Method and system for managing workforce mobility within a business entity

• US 8,352,341 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Relocation Management, LLC
• Original Assignee: Relocation Management, LLC
• Inventors: Greenberg, Barbara N., Jetton, Sabrina M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Seye
• Application Number:
  US12/024,019
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/105 Human resources
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed toward incorporating corporate culture, change management, and employee morale concerns into a business facilities management process to ensure continuity of operations and revenues when managing a change event. A preferred methodology focuses on flexible and careful consideration of human factors throughout the change process, with frequent status re-assessment and plan re-alignment. A preferred system may allow the user to incorporate existing preferred software tools to manage logistics associated with an office move, and together with an information-based kit, address human factors and provide a form factor solution to facilitate teamwork and buoy employee morale. In a preferred configuration, the relocation kit may simplify the change process and enable managers of change and mobile employees to experience a sense of control, order, calm, and fun.

Claims

1. A project management system for managing a change event within a business entity, the system comprising:

a plurality of system elements, including (a) a time management device integrated with a list of certain tasks for facilitating tracking of task progress, (b) a first group of handheld cards, each card displaying to a user in readable form (i) a task category and a group of related tasks, (ii) a time reference indicator indicating approximate time to commence the group of tasks, (iii) for each task, an indicator of an approximate amount of time commitment needed for completion of the task by the user, (c) a first compilation of information about a prescribed set of categories, including document templates, procedures, and instructions for use in managing the change event, and (d) a second compilation of information about a new environment existing after completion of the change event, the second compilation of information providing a sense of place associated with experiencing the new environment; and

a physical presentation container grouping the system elements therewithin, wherein the system is assembled in the form of a kit.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a collection of suggestions for team-building activities.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the kit is operative to aid a team whose members are employees or contractors of the business entity.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising office supplies.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a chronicle of examples selected from the group consisting of:

observations of employee behaviors in response to change events.

6. The system of claim 1, in which the first compilation of information and the second compilation of information are provided in an electronic form such as a compact disk (CD) or other memory device, or a computer memory located at a remote site that is accessible via connection through an electronic network.

7. The system of claim 1, in which the change event to be managed is an office move.

8. The system of claim 1, in which the presentation container is a compartmentalized box.

9. The system of claim 1, in which the time management device is constructed and arranged in the form of a calendar.

10. The system of claim 1, in which the group of cards is constructed and arranged to assist in managing task ownership, task scheduling, time management of individuals responsible for tasks, and coordination among team members.

11. The system of claim 1, in which at least some system elements are embossed with stylized, matching graphics.

12. The system of claim 11, in which the stylized, matching graphics include colors, fonts, and motifs intended to reduce anxiety and to evoke a sense of enjoyment while managing the change event.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising

a set of category cards relating tasks by subject category coordinated with the categories in the first and second compilations, each card displaying (a) a subject category, (b) a time reference indicator prior to the change event, (c) a list of tasks, and (d) for each task, an estimate of the time required to do the task by the user.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the time reference indicator illustrates how many days prior to completion of the change event that the tasks should be completed.