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Submitted by williamelledgepe on
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Any advice on staff communication when work space is shrinking?

Recently, my company had to make cubicles smaller so we could have more cubicles in the same floor plan. A few weeks prior to the construction direct supervisors held individual conversations with affected employees - giving time to prep and adjust their mindset. We didn't give them any input in the decision (no other alternative). Staff were not happy. There was some grumbling. I did a fair bit of listening to people complain - with my own skips as well as others' direct reports/skips. I even had one person lecture me about how I had made the wrong decision and she "could have my job."

Has anyone done anything in this situation that eased the change?
Is a smaller workspace always going to get the ire of the person with less workspace?

In a couple years we are going to move to a new building. When we move we will have shorter cubicle walls, cubicles will again be smaller, many people who have offices will be in cubicles, and electronic devices (such as personal fridges, space heaters, and the like) won't be allowed anymore due to electrical limitations (it will be a LEED certified building).

Any advice on how to handle in advance?