Blog, Case Studies, Communication, Government, Workplace Strategy

The Regional Municipality of York (York Region) undertook a major transformation by relocating its Property Services Branch to a newly designed office environment at 130 Mulock. This move was part of a broader initiative to enhance productivity, promote collaboration, and support employee satisfaction with a more flexible and open office layout. 

Recognizing that this transition also affected public-facing functions, the Canadian municipality prioritized communicating these changes to both internal stakeholders and external constituents. The Municipality partnered with Stegmeier Consulting Group (SCG) to lead a comprehensive communication and feedback initiative, ensuring alignment of the new workspace with employee work practices and providing constituents with clarity on how this move would impact service access and quality. 

Additionally, Stegmeier Consulting Group (SCG) was tasked to conduct comprehensive pre-move and post-move workplace surveys. These surveys were critical in assessing the effectiveness of the new environment, identifying areas for improvement, and gathering feedback that would guide future workspace planning, especially for the Central Service Centre.

Project Overview

Stegmeier Consulting Group (SCG) was tasked with facilitating the transition by:

1. Developing a Dual-Targeted Communication Plan: Creating communication strategies for internal and external stakeholders, including messaging for employee updates, news media, and direct constituent outreach.
2. Gathering and Analyzing Employee Feedback: Conducting pre-move and post-move surveys to assess the impact of the new environment on employee work practices, satisfaction, and productivity.
3. Supporting Future Space Planning: Using feedback to inform future workspace designs, particularly for the upcoming Central Service Centre, to ensure alignment with evolving workforce needs.
4. Evaluate the New Workspace: Assess how effectively the new office environment at 130 Mulock supports employees’ work practices, collaboration, and productivity.
5. Identify and Address Issues: Uncover and rectify any misalignments or challenges within the new workspace to enhance employee satisfaction and operational efficiency.
6. Collect Comprehensive Feedback: Gather actionable employee feedback to inform future workspace planning, particularly for the Central Service Centre, ensuring that it meets the evolving needs of the workforce.
7. Ensure High Participation: Achieve a high level of employee participation in both premove and post-move surveys to gain a thorough understanding of the new work environment and its impacts.

Challenges

The transition posed several challenges, both for employees and constituents:

• Transitioning to a New Workspace: The shift to a more open and flexible office layout represented a significant departure from the traditional workspaces employees were accustomed to. Adapting to this new environment was challenging for many, as it required changes in work practices, behaviors, and even mindset.
• Misalignment of Workstation Setups: The ongoing reorganization of the Property Services Branch created potential misalignments between workstation setups and the new workplace strategy. Ensuring that the new office layout supported the specific needs of different teams and functions was essential for maintaining productivity and employee satisfaction
• Ensuring Continuity of Services: While the new setup aimed to improve service efficiency, York Region desired to communicate proactively with constituents to ensure service standards would remain high.
• Supporting Diverse Work Practices: The new workspace needed to accommodate a variety of work styles and practices. It was crucial to ensure that the design of the new office environment supported the diverse ways in which employees collaborated, communicated, and completed their work.
• Gathering Honest and Comprehensive Feedback: Encouraging employees to provide honest and comprehensive feedback about the new workspace was critical. This feedback would not only guide immediate adjustments but also inform the planning and design of future workspaces within the Municipality.

Communication Strategy and Execution

To ensure a seamless transition to the new Central Service Centre, SCG developed a comprehensive, two-pronged communication strategy that targeted both internal stakeholders (employees and management) and external stakeholders (the public and local businesses). The strategy was crafted to foster transparency, alleviate concerns, and build excitement about the new work environment and its benefits for public services.

Internal Communication Strategy
The internal communication component was designed to keep employees informed, engaged, and reassured about the transition process. SCG focused on clear, consistent messaging to ease the change for employees by emphasizing the benefits of the new office environment and addressing any potential disruptions.

• Key Messaging: The core messages emphasized increased collaboration, flexibility, and productivity in the new workspace. SCG crafted talking points that detailed how the layout and amenities would support diverse work practices and foster a more collaborative culture.
• Regular Updates: SCG collaborated with the Municipality to implement a structured update schedule. Employees received weekly email updates, posters in common areas, and digital screens featuring progress images, move timelines, and FAQs about the new workspace.
• Information Sessions and Q&A Panels: To give employees direct access to information, SCG organized informational sessions and Q&A panels where employees could voice concerns, ask questions, and learn more about how the new layout would support their work needs. These sessions provided a forum for addressing specific concerns about workspace arrangements and workstyle changes.
• Pre-move Briefing Materials and Guides: SCG developed a set of briefing materials, including move guides and visual aids, to help employees envision the layout of the new workspace and prepare for the shift. These materials also included details on seating arrangements, collaborative areas, and guidance on using the new shared spaces.

External Communication Strategy
The external communication plan was structured to ensure that the Regional Municipality of York’s constituents, including the public and local business community, were well-informed about the move to 130 Mulock and the new Central Service Centre’s benefits. SCG’s strategy focused on transparency and reassurance, aiming to proactively address questions and build community support for the transition.

