Moving to a New Office Space for Lease in Overland Park, KS: 3 Tips for Transitioning Employees

Relocating a business to a new office space for Lease in Overland Park, KS, is stressful for employees, whether you are moving to a new city entirely or even just across town. Employees might be excited about new growth and opportunities, but also concerned about logistics and change in general. Thus, it is important for the leadership in a business to thoughtfully plan how to make this a smooth transition, which will ultimately help workflow continue and won’t hurt your bottom line. Here are some suggestions for supporting employees during a move to a commercial office space for rent in Overland Park, KS, as suggested in the article “5 Ways to Make Corporate Relocation Easier on your Employees”:

#1 Excite and prepare them for a new commercial space for rent in Kansas City

Giving your employees plenty of information and building excitement for a new location can help relieve a lot of stress, particularly if you are moving to a new city. Here are a few things that you could think of doing, especially with the help of HR staff:

  • Provide employees with information about different neighborhoods to potentially move to in the area.
  • Send employees on a pilot trip to see the city, neighborhoods, and office.
  • Have your legal team educate employees well ahead of time on what moving expenses are tax-deductible.
  • Have HR take care of details like transferring health insurance or setting up bank accounts.
  • Present employees with information on things like school registration, car registration, and new driver’s license requirements.
  • Purchase public transit passes for employees so they can get around the new city more easily.

Doing all of these things can build some excitement for what a new location has to offer, plus help remove some of the major and minor stresses of moving. The less employees have to worry about these details, the happier they will be and the more uninterrupted work flow will be.

#2 Give what assistance you can, and be clear about what you can’t.

Be clear upfront about your policies on compensating employees for the move. Will you help them find housing? Cover some of their moving expenses? Is the relocation temporary or permanent? Answer these questions right off the bat – communication is key in getting your employees to trust your business and buy into a big transition. You might even consider holding a meeting specifically for employees to raise any questions and concerns they might have.

Even if you don’t plan to offer official assistance in finding permanent housing for each employee, you could still give everyone suggestions for temporary housing for when they first arrive, such as long term hotels, or even Airbnbs.

#3 Hire a reliable moving company.

Finally, when moving time actually arrives, do your employees the favor of hiring a reliable moving company. Employees will have enough to worry about without the stress of arriving at a new office to find their files jumbled and their equipment damaged. If hiring a moving company for the personal moving side is part of your relocation package, your employees will also appreciate not having to worry about those belongings.

The key to a successful move to office space is reducing as much stress as you can for employees! Try to give them as much assistance as you can and be open and transparent about the whole process.

If your business is interested in relocating to commercial property for lease in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our office space for rent in Kansas City.

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5 Tips for Creating a Collaborative Environment in Your Kansas City Office Space

Google, Facebook, Pixar – what do these companies have in common, besides huge success?  Collaborative and creative workspaces.  With big name companies like these leading the way, many businesses are shifting to office space models that offer a more relaxed environment in which employees are encouraged to use each other as problem solving resources.  As suggested in the article, “How to Build a Collaborative Office Space Like Pixar and Google,” there is a strategy to creating this type of environment, and here are some tips for bringing that into your own office:

  • Space and Bustle – The overarching principle behind creating a collaborative environment is making sure that an office has plenty of space and other design features that encourage employees to bump into one another throughout the day, fostering casual interactions.
  • Common Areas – the key is to have more than are necessarily needed – workspaces, cafeterias, anything to get people out of cubicles and surrounded by coworkers when doing their jobs.
  • Food Stops – Google’s rule is that employees should never be more than 150 feet from food – whether it is a cafeteria, a restaurant or a small kitchen in a break room.  As employees casually snack throughout the day, they have more opportunity to interact with others.
  • “Thinking” Spaces – Along with having a lot of common spaces, it is important to have “no-purpose spaces” so people have plenty of options for where to do work outside of their office or cubicle space.
  • Two or More – These companies also try to emphasize having two or more people in a space when designating office spaces.

The key to collaboration is creating as much space as possible for the kind of casual interactions that can lead to tossing ideas around and problem solving as a team!

If you would like to learn more about office space for rent in Kansas City, give Kathy Woodward at DDI Commercial a call at 913-685-4100!

 

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Frequently Asked Questions About Office Space in Kansas City: Part II

If you know nothing about finding an office space for your business, do not panic.  It is important to go into negotiations with some preparation, but luckily there is a lot of information out there about how to find and negotiate a commercial lease.  Here are a few frequently asked office space rental questions and answers to get you started:

3. Are lease terms negotiable?

While landlords are looking out for their own best interests, they are almost always willing to discuss concessions.  Know that your bargaining power will depend on the local market—if it is tight, you will not have a lot of ability to negotiate.  Even if the rent is non-negotiable, you might be able to negotiate for limits on rent increases and costs of things like utilities, repairs, taxes, etc.  You can also negotiate for the length of your lease, as well as potential improvements to the space with financial assistance from your landlord.

