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The negative effects of a cramped office extend beyond the inconvenience of not being able to sit somewhere.
While people struggle to find desk space when they get to the office, other team members are having to hold meetings in less-than-suitable spaces, such as corridors or coffee shops. The net effect of all this impacts morale and the quality of work produced under these conditions.
When all this gets too much, simply packing up and moving to a bigger office may seem like the logical next step. However, in these moments, it’s often worth establishing the root cause of the problem.
Is it that the amount of space available isn’t enough, or is it the way the space is being used? We’ll examine this question in today’s blog.
How small is your office, actually?
The number of bodies in an office across a typical week is a good way to determine its capacity, but there are other factors too. Workspaces packed with immovable banks of desks make a space feel crowded and also leave less room for other areas that employees use just as much, such as meeting rooms and shared spaces.
During a week, examine where people congregate, because meeting rooms that are constantly occupied will highlight a different problem from one in which teams have nowhere to have lunch. Days when most of the business is in the office can often reveal that the way the office is being used is, in fact, the main issue.
Another thing to note is how your business has grown since you last moved into your office. An increase in team members and the introduction of hybrid working arrangements can quickly turn what once looked like a sensible floor plan into something completely inadequate.
Future headcount matters, too. Redesigns that fail to consider this don’t resolve the core issue, but simply postpone it.
When an office refurbishment can give you the space you need
Refurbishment is often most suited to businesses who like the building they are in and, in particular, its location, but think the internal layout of the office no longer works for them.
Redesigning an office space can help to address situations where certain areas are too busy, and others are virtually empty for most of the day, all without forcing a workforce to move somewhere new.
Successful office designs aim to accommodate the business operations that are currently under pressure because of the existing layout. So if that means creating more usable meeting rooms or spaces, or giving teams more informal places to work and collaborate, then so be it.
Staying also preserves an established location that may have nearby shops and amenities that teams value being able to visit on their lunch break. It also prevents the many headaches associated with moving an entire team of people, and all because of an outdated layout that, very often, can be remedied.
While it is a potential solution, refurbishment becomes less convincing if committing to it would take up all the remaining space, leaving the business with no room to expand further.
When relocation becomes the more practical option
Relocating the business becomes a more compelling choice, often the only one, when the lack of space is down to the make-up of the building rather than its layout. Redesign can only go as far as redistributing the existing space. It can’t fundamentally alter the floor plans to create new space.
Future growth is often a factor in relocating, too. If significant headcount increases are on the horizon, owners and operations teams need to know whether a current workplace has enough capacity to accommodate new team members. Renovating an office might alleviate the short-term issues associated with increased headcount, but is rarely a long-term solution.
A move can also address more fundamental issues that interior office fit-outs cannot. Being located in a remote area, away from useful transport links and the hustle and bustle of a city centre, can be addressed by moving to a more suitable area.
Despite all this, office fit-outs can still be useful, even after a relocation. While moving to a new space allows a business to pick a place that will complement how they expect to operate, an office fit-out can turn it into a bespoke environment that’s suited to its people and brand.
Compare the whole decision, not just the cost of the works
Choosing whether to refurbish an office or to relocate requires a broader assessment, as simply comparing the costs of each option won’t provide the kind of clear insights such a big decision warrants.
| Question | Refurbishment might be better when… | Relocation may be a more appropriate option when… |
| Can the space accommodate growth? | Replanning can create enough capacity for current and future needs. | Even a comprehensive redesign would leave little or no room for anticipated growth. |
| Does the location still work? | Staff and clients enjoy the existing location, meaning there is little reason to lose it | The location or access to it has become part of the problem. |
| How disruptive will change be? | Work can be planned or phased without losing the advantages of the existing workplace. | The level of refurbishment needed would make remaining in place impractical. |
| What does the lease allow? | The terms and position of the landlord make further investment both doable and sensible. | A lease that’s due to expire or has an upcoming break clause creates a natural opportunity to relocate. |
| Will this solve the problem for long enough? | The resulting office provides meaningful flexibility rather than a short-term fix. | Moving gives the business a larger floor plan and more capacity for its next stage. |
Use workplace data to make the stay-or-go decision
Before choosing a solution to your property dilemma, first build a clear picture of how the existing office environment does, and does not, perform:
- Where does demand for space exceed supply?
- Which areas are underused?
- How will expected recruitment change the requirements?
Bringing in employees at this stage can help reveal problems that floor plans cannot show. They can identify where people struggle to find the right type of setting for meetings or collaborative work.
These findings can become the variables against which each option is tested, helping you decide whether the existing office has the potential to meet those needs through redesign, or whether a new office space needs to be found.
Choose the workplace that gives your business room to work and grow
Feeling short of space in your place of work isn’t, by default, evidence that the business needs to move. It could be that a refresh of your existing environment is needed instead.
Once the requirements are understood, a business can establish whether the existing office can realistically meet them. This can then guide an Office Insight refurbishment or the design and fit-out of a new workplace.
If you’re wondering what the right office could look like for your team, use our Budget Planner to calculate the approximate space and budget required for your new or refurbished workplace.
