Workplace Change Management for Consolidation and Relocation of Brands– Case Study – WarnerMedia
Workplace change management for consolidation and relocation of brands: A case study on media and entertainment company office transformations
How WarnerMedia embraced workplace change management to successfully combine brands and transition to a new office setting
Time Warner, now known as WarnerMedia, formerly had 5,000 employees working among its various brands across multiple locations. Before being acquired by AT&T, the company decided to consolidate these brands under one roof in the Related Companies’ new Hudson Yards development project.
As a 28-acre mixed-use development in New York City, Hudson Yards presented itself as a golden opportunity to WarnerMedia. The mass media and entertainment conglomerate had plans to occupy several floors in 30 Hudson Yards, the tallest tower in the development with 70 floors and millions of square footage for commercial spaces. This building was the most suitable location since it can accommodate their large workforce size.
With a perfect place to call their new home, WarnerMedia’s next biggest challenge was the process of consolidating brands such as HBO Max, CNN, TBS, TNT, Warner Bros, and others into this new workplace change. Considering how significant the upcoming change would be, the company was determined to leave nothing to chance. They knew that employees would need every ounce of preparation they could get. To facilitate a successful relocation, WarnerMedia partnered with Stegmeier Consulting Group (SCG) through their Executive Director of Global Organization and Leadership Development who was familiar with our team.
A stream of comprehensive services to enable successful consolidation and relocation
After some pre-engagement activities, our team conducted a site tour of WarnerMedia’s work environment to see the spaces where employees initially worked and understand how they utilize these spaces. It was an important step that helped our consultants visualize how people at WarnerMedia would adjust to their new headquarters.
The tour was immediately followed by SCG facilitating an “Aligning for Action” working session. This meeting with some of the executives and leaders allowed our consultants to provide an unbiased assessment of change management steps already taken by WarnerMedia.
Learning about the client’s existing approach became the key to plan for the transition collaboratively. Putting our heads together, SCG and the rest of the session’s participants were able to identify ways to improve upon the company’s existing strategy.
A change management roadmap which charted necessary events and activities was then developed to establish a clear path towards a successful transition. In addition to change management activities, the document contained the schedule and the people in charge for each event. It kept the project team focused on the project’s overall goals by being reminded of each event’s intent and related communication.
Conducting an informative event to introduce employees to change
SCG’s engagement with WarnerMedia culminated with the development and facilitation of a large, two-day Discovery Fair, which took place at WarnerMedia’s existing Columbus Circle headquarters in New York City. The main goal of this event was to help employees prepare and adapt to their new work environment by providing them a preview of how work and life would be like in Hudson Yards.
With the help of communications content and materials developed by SCG to promote the event, hundreds of WarnerMedia employees flocked to the venue with much anticipation. The Hudson Yards Fair featured several booths, each designed to get employees accustomed with the different aspects of change.
Upon entering the venue, attendees would find themselves at the welcome booth, where they received a fair passport and handouts, and were briefed on the day’s activities and purpose of each station. The ‘Our New Home’ booth was next in line for anyone who wanted to be introduced to their new home at Hudson Yards. Images, layouts and renderings of the new workplace were featured in this station to help employees get a feel of the spaces and amenities that they could use after the relocation.
In the technology booth, employees were able to familiarize themselves with exciting new technologies that would be available to them in Hudson Yards. Importantly, presenters treated it as a venue to discuss not only the technological changes, but also the aspects that would remain the same — ones that employees wanted to continue utilizing in the new space.
There was also the ‘Health and Wellness’ station that highlighted how the amenities and design and layout of the new space support the overall wellness of employees. Attendees participated in an interactive exhibit that showcased ergonomic pieces of furniture and other features designed to provide a comfortable working environment for employees.
The fair was the perfect way to explain why change was needed and how it would improve employee experience. WarnerMedia wanted to impart that the new work environment would offer two key benefits: flexibility and choice. The idea was to introduce employees to the areas meant for focus work and collaboration and make them feel that the company trusts them to utilize each space as they see fit. All of these were conducted in the ‘New Ways of Working’ booth, led specifically by consultants from SCG.
Since one of the biggest challenges of WarnerMedia’s transition was the move out itself, it was important to have a booth dedicated to it. Through games, posters, in-person discussion, and slideshows, employees learned about some tips to address storage challenges and the support available to them for when they would unpack at 30 Hudson Yards.
Another critical element that WarnerMedia considered was the security of employees in their new home. In the security booth, WarnerMedia introduced attendees to the new policies and practices put in place to ensure the safety and security of everyone in their new building.
Lastly, just before the venue’s exit was the workstation mock-up. Employees were able to explore their new workstation and see how it was designed based on their feedback, showing that their voices did not fall on deaf ears.
It was indeed an exciting event, but it was not all fun and games. For our team, it was a great opportunity to gather data to help WarnerMedia address concerns and general feedback from employees. Our consultants conducted a survey to collect thoughts and insights that surfaced while employees were learning about change, helping our client better understand the pain points and concerns from their workforce about the road ahead.
Workplace change management services for office consolidation and relocation
Consolidating and moving a large number of employees into a new office location does not have to be stressful. Such major initiatives can be managed and organized into one comprehensive roadmap to get employees on board with the upcoming change.
Does this sound like something that could help your company navigate the waters of a workplace change? Enlist the help of SCG by filling out the form below.