• Public Announcements and Press Releases: SCG worked with the Municipality’s public relations team to draft press releases that were shared with local news outlets. These announcements focused on the positive impact of the new Central Service Centre, such as improved response times, enhanced inter-departmental collaboration, and the streamlined availability of services for residents.
• Direct Community Outreach via Email and Newsletters: SCG developed email templates and newsletter content for the Municipality to send directly to constituents. These updates provided a clear outline of what to expect during the transition, addressed anticipated service disruptions, and included a “what’s new” section that highlighted improvements in service delivery.
• Social Media and Digital Campaigns: SCG designed a series of social media posts and digital banners for the Municipality’s website, introducing the new Central Service Centre and addressing common questions. These posts were shared on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, creating a steady flow of information that encouraged community engagement and reinforced the Municipality’s commitment to transparency.
• Engagement with Local Businesses and Community Organizations: Recognizing the Central Service Centre’s impact on the local economy, SCG helped facilitate outreach to key community organizations and local businesses. This outreach included invitations to a “sneak peek” event, where local leaders and business owners could tour the new space, fostering goodwill and demonstrating the Municipality’s commitment to supporting the business community.

Pre-move Survey Communication:

• Strategic Communication Plan: SCG collaborated closely with the Municipality to communicate the upcoming transition to employees. This communication emphasized the benefits of the move, including the shift to a more flexible and open office environment, and addressed any concerns employees might have about the change.
• Pre-move Survey Design and Implementation: SCG designed a comprehensive pre-move survey to capture employees’ expectations, concerns, and initial perceptions of the new workspace. The survey aimed to assess how well the new environment was expected to support work practices and to identify potential issues before the move took place.
• Confidentiality and Participation Incentives: To ensure candid responses, SCG handled the survey independently, reassuring employees that their feedback would remain confidential. To encourage widespread participation, a Tim Hortons gift card was offered as an incentive for participation, ultimately driving a high percentage of survey respondents.

Post-move Survey Communication:

• Post-move Survey Execution: After the move to 130 Mulock, SCG facilitated a post-move survey to gather employees’ insights on how the new workspace was functioning in practice. This survey focused on evaluating the effectiveness of the current environment in supporting employees’ work practices and identifying any issues that needed to be addressed.
• Continued Confidentiality and Incentives: As with the premove survey, SCG ensured that the post-move survey was conducted independently and confidentially. Participation was incentivized with a Refreshment Coupon redeemable at René’s Café in the Administrative Centre, further encouraging employees to share their honest feedback.

Project Execution

The execution of the project involved a series of well-coordinated activities designed to maximize the effectiveness of the transition and ensure that the new workspace met the needs of all employees.

1. Comprehensive Survey Design: SCG meticulously designed both the pre-move and post-move surveys to capture a wide range of employee feedback. These surveys included questions about employees’ work habits, their expectations for the new space, and their experiences after the move.
2. Stakeholder Communication: SCG worked closely with the Municipality to ensure that all communications about the move were clear, consistent, and aligned with the organization’s broader objectives. This involved regular updates to employees, management, and external stakeholders about the progress of the transition.
3. Data Collection and Analysis: After administering the surveys, SCG conducted a thorough analysis of the data collected. This analysis focused on identifying trends, pinpointing areas of concern, and understanding the overall impact of the new workspace on employee satisfaction and productivity.
4. Feedback Loop: SCG established a feedback loop to ensure that any issues identified through the surveys were quickly addressed. This involved working closely with the Municipality’s leadership to implement changes and communicate these changes back to employees.

Outcomes

The partnership between York Region and SCG resulted in several positive outcomes that positively impacted both employees and constituents:

1. Critical Feedback: The pre-move and post-move surveys provided the Municipality with detailed feedback on the new office environment. This feedback highlighted both successes and areas for improvement, giving the Municipality a clear understanding of how the new workspace was functioning.
2. Workspace Adjustments: Based on the feedback collected, the Municipality was able to make necessary adjustments to the office layout. These adjustments ensured that the workspace was better aligned with employees’ work practices and behaviors, ultimately enhancing productivity and satisfaction. Through the surveys, employees felt their feedback was valued, and their satisfaction improved as the Municipality made targeted adjustments based on survey results.
3. Engagement and Transparency: Constituents were kept informed through consistent updates, ensuring they understood how the new environment would benefit service access and response times. This transparency fostered trust in the Municipality’s commitment to service improvement.
4. Informed Future Planning: The insights gained from the post-move survey played a critical role in informing the design and planning of future workspaces, particularly the Central Service Centre. By understanding what worked well and what needed improvement, the Municipality was better equipped to create future work environments that would meet the needs of its employees.
5. Increased Employee Satisfaction: SCG’s involvement in the transition ensured a smooth and successful move to the new workspace. The timely adjustments made based on real-time feedback improved overall employee satisfaction and productivity, demonstrating the value of involving employees in the transition process.

The successful workplace transition at 130 Mulock, supported by Stegmeier Consulting Group, demonstrates the importance of strategic communication and comprehensive feedback collection in navigating organizational change. By actively engaging both employees and the public, the Regional Municipality of York ensured a smooth transition that upheld service standards and set a positive precedent for future workspace planning. This approach showcases the value of transparent communication and stakeholder involvement in driving meaningful improvements in service and workspace environments.

Workplace strategy consulting services

SCG offers a number of workplace strategy deliverables and activities to kick start your organization’s real estate initiative.

How do we develop a workplace strategy?

Ready to develop or refine your workplace strategy?