Moving Office at OUM

Packing up and moving is no joke, even if the migration was scheduled for April Fool’s Day. The Centre for Corporate Communication, which produces this publication specially for you each month, went 5 floors down at Menara OUM in Kelana Jaya that fateful day.

We were not alone in our ordeal of having to pack up and cart away boxes upon boxes of our office possessions, as the APEL Centre went down together with us, from our previous kayangan location on the top floor.

However, a far bigger upheaval was experienced by roughly 50 staff of two faculties, who were previously stationed at two Learning Centres. The Faculty of Business and Management (from the Bangi Learning Centre) and Faculty of Technology and Applied Sciences (from the Petaling Jaya Learning Centre) migrated to the 8th floor of the 12-storey Menara OUM on April 1 as well. With the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities already in the building, all four faculties are now under one roof.

We figure a lot of routines were disrupted, besides the inevitable change in the daily commute. These, together with the new environment which has far more units and colleagues, might have rattled the nerves of those grown used to working in more serene surroundings.

In looking for the silver lining, we interviewed a few of the academics involved in the move and received the following opinions:

A new work environment will require new ways of working. So far, it’s been an interesting experience and I can adapt to it. The open space layout makes it easy to communicate, get to know more OUM staff, and become friendlier. It’s a very good environment.
– Dr Abdul Mutalib Mohamed Azim
(Courses taught: Research Methods, Organizational Behaviour, Organizational Development and Change, Digital Marketing, Cross Culture, and Human Capital Development)

I had a smooth experience moving from the Petaling Jaya Learning Centre. The process was well-coordinated, and I received good assistance from the related teams and units. It was exciting to be a part of the move and witness the change as we shifted to the headquarters. The facilities at the OUM HQ are excellent, and the new environment provides a fresh perspective for our work. Being at the HQ has given me the chance to meet with colleagues and staff from different departments, functions, and levels of the organisation. The HQ provides access to more resources and facilities and being here also enhances visibility within the organisation.
– Ts. Dr Azmi Mohamed
(Courses taught: Total Quality Management, Lean management, Quality Improvement Tools and Methods, Lean Six Sigma and Quality Management)

The move has enabled me to get to know other staff.
– Dr Rose Ruziana Samad
(Courses taught: Islamic Finance and Entrepreneurship)

I’m happy because working under one roof makes the work flow much easier and faster.
– Puan Bibi Nabi Ahmad Khan
(Courses taught: Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations for the Human Resources discipline)

The move to the HQ is a win-win situation for me. I prefer working in Bangi but considering that I can save a lot in my travelling costs, the HQ is better. Furthermore, with all under one roof, discussions can be easily conducted face to face
– Puan Noral Hidayah Alwi
(Courses taught: Accounting subjects such as Taxation and Financial Accounting)

Everyone’s experience of moving to a new workplace will be different, but with the right mindset and preparation, it can be a positive and rewarding experience. It is important to be open-minded and adaptable. Moving to a new place can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to learn and grow, both personally and professionally. Proper preparation and a positive mindset can make it a fulfilling and advantageous journey.
– Ts Mohd Tajuzzaman Hassanor
(Courses taught: IT for Manufacturing, Quality Control, and Maintenance Management)

Wow, we think the last opinion-giver really took the words out of our mouths.

To everyone who has had to migrate, we hope you will end up loving this place we call our 2nd home. Happy minds produce happy results!