4.  How can I find out if my potential location is properly zoned for my business?

Start by checking local zoning ordinances.  Next, you need to see if there are any other legal restrictions that might affect your business.  For instance, there might be limits in that city on certain types of businesses (i.e. coffee shops or fast food places) in a certain area, parking or advertising stipulations, or certain restrictions on hours.  Check to see if the city has a business development office that can help you navigate these questions.

5.  Do your research before entering into lease negotiations!

Is your business looking for office space for rent in Kansas City?  Give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of one of our available office suites for rent in Kansas City!

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Finding the Best Location for Your Office Rental Space in Kansas City

A lot of factors go into finding the perfect location for your business, whether you are a start-up company or looking into a new regional opportunity.  Considerations such as unemployment rates, market sizing, available resources, and quality of life all come into play when making this big decision.  Here are a few important factors to start with when finding a good business location:

#1 Know the Market
It is easy to look around on the internet and find dozens of lists of cities and states that are ideal for small businesses, with information based on a combination of lifestyle studies, statistics, and more.  While these can be very helpful, you might want to do a little deeper research than just perusing these commercially produced recommendations.  Government market and demographic data can give you a good idea of local market trends, small business lending, demographics, and more for an area.  Visit websites such as FedStats.gov or the U.S. Census Bureau’s AmericanFactFinder for this kind of helpful information.

Check back to future posts for some more insights on finding the best location for your business!  It is so important to do your homework and evaluate all the information at your disposal before making a decision about where to locate your business.

If you would like some information on office space for rent in Kansas City, give a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100!

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Kansas City Office Space Tips for the Best Landlord-Tenant Relationship: During the Search

Part of the success of your business in a new location depends upon your relationship with your landlord.  This relationship is sometimes downplayed, but cultivating a positive relationship with your landlord can ease some stress on your business and allow you to focus your energy on growth in other areas.  Here are a few tips to help ensure that your landlord-tenant relationship is beneficial to your business, starting with the search process for an office rental space in Kansas City:

Tip #1: Fill Out a Rental Application Honestly
If your financial or rental history is a bit spotty, it can be tempting to lie or fudge some details on your application, but if your landlord finds out about these lies down the line it can really hurt your business.  Don’t risk legal issues or eviction; be completely honest with your landlord, and you might find yourself surprised by the respect it will earn you.

Tip #2: Read the Entire Lease
A lease covers everything that you and your landlord are each responsible for during your lease.  Knowing what these things are can help prevent disagreements down the line if issues arise.

Laying the groundwork for a good landlord-tenant relationship before you even sign your lease is an easy way to save yourself some stress in the future!

Looking for office space for rent in Kansas City?  Give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out about our available spaces!

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Chase Suite Hotels Discount for Southcreek Office Park Tenants

The Chase Suite Hotels is offering Southcreek Office Park tenants a discount on some of their rooms!  Tenants who ask for the Southcreek rate can get only $79 for a Studio Queen Suite or $119 for a Two King Bedroom/Two Bath Suite.

Suites: All suites include sofa sleeper, full-sized kitchen, and a flat screen television, with accessible studios available.

Amenities: Daily complimentary hot breakfast buffet, high speed wireless internet, complimentary reception M – Th with light dinner, 24-hr front desk, business center and pantry, admittance to the Midtown Athletic Club, suites with fireplaces available.

Common Areas to Mix & Mingle: Gazebo and patio with tables, chairs, and grills, as well as seasonal outdoor pool with hot tub.

Meeting and Event Space: Boardroom with a conference table that seats 10, versatile event space that accommodates 10 – 50 people.

Hotel Shuttle Transportation: Shuttle is available that can take you to area locations within a 5 mile radius from 7am – 7pm Mon – Fri.

Location:

  • Across the street from OP Convention Center
  • Near Town Center Plaza and area restaurants
  • Less than 5 miles from Southcreek Office Park

For more information on renting event space or reserving a group block, contact Tiana Gatewood at 913-981-0142 or tgatewood@chasesuitehotels.com.  To make hotel reservations, call 888-433-9765 and ask for the Southcreek Office Park Rate.

We have office space for rent in Kansas City in a diverse range of sizes and configurations.  Give a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100 to talk to us about what your business needs!

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