Guide to Migrating from Workplace from Meta: A Step-by-Step Plan

The upcoming shutdown of Workplace from Meta starting in September 2025 has triggered a critical moment for organizations relying on it as their central communication tool. For years, it served as the backbone for HR updates, leadership communications, and employee engagement. Now, with its imminent closure, decision-makers must ask: What’s next?

This isn’t just about replacing a tool — it’s about maintaining the connection, collaboration, and engagement that define your organization’s culture. How do you ensure a smooth migration while avoiding disruption? What platform will meet your unique needs and elevate your digital workplace strategy?

The challenge is clear, but so is the opportunity. A strategic migration can open doors to innovation, stronger employee engagement, and enhanced collaboration.

This guide lays out the path forward, with a focus on actionable steps and the support you need to succeed. Whether you’re an HR leader, internal communications strategist, or employee experience advocate, this is your blueprint for navigating the transition with confidence.

In this blog, you'll find: 

✨  The Stakes & The Opportunity

⏳  The Timeline

📘  The 3 Phases of Migration: Your Roadmap To Success

📑  PHASE 1: Plan – Laying The Groundwork

⚙️  PHASE 2: Migrate – Executing the Transition

🚀  PHASE 3: Launch – Bringing It All Together

💬  Communication and Change Management

🤝  How LineZero Can Help

The Stakes & The Opportunity

The closure of Workplace from Meta impacts more than just IT systems — it strikes at the heart of organizational culture and operations.

• HR Leaders worry about maintaining compliance, clear communication, and trust throughout the transition.
• Internal Communications Teams face the challenge of keeping employees informed and engaged during a time of change.
• Employee Experience Advocates aim to preserve a sense of connection and belonging, even as familiar tools are replaced.

The risks are real. Fragmented communication, employee disengagement, and disrupted collaboration can threaten productivity and morale. Data loss and resistance to change further complicate the process, making it crucial to choose the right alternative platform.

But this transition also offers a chance to rethink and enhance your communication strategy. A successful migration can unlock:

• Better tools tailored to your needs.
• Stronger employee engagement through improved functionality.
• Enhanced workflows that drive collaboration and innovation.

How do you seize this opportunity while addressing the challenges? The answer lies in a strategic, phased approach.

Let’s explore how you can tackle each phase — Plan, Migrate, and Launch — to navigate this transition with clarity and purpose.

The Timeline

The clock is ticking for organizations using Workplace from Meta. Whether you’ve been relying on it for internal communication or as a collaboration hub, now is the time to plan ahead. Let’s break down the official timeline and what it means for your organization at every stage:

1.      UNTIL AUGUST 31, 2025: Business As Usual

For now, it’s status quo. You can continue using Workplace as you always have, with all its features fully functional. However, don’t let this lull you into a false sense of security — migration takes time.

Use this time wisely. Start researching alternatives, backing up critical data, and preparing your team for the transition. Begin getting some guidance from experts to ensure a smooth process.

Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your migration — it’s better to be ahead of the curve than scrambling at the end.

2.     SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 – MAY 31, 2026: Read-Only Mode

Starting September 1, 2025, Workplace will enter “read-only” mode, meaning:

☑️  You’ll still have full access to read and export all your data.

☑️  No other features will be available —no new posts, no chats, and no collaboration.

This phase is essentially your final chance to ensure that everything important is downloaded, backed up, and safely stored elsewhere. If you haven’t already transitioned to a new platform, this is your red-alert zone to make the move.

3.     JUNE 1, 2026: Full Shutdown

This is it — the end of the road for Workplace from Meta. As of June 1, 2026:

☑️  You will no longer have access to the platform.

☑️  Any remaining Workplace instances will be permanently deleted by Meta.

Organizations that haven’t proactively deleted their data or migrated to another platform will lose everything. There’s no grace period here, so make sure your migration plan is fully implemented well before this date.

