relocation is completed, employees will need some time to get familiar with the layout of the new office, find their footing, and reestablish their regular, efficient workflow in the new office.

Impact of Reduced Productivity on Business

When productivity fluctuations happen during an office relocation, their ripple effects can be impactful. The decrease in productivity during the office can happen due to the lack of expertise of professional movers and packers and this can significantly affect the business. Let’s find out how low employee productivity during office moves impacts business.

• Decline in Quality of Work: The distractions and disruptions during the move reduce employee focus, resulting in low-quality work. Employees who are helping in the move alongside their daily tasks at the office are likely to suffer more. The work performed by these employees is more prone to errors, hampering both internal office operations and client satisfaction.
• Delayed Projects: When office relocation is not organized well, it can push away project timelines. Employees may struggle to meet project deadlines due to access to tools and resources and disorganized workflows. This can altogether result in hampering the overall business timeline and commitments made to clients.
• Financial Costs: Reduced productivity of the employees can directly affect business revenue. Delays or mistakes in project deliveries may later require unplanned resources and extra time, resulting in unplanned expenses. Even a slight drop in productivity and output can result in financial strains in the future.
• Employee Morale: Working in a disorganized work environment with unclear communication can lower employee morale. Decreased employee morale not only hampers productivity but also results in an increase in turnover and affects team cohesion. Thus, it is important to keep employees engaged and motivated is vital to creating a positive and motivating workspace culture.

Strategies for Preventing Productivity Loss During Office Relocation

Moving a commercial workspace can be challenging. However, with the right approach, employees can be kept productive even during office relocations. Here are some of the important strategies to prevent productivity loss during office relocation -

• Early and Continuous Communication: It is crucial to maintain open and clear communication with the employees during office relocation. Ensure that the employees are informed about the relocation beforehand with enough notifications about the move. Explain to your employees the reason for the move, the schedule, and more. Your employees should know how this office relocation will benefit the business and the employees. Having regular updates on the move helps keep everyone on the same page and alleviates anxiety. Respond to all the queries of your employees faster to ensure transparency.
• Involve Employees in Planning the Move: You can consider involving your employees in the relocation process to keep them involved and foster high employee morale. Create an office moving committee with representatives from each of the departments. This can help in understanding the needs and specific requirements of the specific departments in the new location. Encourage feedback from employees on new office layouts, amenities, and workspaces to create a productive and comfortable environment.
• Hire Professional Movers and Packers: To keep workflows unaffected during office relocation, hiring professional movers and packers can be the best option. They can handle all the processes related to moving seamlessly, allowing employees to focus on their productivity. Moreover, professional moving contractors are well-experienced and can handle the relocation process without disrupting office workflow and hampering productivity.
• Maintain Regular Work Schedules: Ensure to keep a consistent and regular work schedule even during the office relocation timeline. Even if the relocation process needs a little disruption, then plan to conduct the move on weekends or non-peak hours. This will help minimize the impact of the move on the operations of the business. Consider making flexible work arrangements during the duration of the move such as flexible working our remote working opportunities. This will make sure that employees can conduct tasks with minimal disruptions, ensuring optimized productivity and workflow.
• Arrange for Temporary Workspaces: If you are moving to a distant location, or if the office relocation will take some time, you can consider arranging temporary workspaces to keep the workflow maintained. These can either be coworking spaces or rented office spaces near your office. Having a dedicated workspace where employees can conduct their daily tasks without any disruptions. Make sure these temporary spaces have the proper infrastructure and technology for supporting efficient work.
• Utilize Technology: Leverage technology for streamlining the relocation process. Project management resources and tools can help in organizing tasks and tracking your progress. Using cloud-based storage helps ensure that all the vital documents can be accessed from everywhere with zero to minimal downtime.
• Keep Employee Morale High: Keeping the morale of the employees high is crucial to maintain productivity. You can conduct social events or arrange employee engagement activities. Allow flexible work opportunities, provide free lunches, and create relaxation zones in your new office for a positive and collaborative work environment. Keeping the employees happy will give them motivation to work hard, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
• Elevate and Adjust: Once the move is completed, consider evaluating the relocation process and gathering feedback from employees. This can help in understanding what worked well for the move and what needs to be corrected for future office relocations. This feedback is important to make needed adjustments and make sure the new office fosters employee satisfaction and productivity.

Final Thoughts

Office relocations can be complicated. However, understanding why these fluctuations in productivity take place during office moves is crucial to ensure a smooth transition. Disruptions, anxiety, and adjustment periods can make it challenging for the employees. Clear communication and planning the move by involving employees is crucial to make them feel involved and keep them motivated. Hiring professional movers and packers and maintaining regular work schedules can go a long way in helping businesses keep their employees engaged and maintain regular workflows even during office moving. Businesses can further arrange temporary workspaces, utilize technology to store data, and consider taking feedback from their employees to make adjustments for the next move.
If you are looking for professional movers and packers in Dubai, consider hiring RealTime Packers and Movers, for a well-organized and hassle-free office move.