Stay or Go? Making the Right Workplace Move

Before looking at layouts, finishes or furniture, take a step back and consider what the workplace needs to achieve.

Are you planning to grow your team? Do you need more collaboration space, improved facilities or better technical infrastructure? Is your current location helping you attract and retain people, or is it becoming a daily frustration?

A clear understanding of the business case will help you make a more confident decision and ensure any investment supports your wider objectives.

Key questions include:

• How many people do you need to accommodate now and in the future?
• How are teams using the workplace today?
• What is working well, and what is creating friction?
• How important are location, transport links and local amenities?
• What are your lease commitments and key dates?
• What level of disruption can the business tolerate?

If your location still works for your people and your business, refurbishing your existing space can unlock significant value.

A well-planned refurbishment can improve the performance and appearance of the workplace without the cost and complexity of moving. It may allow you to reconfigure layouts, introduce new meeting and collaboration areas, upgrade staff facilities and create a stronger connection to your brand.

Refurbishment may be the right option when:

• Your current location is convenient and well connected.
• The building has the capacity to support your future requirements.
• The existing structure and services can accommodate the proposed changes.
• You want to retain access to an established community, customer base or talent pool.
• A phased programme could allow the business to remain operational during the works.

Refurbishing an existing workplace can reduce relocation costs and avoid the disruption of moving people, equipment and technology to a new address. It can also preserve the familiarity and convenience that employees value.

With the right planning, work can be phased around business-critical operations. Temporary arrangements, clearly separated construction zones and careful communication can help maintain continuity while the transformation takes place.

However, refurbishment is not automatically the simpler option. Existing buildings can contain hidden constraints, including limited floor-to-ceiling heights, ageing services, restricted access or layouts that are difficult to adapt. These factors should be assessed early, before the project scope and budget are confirmed.

A new building provides greater freedom to design around your future needs from day one.

Moving can be the right choice when the existing workplace is holding the business back or when the scale of change required would make refurbishment impractical. A new space may provide the opportunity to create a more efficient layout, improve the employee experience and introduce infrastructure that is difficult to achieve in the current building.

Relocation may be the right option when:

• Your current space cannot accommodate planned growth.
• The building has significant structural or services limitations.
• Your lease is approaching expiry or the terms no longer support the business.
• You need a more suitable location for recruitment, clients or operations.
• The existing workplace would require extensive strip-out and remedial work.
• You want to create a new environment that reflects a change in brand, culture or direction.

A new building can offer a clean starting point. The design can be developed around your operational requirements, from team adjacencies and meeting spaces to storage, welfare and specialist technical needs.

It can also support a wider business change. Relocation often creates a natural opportunity to review how teams work, improve processes and establish a workplace that is ready for future growth rather than designed only around current habits.

The move itself requires careful planning. Costs may include professional fees, legal expenses, deposits, dilapidations, new furniture, IT relocation, storage, temporary accommodation and staff travel. These should be considered alongside the fit-out cost so the decision is based on the full project investment.

The cheapest construction option is not always the most cost-effective business decision.

For a refurbishment, consider:

• Strip-out, alterations and specialist building works.
• Upgrades to mechanical, electrical and data services.
• Temporary decant or phased working arrangements.
• Storage, protection and relocation of equipment.
• Dilapidations and reinstatement obligations.
• The effect of construction on productivity and operations.

For a relocation, consider:

• Lease costs, deposits and legal fees.
• Dilapidations at the existing property.
• Fit-out, furniture and equipment costs.
• IT, communications and business continuity requirements.
• Moving, storage and temporary accommodation.
• Staff travel, recruitment and retention implications.

Developing an early cost plan for both options allows you to compare like for like. It also highlights where value engineering, phased delivery or changes to the brief could improve the overall business case.

The workplace is more than a property decision. It directly affects how people work, collaborate and feel about the organisation.

Consider how each option would influence:

• Commute times and accessibility.
• Team connection and collaboration.
• Quiet work, focus and privacy.
• Staff facilities and wellbeing.
• Client and visitor experience.
• Recruitment, retention and company culture.

Engaging employees early can reveal issues that may not be obvious from a property or financial review. It also helps people understand the reasons for change and creates stronger buy-in when the new or improved workplace is delivered.

Whether you stay or go, the programme needs to work for the business.

Refurbishment may require phased delivery, weekend working, temporary facilities or detailed segregation between construction and occupied areas. Relocation requires a coordinated move plan, technology testing, furniture installation and a clear handover process.

The earlier these requirements are understood, the easier it is to set realistic timescales and reduce avoidable disruption. A design-and-build partner can help identify risks, coordinate the different workstreams and keep the project aligned with the operational plan.

There is no universal answer to the question of whether to stay or go. The right choice is the one that best supports your business strategy, people and future plans.

Before committing to either route, define:

• The outcomes the workplace must deliver.
• The space and technical requirements.
• The budget and available contingency.
• The programme and key business dates.
• The risks, constraints and operational non-negotiables.
• The measures you will use to judge success.

This creates a practical framework for comparing both options and prevents the project from being driven by appearance or short-term cost alone.

ParkLaine can assess your existing workplace, explore relocation requirements and compare the costs, risks and opportunities of both options.

From early feasibility and workplace planning through to design, construction and handover, our team provides the insight and delivery expertise needed to make informed decisions. Whether you are refurbishing an existing space or fitting out a new building, we create environments designed around your people, operations and long-term growth.

Not sure whether to stay or go?

Get in touch with ParkLaine to explore your options and take the next step with confidence.

From future-ready workspaces to technically complex laboratories, ParkLaine delivers interiors engineered for excellence. Tell us about your next project and our team will be in touch to explore how we can support you.