The 3 Phases of Migration: Your Roadmap To Success

Every organization’s migration timeline will differ based on size, resources, and goals, but these phases offer a universal framework. Let’s explore each phase in detail, including essential steps and questions to guide your journey.

Phase 1: Plan – Laying The Groundwork

This phase It’s about building a strong foundation to ensure a smooth transition. Poor planning leads to confusion, misalignment, and resistance, so take the time to get this right.

Key Steps In The Planning Phase

1.      Evaluate Organizational Requirements.

Reflect on why you originally adopted Workplace. Are those goals still relevant? What does your organization need now? This is the time to determine the purpose and scope of your replacement platform.

2.     Engage Key Stakeholders.

Involve decision-makers from HR, IT, internal communications, and leadership. Their input will shape the platform’s requirements and help secure buy-in.

3.     Assess Current Platform Usage.

Identify essential features and workflows. For example:

❓ Are employees using Workplace primarily for leadership updates or project collaboration?

❓ What has worked well, and what can be improved?

4.     Evaluate Potential Replacements.

Meta has selected Workvivo as the preferred and only migration platform for Workplace. Workvivo offers robust employee engagement features and integrates seamlessly with other tools, making it a strong choice for many organizations. However, we understand that every organization’s needs are different, and there are other platforms to consider. Take a look at this blog to compare additional options and see which platform might work best for your team.

5.     Build A Project Team.

Assign clear roles. For example:

✔️  A Change Management Lead to handle communication and training.

✔️  A Technical Lead to manage data migration and integrations.

✔️  Champions and Early Adopters to advocate for the new platform and provide feedback.

Useful Questions To Ask Yourself

• What are the non-negotiable features we need in a replacement platform?
• Which teams or departments will be most affected by the migration?
• What concerns do stakeholders and employees have about this transition?
• How can we replicate what worked on Workplace while addressing its shortcomings?
• Are we leveraging external expertise (like LineZero) for this migration?

Phase 2: Migrate – Executing The Transition

The migration phase is where strategy turns into action. This phase focuses on transferring data, setting up the new platform, and ensuring everything is operational before the official launch.

Key Steps In The Migration Phase

1.      Data Cleanup and Organization.

Audit existing Workplace data. For example:

✔️  Consolidate redundant groups.

✔️  Remove outdated content.

✔️  Organize remaining data into logical structures that fit the new platform.

You can use handy tools like Workplace Instance Data Download or LineZero's Content Export Tool to easily save and store your content from Workplace before making the switch. This tool ensures that none of your valuable data or historical records are lost in the transition, giving you peace of mind throughout the process.

2.      Content Mapping.

Decide what to migrate and what to leave behind. Ask:

❓  Does this content still serve a purpose?

❓  Who needs access to it, and how often?

3.      Technical Migration.

Data archiving is an essential step in this process, ensuring that all critical information is preserved and easily accessible during and after the migration. Data archiving offers an additional safeguard to preserve historical records and institutional memory while mitigating the risks of losing legally discoverable data and ensuring regulatory compliance.

After migration, having a reliable archive of your data can serve as a reference point for resolving discrepancies and ensures access to older content for legal and compliance matters, and institutional memory. Working with data archiving experts like Pagefreezer and Workplace Migration specialists like LineZero ensures your data remains protected throughout the entire migration process.

4.      Engage Champions and Early Adopters.

Test the new platform with a small group before full deployment. Use their feedback to refine workflows and iron out issues. 

5.      Training and Enablement.

Begin educating employees about the new platform. Focus on its benefits and how it solves problems they face in the Workplace.

Useful Questions To Ask Yourself

• Which data and groups are essential, and which can we archive or delete?
• Are we prioritizing content that drives engagement and collaboration?
• Do we have a robust plan for testing the platform before the full rollout?
• How will we ensure technical issues don’t disrupt workflows?
• Are champions prepared to advocate for the platform and support their peers?

Phase 3: Launch – Bringing It All Together

This is where everything goes live. A successful launch ensures employees embrace the new platform, workflows are maintained, and engagement remains high.

