Office Relocation Alternatives
Is your office too small to cope with your growing workforce? Is the design now outdated, and no longer reflects your company? If so, you probably think that you need to move office. However, office relocation can be a long, stressful, and expensive experience. As a result, you want to know if you really need to move office, or if there is a viable alternative.
Every week, we help companies decide whether or not to relocate their offices. Just because your office no longer works the way it used to, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to move office.
Today we’ll explain the 3 most popular alternatives to moving office: refurbishment, expansion, and hybrid working. We’ll go through the benefits and negatives of each, and explain why (or why not) it might be suitable for your company. We’ll then explain the key factors that impact whether you should move your office or not. By the end, you'll know how to make the right decision for you and your company.
Office Refurbishment
The most popular alternative to office relocation is office refurbishment. This involves renovating the layout, environments, and features within your current office. Office refurbishment tends to be cheaper, quicker, and less disruptive than a full office relocation.
Many companies we speak to that are considering an office relocation think they need to move office because they have outgrown their space. However, this isn’t always necessary. Most organisations have 30-50% more office space than they need. With careful space planning, you may well be able to stay within your existing space.
We worked with Blinkhorns to help them refurbish instead of relocate. They wanted to move office, but they couldn’t find a suitable space. As a result, they renewed their existing lease and refurbished their office instead. The result is a dynamic workspace with a wide variety of spaces. It included spacious desking areas, a range of collaboration spaces, and a large breakout area. Check out the project here.
Office Expansion
Office expansion is another alternative to office relocation. Rather than move office, you take on extra space near your current office. Normally, this is another floor of the same office block.
This is good for situations where reconfiguration is not enough to allow for future staff growth. You can increase the size of your total office space and still have your people in close proximity, without having to move your entire office.
Alteryx worked with Zentura across 3 separate projects within their existing building, as they expanded from 6,000 to 24,000sq/ft of office space. As well as using the extra space to house new staff, they created a stunning client suite and collaboration space on the top floor. Each time, the design changed as their company evolved. We refreshed their existing office spaces to reflect their changing brand. Check out the first, second, and third projects here.
Hybrid Working
If your company is not ready for the cost and disruption of office relocation, then hybrid working could be an effective short or mid-term solution. Hybrid working alleviates overcrowding by having your staff working remotely some of the time.
However, adopting a hybrid working model doesn’t mean you can leave your office as it is. If you are moving to a hybrid working model, your office will be used mainly for meetings and teamwork while staff complete focused tasks while offsite. As a result, the purpose of your office shifts to a collaboration hub, and your office design will need to change to reflect this.
We helped MI-GSO | Pcubed refurbish their 5,500 sq/ft Aldgate office to enable hybrid working. To improve collaboration, all fixed desks were removed. They were replaced with collaboration suites and hot design areas. MI-GSO | Pcubed now has a workplace that improves collaboration, staff productivity, and business performance.
Should You Move Office?
Generally speaking, it is better to refresh your office than move to an entirely new location. Refurbishing, expanding, or going hybrid is normally cheaper, quicker, and less disruptive than moving office. As you are using as much of your existing office as possible, the costs are reduced. In addition, keeping the same location will reduce the day-to-day disruption for your people.
However, if there is something wrong with your existing office that can’t be fixed by a refurbishment or expansion, then it’s definitely worth considering a relocation. If your office is in a poor location, then you’ll struggle to attract and retain talent. If your space is very overcrowded or outdated, then it may be more cost-effective to relocate.
It's important to consider the return on investment of your project. A relocation may cost more, but if it makes your people a lot more productive, then it will be a very good investment. You will also need to consider the operating costs. Moving to a new office with modern and efficient systems may cost a lot less to run.
Planning your Office Project
There is no one answer to the stay-vs-go debate. What is right for you depends on your situation, constraints, and goals. By considering all the different options, including relocation, refurbishment, expansion, and hybrid working, you will be able to make a decision that is best for the future of your business.
To learn more about whether you should move office or not, read, Office Refurbishment v Office Relocation - Which is Best for Me? We’ll explain the 5 key factors that impact your stay vs go decision, and enable you to make the best decision for your company.
If you decide office relocation is right for you, you'll want to download The Ultimate Office Relocation Guide. There, you'll get answers to all your most pressing office relocation questions, including costs and timeframes. Download your Ultimate Office Relocation Guide here.
