Stay vs Go: why refurbishment might be better than relocation

The stay vs go debate is one of the most common challenges facing Workplace and Real Estate teams but the way we view our office space is changing. Businesses are now taking long-term views on their real estate and that once habitual instinct to ‘buy new’ and replace the old, like we would with a piece of clothing or furniture, is starting to shift.

While typically companies would only work on the basis of refurbishing their own office space, landlords are also backing a ‘refurbishment boom’ as stated by The Times. Based on the figures from Deloitte’s latest Crane Survey, 83% of new office space in London, approximately 2 million sq ft, was delivered via refurbishment rather than new builds.

As demand for higher quality, more sustainable Grade A office space continues to grow, the option to relocate office isn’t always the better choice and in some cases, it’s not even possible. The shift towards refurbishing commercial office space is growing across the market and it’s important to recognise why because staying put doesn’t mean regression. In this article we share some of the benefits of deciding to stay and refurbish your office rather than relocate.

Is refurbishment more sustainable than relocation?

An office refurbishment is more sustainable than relocation as it has a considerably lower carbon impact. As an office refurbishment utilises a percentage or components of the pre existing fit-out, there is less waste created and less requirement for new products and materials to be installed. It is possible to make more sustainable choices when relocating offices and fitting out a new space but there is typically more of a focus on reuse and repurposing in a refurbishment which makes it more sustainable.

Reshape your business culture

The opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start again is one of the most appealing factors of an office relocation but some of the challenges you face may follow you to the new location if not addressed.

The physical environment can do a lot to encourage new cultures and behaviours, as well as block out old ones, but they don’t suddenly get solved by moving office. Typically business cultures, values and behaviours are learned within an environment. If your new values aren’t being promoted or elevated in your workspace then you may find that it leads to negative business culture.

An office refurbishment can provide the opportunity to audit your business practices and assess your culture because these are some of the key aspects your workplace must reflect for it to be successful. It is important to understand how your people feel in the office, how they work and also what they are lacking in order to be effective at work.

On a basic level, this might be something as simple as reflecting your brand in the office in a more engaging way but culture is more than just colours and values on the wall. Most companies will want their office to represent their values and you can do this without moving. Refurbishing your existing office is a chance to focus time and energy in making sure you understand the type of environment your people really need and reshape your business culture.

Embrace new ways of working

Offices are environments that constantly change and grow. Although offices are physical spaces, they are dynamic and the way they were designed initially may no longer represent your current operations or working practices.

With an increased demand for hybrid working patterns, many of the companies we have delivered refurbishments for have adapted their spaces for new ways of working. Everything else about the building works great but by refurbishing the space it takes on a new lease of life.

Many companies have shown a need to incorporate new ways of working to align with new working practices as hybrid working continues to grow despite RTO mandates. In many situations, offices aren’t fit for purpose to enable efficient hybrid working practices. By refurbishing the office there are multiple benefits; people can work and collaborate more efficiently, the refurbishment addresses the areas that need change and there is also a large cost saving achieved through not having to move.

Boost employee experience without relocating

As humans, we like our creature comforts and knowing our surroundings. While developing attachments to an office space may sound like a stretch, the routine of a commute and shortcuts to the best coffee or sandwiches at lunchtime does carry weight for staff.

Relocating office means that these familiar aspects of an office can be lost and refurbishment is a way of preserving those things while still benefitting from a new office. It would be wrong to say that the only reason to refurbish an office is to keep people happy on their commute but it is certainly part of the decision making process.

Much of the return to the office debate is centered around removing barriers to the office and longer, or even just different commutes, may be another blocker to getting attendance in the office. Some of these external factors that don’t impact the job your people have to do may still have an impact on their attitude or psychological capacity. The beauty of an office refurbishment is that you don’t have to change absolutely everything within your office space. It might be that you decide to maintain some of the successful spaces in the office and really focus on specific features to generate higher energy or alternative spaces to the ones there before.

Changing details like lighting, furniture, upholstery and the general configuration of the office could change the look and feel without the upheaval of moving to a new office. These types of changes may also help to make people feel more invested in the office as they can stay in a location they know well.

Assess your options in stay vs go

One of the big appeals of an office move is that it represents the opportunity to start afresh and signify progress. Naturally if you have outgrown your office and it can no longer support your people and business functions, then it is time to move. But increasingly companies are assessing their options to decide whether they actually need to move.

There are a number of scenarios in the stay vs go debate where staying put and refurbishing your office is the best thing to do for your business but there are also times when you have no choice but to move office. Going through each step and answering the key questions on office relocation and refurbishment will help you arrive at the optimal solution for your organisation. Whichever outcome you arrive at, it is essential to fully assess your options and consider the business angle; it should never be an emotional decision.