Help Moving Office

White Paper - 2021

This free report – available exclusively to registered members –

examines what needs to happen for you to achieve the
successful office relocation that your business expects.
HMO White Paper Keep calm and follow the golden rules

With this in mind, we have compiled 10 golden rules

Moving Office? Make sure which, if observed, will help ensure that your office
you follow the golden rules relocation project is organised on time and to budget
(which, at the end of the day, is exactly what is expected
from the project).
Relocating can be a complex process,
but with good planning and Assess your current situation
First, you need to be clear about the purpose of your
communication an office move can office relocation - for example lease break, lease expiry,
deliver so many benefits to a planned growth or contraction - in order to define your
needs and map out the appropriate office move plan.
business. These include: improved
operational efficiency, increase in There are some important decisions that must be agreed
upon as the starting point of the moving process. These
productivity, decrease in overheads
will then form the basis of the subsequent more detailed
and a boost in both staff morale and planning procedure.
momentum.
The top level issues - which will then drive many of your
subsequent decisions - are likely to include such things as:
Moving office can be a complicated, stressful, time
 what is your current lease situation?
consuming and potentially expensive journey into an
 have you checked your existing lease?
unknown world.
 how much notice do you need to give the landlord?
 what are the conditions for you leaving your existing
Research from Help Moving Office shows that, on
office space?
average, a business will typically only relocate once
 what are your current obligations and liabilities upon
every 5 to 6 years and in 70% of cases the person
exiting your office?
assigned to manage the office move will be doing so
for the first time.
Outline your requirements
This means that the office move project is typically A clear understanding at the outset of your basic strategic
managed by those without the experience, skill set or and operational requirements will make the whole
time to handle such an important role. moving process run smoothly - and save you both time
and money in the long run.
Experience also shows that, all too often, businesses
that move office do not follow a strategic process Don’t worry too much about the technical specifics as
when planning and implementing their office move. these form part of the advice given by the external office
move professionals with whom you will need to engage
So, on the face of it, the prospect of moving office during the course of the project.
seems daunting and being given responsibility for the
move could seem a poisoned chalice. But it really However, you must have an overall idea and consensus
doesn’t have to be like this. The reality is that the from the major decision-makers within your business
process of moving office can be broken down into a about the key drivers of your office move, including:
series of simple (and manageable) tasks and checks.  where do you want to move to;
 how much office space you need;
 the date by which you need to be in your new office;

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HMO White Paper Keep calm and follow the golden rules

 what key features you need your new office to you want to have competition between the various
provide; options available to you). If done well this can result in
 your planned business objectives (including growth substantial savings for your business.
pans) that the move needs to satisfy;
 type and length of lease you want. Create a realistic budget
The creation of a realistic office relocation budget is a
Build a relocation project team critical planning toll that will help you identify your costs
An office move is a major undertaking and a and then manage them effectively throughout the
collaborative effort is vital for a successful outcome. process.
Putting together the right project team is critical and
should include all people who will help facilitate each Please note that Help Moving Office has created a
aspect of the move. working budget template that you download and use for
free. It can be accessed from the Resource Centre.
It will need to comprise both internal employees and
external members whose office relocation expertise Use the expertise of professionals
you will need to call on.
After people costs, property costs tend to be the next
biggest expenditure item for most businesses. The
A project leader must take overall charge of the
decisions you make during the course of your move will
relocation process as the decision to move office has
have an impact on your business’s profitability.
been made. This person must have sufficient time to
devote to the project and should:
Working with the right professional team is the single
have the trust of senior management;
biggest must-do for any business that is thinking of
possess the authority to act on behalf of the business;
moving office. They will guide you through the process,
be senior enough to be able to make decisions;
save you money in the long run also make sure that you
be a good organiser of people and processes;
don’t make any critical mistakes.
have experience of setting and working within budgets;
be an excellent communicator.
Seek legal advice
Your property solicitor is a key part of your team. They
Start as early as possible
will negotiate the details of the lease documentation and
There is a lot that needs organising when moving
ensure that your company’s best interests are maintained
offices so the earlier you start then the greater the
during the negotiations to minimise your exposure to any
chances of achieving the successful move that your
potential liabilities.
business expects.
They will subsequently advise you on the implications of
Once the office move project leader has been
the detailed terms in the final documents to ensure that
appointed then work should begin immediately.
you are aware of your ongoing responsibilities.

Best practice recommends that you should start

Finally, they will be on hand to discuss any ongoing legal
reviewing your options at least nine to eighteen
issues that may arise through the course of your Tenancy.
months prior to your lease expiration – regardless of
whether you are considering renewing, renegotiation
Never sign anything that you do not understand and
or replication. It is vital that you allow enough lead-
always seek legal advice before putting pen to paper to
time to increase the amount of leverage you have (ie
any legal document.

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HMO White Paper Keep calm and follow the golden rules

Focus on communication  Raising customer awareness … use your move as

Moving office provides a great opportunity to affect another change to communicate positive messages to
positive change, improve business performance and your customers and maximise the brand/image of your
raise morale and momentum. business.

However, internally, change can be unsettling for staff. Remember: it’s just a process!
Remember that while the office move is in progress On the face of it, the prospect of moving office may well
your business has to continue to operate and focus on seem like a daunting process. But, like any process, it can
its existing workload and commitments. be broken down into a series of simple checks and tasks.

Externally, there are many moving parts to an office The intelligent use of your project planning documents,
relocation and you need to ensure that everyone spreadsheets and checklists will not only help you plan
involved in the project is regularly updated, especially your office move but also act as your roadmap to carry
if there are any changes to the overall plan that need out the many tasks involved with the project.
communicating.
Don’t try and reinvent the wheel when you can use the
If you keep the lines of communication open to all tried and tested office moving guides and checklists
interested parties - internal and external - your office available to you, for free, in the Help Moving Office
move will have a much greater chance of success. Resource Centre.

Take time to spring clean

Take advantage of moving office by clearing out all
your old files and purging your storage areas of
unneeded or unused items.

It’s also worth considering scanning any documents for

which you no longer need a hard copy - but make sure
you remember to dispose of unwanted files securely.
About Help Moving Office
Secure storage or archiving of documentation is a
Help Moving Office is the specialist online information resource
flexible, safe and cost-effective solution to free up
for companies that are planning an office move.
valuable and more costly office space. It can be
accessed at any time by arrangement and provides Our mission is to empower companies that are moving office
excellent offsite back-up for damage limitation in case with information and tools to help them make informed
of fire or other disaster. decisions throughout their entire office relocation.

Other benefits of moving include: www.HelpMovingOffice.co.uk

 Upgrading … moving office is an opportunity to
update to modern, efficient and space-saving
equipment.
 Reviewing your existing suppliers … an office move
can provide a useful trigger for renewing/switching
supplier contracts on favourable terms.

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