Moving office is a major undertaking for any business. It can be prompted by growth, changing working patterns, rising costs or simply the need for a better-quality workplace that helps encourage employees back to the office post-pandemic. Whatever the reason, relocating is about much more than finding a new building and moving desks and computers.
A successful office move requires careful planning, a realistic budget, input from employees and close coordination between property, IT, HR, finance and facilities teams. Done properly, however, relocation can be an opportunity to rethink how the business works and create a workplace that is better suited to its future needs.
This guide sets out the key steps involved in planning an office relocation, from deciding what you need from a new building to managing the move itself.
1. Start with the business case
The first question should not be “where should we move?” but “why are we moving?” Businesses relocate for a variety of reasons.
They may have outgrown their existing premises, want to reduce occupational costs, need better facilities or want to make their workplace more attractive to employees. Hybrid working has added another consideration: the office may now have a different role from the one it played 5 or 10 years ago.
CBRE’s latest research on headquarters relocations says companies are increasingly using moves to rethink “culture, cost and access to talent”, while also considering how much office space they actually need in a hybrid-working environment.
Before starting a property search, therefore, establish what the relocation is intended to achieve. Is the priority to reduce costs? Accommodate growth? Improve employee experience? Strengthen the company’s brand? Bring teams together? Or some combination of these? This should lead to a clear set of objectives against which potential properties can eventually be assessed.
One of the most common mistakes is simply replicating the existing office in a different building. Savills advises occupiers to base the size of a new requirement on “future needs”, rather than simply the amount of space currently occupied.
Think about projected headcount, hybrid-working patterns and the types of space employees will need. You may require fewer individual desks but more meeting rooms, informal collaboration areas, quiet rooms, social space or technology-enabled rooms for hybrid meetings. The right amount of space is therefore not necessarily the same as the amount of space you have today.
2. Choosing the right location
Location remains one of the most important decisions in an office relocation. Rent is obviously important, but businesses should consider the total cost and wider implications of a location. A cheaper office may not be cheaper if it results in longer commutes, greater staff turnover or difficulty recruiting.
Transport links are particularly important. Consider proximity to railway stations, Underground or tram stops, bus routes and major roads. Parking, cycling facilities and accessibility should also be assessed.
Employee location should form part of this analysis. If a large proportion of the workforce lives in one part of a city, moving across the other side may have consequences for recruitment and retention. Research by Savills found that 63% of UK office workers surveyed would not be prepared to add 15 minutes to their daily commute for their ideal workplace.
Location can also influence the ability to attract new employees. CBRE says its site-selection work focuses on identifying locations that maximise access to talent rather than simply choosing the most obvious location.
Once you have identified your preferred locations and key requirements, you can begin searching for available office space. On Rightmove Commercial, you can explore offices to rent or buy across different locations, helping you understand what is available and build an initial shortlist. A commercial property agent can then help you assess options, arrange viewings and identify properties that best meet your business requirements.
3. Understand the costs
The headline rent is only one part of the cost of relocating.
The overall budget may need to cover professional fees, fit-out, furniture, IT infrastructure, broadband, removals, storage, signage, cleaning and security. There may also be costs associated with leaving the existing premises, including dilapidations and reinstatement.
Savills recommends that occupiers look beyond rent and compare buildings on their “overall costs”. A detailed financial model should therefore be prepared for each serious option. Include both one-off relocation costs and ongoing occupational costs.
It is also sensible to include a contingency allowance. Unexpected expenses are common during major projects, whether caused by construction delays, additional works, furniture requirements or technical problems.
4. Build a relocation team
An office move should be treated as a business project rather than something that sits solely with the facilities department. Appoint a project leader with responsibility for coordinating the move and establish a team covering the key areas of the business.
IT will need to manage connectivity, networks, phones and equipment. HR should oversee employee communication and changes to working arrangements. Finance needs to control the budget, while facilities or property teams will normally coordinate the building, fit-out and physical move.
External advisers may also be required, including property agents, lawyers, project managers, fit-out contractors, IT specialists and removal companies. The more complex the move, the more important clear lines of responsibility become.
5. Create a realistic timetable
Start earlier than you think you need to. Lease negotiations, legal work, planning, design, fit-out, IT installation and procurement can all take longer than expected. The existing lease may also dictate when the company can leave its current premises.
Savills warns occupiers not to “leave the relocation to the last minute”, because doing so can restrict options and increase costs.
A typical timetable might look like this:
| Timing | Key activities |
| 6-12 months before | Define requirements, establish the budget, appoint advisers and begin searching for suitable office space. |
| 3-6 months before | Agree the property, negotiate the lease, finalise the design and appoint contractors. |
| 2-3 months before | Order furniture, arrange IT and confirm removal arrangements. |
| 4-8 weeks before | Begin detailed move planning, employee communications and address changes. |
| 1-2 weeks before | Complete packing plans, testing and final building inspections. |
| Moving weekend | Complete the physical relocation, IT installation and final checks. |
| First week | Resolve problems, test systems and support employees. |
| First month | Review the move and gather staff feedback. |
The exact timetable will depend on the size and complexity of the project, but the principle is the same: work backwards from the required occupation date and build in contingency.
