Internal Change Communication

Internal communication for a workspace project falls within a precise regulatory framework. Spaces receiving workers (ERT) are governed by the Labour Code (decree 92-332 recodified and the amended order of 05 August 1992), which notably requires consultation of the CSE from 50 employees, with a minimum period of one month before any decision for any significant rearrangement of workstations. On the projects we manage, the vast majority concern companies of 50 to 500 employees, where the coexistence of hybrid teams, technical roles and support functions complicates the delivery of a single message.

Three issues structure the approach:

• Buy-in: office employees are rarely consulted upstream on changes to their work environment, a gap we systematically observe during our pre-project audits.
• Productivity: a poorly communicated project leads to a post-move period of disorganisation that is significantly longer than with a structured plan; the gap is noticeable from the very first weeks.
• Employer brand: when well publicised internally, the move becomes a positive signal for candidates who check employee reviews before applying.

For the CFO and Office Manager: internal communication is not a marketing cost, it is social risk coverage. On a significantly sized floor, several weeks of reduced productivity represent a payroll cost far beyond the budget of a structured communication plan. The cost/risk ratio justifies the investment as soon as the project affects around sixty employees, the threshold below which CSE consultation is no longer mandatory but remains advisable.

When the communication investment is not justified. Below 25 employees or for a simple refresh without relocating workstations, the full five-step plan becomes oversized: the cost of a dedicated communication lead then exceeds the measured benefit, and a management memo supplemented by a site visit is sufficient. Likewise, for projects under 300 m² or on homogeneous single-team sites, the internal ambassador phase loses its value: opt instead for a direct exchange between the manager and the team.

Kytom’s five-step method aligned with the construction work

The Kytom method in 5 phases is built around the construction schedule, from T-8 to T+6 weeks.

1. Framing (weeks -8 to -6): a workshop with the manager, HR and office manager to define 3 key messages, identify the 5 to 10 internal ambassadors and map out sensitive populations.
2. Official announcement (week -4): a launch kit with a management memo, a written FAQ of 15 to 20 questions, a 90-second video and 3D plans of the future layout.
3. Immersion (weeks -3 to -1): guided site visits in groups of 8 to 12 people, furniture samples and acoustic demonstrations on the workstations and associated spaces.
4. Transition (D-Day and D+5): a personalised welcome booklet, signage compliant with RGAA 4.1, daily 2-hour drop-in sessions for 5 days.
5. Measurement (week +6): a satisfaction survey on 12 criteria, with a target response rate above 70%.

A dedicated communication lead manages each project, in line with the requirements on documentary traceability. Governance relies on a bi-monthly committee of 6 to 8 members, ensuring the consistency of messages between management, providers and employees.

Our reading differs from the profession’s conventional wisdom on announcement timing. Common practice in change management recommends announcing as soon as the lease is signed. In practice, an announcement made too early, more than eight weeks before the move, creates more anxiety than engagement, because the real schedule (delivery, furniture, IT) remains uncertain. The optimal window is between -6 and -4 weeks, once the works permit is cleared and the furniture ordered, never before.

Limitations of the five-step method. Sequencing from -8 weeks assumes a controlled schedule: on projects with a precarious lease or a sliding delivery date, the immersion phase becomes counterproductive (cancelled visits, frustration). In that case, opt instead for a compressed three-step approach (announcement, transition, measurement). Moreover, the ambassador phase loses its effectiveness in entities with high turnover: the trained relays leave the company before delivery.

Measured benefits and recurring pitfalls to avoid

On projects delivered since 2018, Kytom observes tangible effects on productivity recovery, with a significant reduction in the time teams need to adapt. The productivity recovery curve drops from 6 weeks to 12 days, the equivalent of 4 to 5 working days per employee on a typical floor. HR requests related to the layout decrease appreciably in the weeks following delivery, freeing up operational bandwidth for HR teams. Three indirect benefits also stand out: a reduction in internal mobility requests, better use of collaborative spaces, and a stronger uptake of environmental standards when they are explained upstream.

Three pitfalls recur. Over-promising exposes the project to frustrations in the first 30 days: Kytom recommends communicating on measurable targets, with acoustic objectives of 45 to 55 dB(A) in open space depending on the category of use. Construction silence beyond 3 weeks weakens employee buy-in, hence a minimum pace of one progress update every 2 weeks. Overlooking frontline managers, who field 60% of on-the-ground questions, requires a dedicated manager briefing 10 days before the official announcement.