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Conference kaosws::canada

Title:	True North Strong & Free
Notice:	Introduction in Note 535, For Sale/Wanted in 524
Moderator:	POLAR::RICHARDSON

Created:	Fri Jun 19 1987
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1040
Total number of notes:	13668

887.0. "Downsizing" by KAOFS::B_CORBIN (I travel the Thousand Islands) Thu Jan 19 1995 13:53

    Our 2000 square foot office has got to go. Due to transioned
    employees our head office has mandated us to an office space
    of 800 square feet. I understand that their are about 40
    Digital offices that also have to relocate.
    We are currently located in the upstairs of a strip mall.
    Parking is poor, no visibility, old hand me down furnature,
    logistics is also upstairs which is a pain for us as well 
    as FedEx. So except for the downsizing we are looking forward
    to moving. Currently each of the 5 MCS engineers have a 
    desk and phone but this will be reduced in the the new
    office to a common area.
    
    Locally we went through a process of selecting a site, we 
    used over a dozen criteria such as price, size, location,
    parking, visability using a rating from 1(poor) to 4(excellent).
    We looked at over 20 sites in just a radius of 2 miles from 
    our current site. Based on our rating scale we found a site 
    that was acceptable to everyone locally. It rates higher than 
    our current office on every item except the size is 1200
    square feet in total,(800 sq.f downstairs/400 sq.f upstairs)
    It is a modern office cond. used by proffessionals as well
    as other Hi-Tech companies such as Cannon and HP.
    
    However our head office has selected another site which we had
    rated at near the bottom of the list of choices. It is in our
    same building downstairs. Our unit manager is butting heads 
    higher up about the issue, we have a good case since our choice
    works and costs less, but it seem that head office has made up
    it mind and did not want our input.
    
    Any one else having to relocate.
    
    Brian 
    MCS Kingston Ont.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
887.1	been there, seen it, done it, living with it	TROOA::DHODGSON		`Thu Jan 19 1995 18:43`	16
	Brian, Everyone can sympathize with your plight, especially those of us who have down sized, but two things come to mind that may prevent your relocation. First, as explained to us, there was money set aside for down sizing last fiscal year. To reduce space at the same location is, so to speak, prepaid. To move to a new location is a hit on this years bottom line. Notice the urgency to complete the down size. Secondly, in the past when we tried to relocate to a building where Computerland had offices. There was a condition in their lease preventing the landlord from renting to their competition. HP may have a similar rider. Welcome to "Share a Chair"
887.2	they want 800 sq ft not 1200	KAOOA::MACLELLAN		`Fri Jan 20 1995 14:34`	16
	Brian, Did head office ask you to find an office or did you folks do it on your own ? It's not like those folks to ask for employee input. They usually tell us what colour the carpet will be, the colour of the walls, the colour of the dividers, etc.. I think the problem with the office you found may be that it has an extra 400 sq ft. Even though it is cheaper, square footage seems to be a big thorn in the a$$ at Digital. I believe we still have an internal policy dicatating how big a cubicle can be based on employee level. I guess with open office concept that one will be thown out.... Good luck....what does Rooster have to say about this ???? Terry
887.3	We make an offer that can refuse.	KAOFS::B_CORBIN	I travel the Thousand Islands	`Fri Jan 20 1995 18:58`	20
	re -.1 Our unit manager asked for our input on the office relocation since the site choosen by head office was not acceptable to him. (we agree). Office space is plentiful and it is a buyers market. We had not trouble finding sites in our area by driving around for an hour and taking down phone numbers. If the head office is trying to relocate over 40 offices I can see how they would not have much time to spend on our small office. So far, it seems our unit manager is the only one who said no to the choice of office site. But we'll make our case and hopefully find an acceptable site. The 800 sq.f. vs 1200 sg.f. issue could be solved on our choosen site. The landlord will throw in the extra 400 square feet upstairs free. On our books is only the 800 square feet downstairs. The cost of this unit is less that the 800 square foot unit choosen by head office. Brian
887.4	SWO	TROOA::MSCHNEIDER	Another day ... another strategy	`Mon Jan 23 1995 10:35`	10
	Welcome to the world of shrinking offices .... in SW Ontario: HPO - Burlington - closed LOO - London - went from 3 floors to 2 to 1 KIT - Kitchener-Waterloo - shrunk by 1/3 - small office to start! I understand TRO in consolidating some more. Personally I like the Home Office thing, so I view most of this positively. Name of the game is reduce space to save expense $ and to do it fast!
887.5	more for the list	KAOFS::B_VANVALKENB		`Mon Jan 23 1995 10:41`	2
	Windsor office closing Sarnia office downsized