The office move was complicated, it always is. In unexpected ways. You’re tired, but you’re done. Your first weeks pass along and you begin to find your way to the new office.
You tried some different routes, then left a bit earlier or later, until you think you find the best trade-off. What about your teammates?
Are your colleagues happy with the new office?
Is it the same as the old office for all of them? It seems to be farther for a couple of your colleagues. Or busier at the time they usually came to the office, so they need to adjust the time they leave for work. And sometimes the time to go back home too, as a consequence.
If you’re concerned or responsible for your team you can do something: you can estimate how happy the team is with the new commute and then compare with the old one.
Compare the old office commutes with the new ones
Make a list of your teammates. Work with your manager’s assistant or HR responsible to make the list. Then calculate the best routes each one had for going to and from work, at each one’s usual times of arrival and departure.
The duration is important, that’s the first thing to compare. Calculate average, minimum and maximum and total duration. Then do the routes calculations for the old office. Compare the two tables. Compare the average, minimum, maximum and totals.
Keep track of the commute scores every 3-6 months, and for new employees. If you did what was possible to be done and the trend stays flat or improves, that’s a success.
Better do the comparison before the move
Before or after the move, after you do the comparison you have something to discuss, first with your team, later with management, if needed.
1. First, calculate team commute avg/min/max/totals
2. Compare commute numbers between new and old offices
3. Then act upon the numbers, team first, individual next
You often find that some people are much more impacted than others. Talk to them, and try to improve their commute: carpooling and public transportation are often possible in big cities. Remote work, full or part-time, is another possible solution for them.
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