Realtor ‘writes the book’ on relocating

Karen Warner a month ago published a book titled Move Your Office: A Comprehensive Guide to Office Relocation.

The book includes timelines and checklists for choosing a new office, as well as for budgeting and coordinating the move.

Warner has 12 years of experience in the commercial real estate field and in April joined the Colliers office in Boise. Move Your Office is Warner’s third book; she has also written Winning the Office Leasing Game and Office Relocation Planner.

Why did you want to write this book?

I have, being in this business for several years, had several clients ask for a tool to help with the task of making their move. I thought there would be something on the market but there wasn’t. The original idea was just to come up with the relocation plans. Since then it’s grown into a complete tool for figuring out the type of office they might need, the amount of space, space planning, lease negotiation and the actual task of the physical move.

Why was this book needed?

Because the cost of leasing space is often second only to payroll, getting the best value for that is important. Studies have shown the amount of space for employees and how that space is designed affects productivity. In a teaming environment, you want to make sure employees have access to each other for things like brainstorming, whereas private offices or conference rooms are better for other businesses. Even things like employee morale can be influenced by office design.

The design and efficiency of that space is a big factor in the cost of the space — if you can run your business in the most efficient amount of square footage, there’s a big cost savings.

The typical rule of thumb is 200 to 250 square feet per employee.

What are some of the most common mistakes companies make when they move?

I think they underestimate the amount of time it takes to plan a move. They should look for a new place six months to a year before the expiration of their lease, depending on the size of the business and whether they anticipate needing to build their own space or add on.

What do businesses need to remember about the moving process?

There are numerous tasks, and unless you have a good handle on the timing of each task, things can slip through the cracks and cause problems. For instance, you shouldn’t try to negotiate furniture orders before you’ve planned your space, or you’ll have to redo everything if you didn’t planned for an additional conference room or media room.

Other advice:

“Don’t forget to involve your staff in the moving process and to keep the communication lines open. Change can be intimidating, and the more informed and appreciated your staff feels, the more likely they’ll be to support the move and stay focused on their work.”

“And remember: The cheapest space is not always the cheapest space!”