6. Don’t underestimate IT
A modern office cannot function without reliable connectivity. IT planning should begin at an early stage, rather than being left until the final weeks before the move. CBRE’s office fit-out research stresses that IT budgeting needs to be considered early and highlights full Wi-Fi coverage as a key requirement for both traditional and agile working environments.
Consider broadband capacity, Wi-Fi coverage, network infrastructure, telephony, meeting-room technology, printers, access control and security systems. Arrange the new connection well in advance and test everything before employees arrive. If possible, have the new network operational before moving day.
The same principle applies to data. Make sure business-critical information is backed up and that there is a contingency plan if systems fail during the move.
7. Communicate with employees
Office relocations can create uncertainty. Employees will naturally want to know where they will be working, how they will get there and what the new workplace will be like. Communication should begin well before moving day.
Explain why the company is moving and give employees opportunities to provide feedback. This is particularly important if the new office introduces different working arrangements, such as hot-desking or a greater emphasis on collaborative space.
BizSpace recommends involving employees when defining the characteristics of the new office. Its relocation guidance says businesses should first discuss the qualities employees would value and then use a wider survey to understand the views of the workforce.
Employee involvement can also help identify practical issues that management may overlook, from commuting difficulties to inadequate storage.
8. Plan the physical move
The physical relocation should be planned in considerable detail. Create an inventory of furniture, IT equipment, documents and other assets. Decide what will be moved, what will be replaced and what can be disposed of or donated. Label everything clearly and establish where each department will be located in the new building.
CBRE describes move management as an integral part of an office fit-out and stresses that “careful organisation and sequence planning is essential to minimise disruption”.
Where possible, schedule the physical move outside normal working hours. A Friday evening through to Sunday can provide a window for moving equipment and setting up the workplace before employees return on Monday. For larger businesses, a phased move may be more appropriate.
9. Remember the old office
It is easy to focus so heavily on the new premises that the existing office is forgotten. Check the terms of the lease carefully and understand obligations relating to reinstatement and dilapidations. You may need to remove partitions, repair damage or return parts of the building to their original condition.
Surplus furniture and equipment should also be dealt with responsibly. CBRE says its move-management teams seek to “re-use, re-purpose, donate or environmentally dispose” of surplus items where possible. This can reduce waste and may also support a company’s wider sustainability objectives.
10. Moving day
On moving day, the project manager should have a clear schedule and named contacts for every major task. The priorities are straightforward: get people and equipment safely into the new premises, establish working IT and communications, and minimise disruption to the business.
Check that:
- Furniture has arrived in the correct locations.
- Computers and other equipment are connected.
- Wi-Fi and telephone systems work.
- Meeting-room technology has been tested.
- Security and access-control systems are operational.
- Staff know where they should work.
- Essential suppliers know about the new address.
Keep a record of problems as they arise and assign responsibility for resolving them.
11. The first few weeks after the move
The relocation does not finish when the removal company leaves. There will inevitably be issues to resolve. A meeting room may not have the equipment expected, employees may identify problems with temperature or acoustics, or the original workplace design may not work exactly as anticipated.
Create a short post-move review period and encourage employees to provide feedback. This is also the time to update the company’s address across websites, directories, stationery, invoices and other communications. Make sure clients, suppliers and service providers have been informed.
After a month or so, compare the project with its original objectives. Has the business reduced its costs? Is the new office being used as expected? Are employees happier with the workplace? Has recruitment improved?
These measures will help establish whether the relocation delivered the benefits that justified the move in the first place.
Conclusion
An office relocation should be viewed as a business transformation project rather than simply a change of address.
The best moves start with a clear understanding of what the business needs from its workplace in the future. They consider employees as well as property costs, involve the right specialists early and allow enough time for the practical details.
The office itself is only one part of the equation. A successful relocation should leave the business with a workplace that supports its people, reflects its working practices and provides the flexibility needed for future growth.
Start early, plan carefully and communicate throughout the process, and moving office can become an opportunity to improve the business rather than a disruption to it. Once you have defined what your business needs, start your search for a new office on Rightmove Commercial.
CBRE – The Shifting Landscape of Headquarters Relocations: 2026 Update
CBRE – Global Office Fit-Out Cost Guide: Project Planning
CBRE – Office Over-Contraction Fuels Expansion Plans for One in Five Companies
Savills – Office Relocation Distances in Greater London & South East
BizSpace – Office Relocation Checklist
BizSpace – Office Relocation Checklist: Things to Consider When Moving Offices
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