We are settling into new headquarters after moving from our previous home of 25 years. A lot of things in our business have changed since the last time we moved! For starters, the amount of equipment we have now compared to back in 1994 is significantly reduced. In fact, we accomplished the move in a single truckload! We don’t require nearly the same square footage that we did back then, so the new space is right-sized for our leaner structure. If you’re considering a move for your recruitment office, here are a few pointers based on our experience.
Rent or buy? In our case, we sold our longtime home and opted to rent space. Our former headquarters building was too large for our needs, and difficult to attract tenants due to a lack of street visibility (desirable for many businesses). The benefits of ownership no longer outweighed the downsides, including building maintenance, groundskeeping, snow removal, and more. The rent or buy decision is one of the first you’ll need to make if you’re thinking about moving your recruitment office.
Current versus future needs. We have fewer staff working in our headquarters location than we used to. Some wish to work remotely on a more frequent basis. We may need to have a part-time intern occasionally, but right now we’re not expecting tremendous growth in headcount. You’ll want to make sure you consider your current staffing needs versus your long-term growth plans as you consider your move. Purchasing a building can make it difficult to expand or contract as needed. Rental space *can* be more flexible, but you probably don’t want to move every 3-5 years, either.
Municipal requirements. Even though we only moved about five miles from our previous location, we’re in a different municipality now. That means different fees, different services, and different tax obligations … some slightly worse, some a little better. Make sure you understand what’s required in your new municipality and how it differs, especially if there are payroll tax considerations.
Plan for the unexpected. We woke up to a winter snowstorm that brought several inches of wet, slushy, dirty, slippery snow … NOT the weather you want for moving! We also had some challenges with our technology (not really *unexpected* as anyone who has ever moved house will agree). It took longer to load and unload the moving truck than we thought it might. When it comes time for your recruitment office to relocate, assume there will be some things that don’t go according to plan. Some you can’t control (weather), while others you may be able to mitigate (starting some of the technology changes before you move).
There are hundreds of other details involved when moving. Give yourself plenty of time, be relentless in purging items you no longer need/want/use, and use a checklist or spreadsheet to keep track of the details and timeline for a smooth process. You’ll reduce your stress and be able to enjoy the excitement of the change!