Key Steps In The Launch Phase

1.      Go Live with the New Platform.

Roll out the platform organization-wide. Ensure all employees have access and understand their roles.

2.      Testing and Validation.

Continue monitoring for bugs or usability issues. Address them quickly to avoid frustration.

3.      Employee Training and Support.

Offer hands-on training sessions, detailed guides, and ongoing support. For example, provide live Q&A sessions or dedicated support channels.

3.      Evaluate and Optimize.

Gather feedback from employees and stakeholders. Use analytics to measure adoption rates and engagement levels. Adjust as needed to improve usability and relevance.

Useful Questions to Ask Yourself

• Is our team ready to address questions and resolve issues during the launch?
• Have we communicated the launch clearly and set expectations?
• What metrics will we track to measure adoption and success?
• Are employees equipped with the training and resources they need to succeed?
• How will we gather feedback to continuously improve the platform post-launch?

Every migration is different, but approaching it in structured phases—Plan, Migrate, and Launch—ensures a smoother transition. By asking the right questions at each stage, you can address challenges proactively and keep your organization aligned.

And remember, LineZero is here to guide you every step of the way, from assessing platforms to guaranteeing organization-wide adoption to helping your organization succeed in its next phase.

Communication and Change Management

Effective communication is the glue that holds a successful migration together. Clear messaging and a thoughtful approach to change management can transform uncertainty into excitement.

🗣️     Transparent Messaging.

Employees need to understand why the migration is happening and how it benefits them.

✔️ Align Migration with Organizational Goals: Frame the change as part of the company’s growth and commitment to improved communication and collaboration.

✔️  Consistent Updates: Regularly inform employees about progress, milestones, and timelines. This transparency builds trust and reduces resistance.

💼     Engaging Stakeholders.

Strong alignment across HR, IT, and leadership teams is critical to maintaining focus and momentum.

✔️  Frequent Check-Ins: Schedule regular updates with stakeholders to address concerns, track progress, and make collaborative decisions.

✔️  Milestone Reviews: Use key achievements — like completing data migration or finalizing platform setup — as opportunities to celebrate and reflect.

🤩     Building Excitement.

Change can be an opportunity to rally your team around a shared vision.

✔️  Creative Communication Campaigns: Use email, videos, and live events to highlight the new platform’s features and benefits.

✔️  Employee Feedback Sessions: Involve employees early by gathering their input and addressing their priorities. This not only improves the platform’s setup but also fosters a sense of ownership.

How LineZero Can Help

Navigating a platform migration can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. At LineZero, we’re here to guide you through every step of the process, offering expertise and support tailored to your unique needs. Whether you’re evaluating Meta’s preferred platform, Workvivo, or exploring other options, like Blink or Viva Engage we’ll help you assess your organization’s requirements and identify the solution that best aligns with your goals.

From data extraction to onboarding, we provide seamless migration support, ensuring a smooth transition without disruption to your workflows or communication. As trusted partners from Workplace from Meta, we bring experience, insight, and a commitment to empowering your organization to embrace change with confidence. Together, we’ll turn this challenge into an opportunity to elevate your digital workplace strategy.

Conclusion

The shutdown of Workplace from Meta presents organizations with a pivotal moment of change. While it’s natural to feel the weight of such a transition, it’s also a chance to reflect, innovate, and elevate your internal communication and collaboration strategy.

By approaching the migration in phases—Plan, Migrate, and Launch—you can ensure that your organization moves forward with clarity and confidence. From evaluating your needs and securing stakeholder buy-in to executing a seamless migration and fostering adoption, each step is an opportunity to strengthen your workplace culture and align with future goals.

This isn’t just about replacing a tool; it’s about reinforcing the systems that connect your employees, empower your teams, and drive your organization forward. By embracing this change, you can create a platform that not only meets today’s needs but also evolves with your organization for years to come.

The key is to start now, plan intentionally, and keep your vision focused on the future. The opportunity for growth is in your hands—make the most of it.