A VIPRE FACT SHEET
ORGANISATIONAL RELOCATION
Relocation
Is you business planning a short or long distance move? A relocation is not only about the physical move of the buildings contents, but also about the change that staff make in travel arrangements to the new site.
Accessibility and Parking Availability
Often a new office means less parking availability. Sometimes the distance of the move means that staff themselves may be asked to relocate. In most cases, a change in commute patterns will result. In line with human nature without any intervention, the default mode for almost every journey to a new site will be the car, which will often be contrary to the parking availability. A relocation can be a difficult time for employees in their change of travel arrangements and there are several activities that can reduce negative feedback, employee loss and ultimately cost. Particularly with a reasonable distance move which may not require employees to move house themselves but will significantly change employees commute times and cost—often negatively as many employers have historically employed personnel that live locally.
Employee Attrition
The loss of key employees as part of a relocation can be due to other factors apart from their role, such as: • Fear of new location and accessibility of new site • Perceived longer, more expensive commute • Fear or dislike of using public transport • Lack of perceived personal help by the organisation in the move Even the mere change of workplace can be disruptive to many people's effectiveness at work.
Key Questions
However how can the scope of the problem be identified early in the process ? How many of the staff will find the new commute too difficult and therefore choose to leave the company? Those that live some distance from the new site will find the new journey much longer. But how many people does this affect, and how would they naturally try to get to the new site? And if they cannot drive, which routes will they take and ultimately what services will be needed that aren’t already in place.
Vipre’s Solution
Help is at hand. Vipre has experience of helping many organisations through this process and has developed a structured approach to the people side of the move that can turn negative feelings into positive. This approach starts with some key information gathering that identifies the travel needs of staff. All of these questions can be answered quickly and easily using a brief online survey. These are run electronically over the internet at low cost and provide key information on anticipating travel issues. There are also key differences in the reactions to changes of journey according to age and gender. We can provide a much clearer view on where any effort should be spent on assisting employees with new journeys.
A VIPRE FACT SHEET
ORGANISATIONAL RELOCATION
What are the benefits of research?
This information can help in the development of a Travel Strategy for getting employees to the new location – identifying those that can travel easily, by public transport, a company shuttle bus, perhaps cycling, or needing to drive. The perceptions of the difficulty of the new journey can be overcome by providing general, and specific travel information for individuals. This is called Personalised Travel Planning and involves a brief face to face interview for about 20 minutes at the end of which the employee receives a brief personalised leaflet with his/her own car / bus/ rail journey described - with the timings and connections necessary to get to work and home on time. This removes all the preconceptions of the unknown (but probably "difficult") commute and clearly demonstrates to the employee the company's commitment to assist individuals with the relocation. Post move the changes that employees may be having to make to travel more sustainably can be made more permanent with the implementation of a formal Travel Plan. This sets out a series of actions and activities that develop sustainable travel and a positive long term change in travel behaviour.
Vipre’s experience
Finally Vipre also has the experience of developing policies that will assist with travel during and after the relocation. Compensation policies, parking policies to constrain demand and organisational management changes that may occur as a result of restricted or modified travel habits.
Addresses and Contacts
Suite 213 The Capel Building Mary’s Abbey Dublin 7 Ireland Tel: +353 (0)1 889 9056 Email: infoie@vipre.com 1 Crown Square Woking Surrey GU21 6HR England Tel: +44 (0) 1483 741349 Email: infouk@vipre.com Edinburgh Business Centre 11 Maritime Street Edinburgh EH6 6SB Scotland Tel: +44 (0) 131 624 8908 Email: infouk@vipre.com
www.vipre.com