When facing a lease expiry, organisations are confronted with a critical decision that impacts not only their bottom line but also their culture, employee experience, and long-term growth potential. The “stay vs. go” question represents one of the most significant financial commitments your organisation will make – yet many businesses approach this decision without adequate strategic groundwork.

Beyond Space Requirements

As highlighted in our “Workplace Strategy in Action: 2025” guide, workplace strategy is far more than just determining how many square metres you need. It’s about aligning your physical environment with your business goals, workforce needs, and organisational culture.

Before engaging with the commercial real estate market – whether due to lease expiry, global property strategy, or right-sizing requirements – a strategic workplace assessment can save millions in property costs while enhancing the employee experience.

The Cost of Hasty Decisions

Making property decisions without proper workplace strategy often leads to:

• Oversized or undersized spaces that don’t align with actual utilisation patterns
• Inflexible environments that can’t adapt to changing business needs
• Disconnected designs that fail to reflect company culture and values
• Missed opportunities for cost optimisation and efficiency

Building a Strategic Framework

A comprehensive workplace strategy creates a solid foundation for property decisions by addressing five key considerations:

1. Business Strategy: How does your workplace align with your strategic goals and future growth plans?
2. Portfolio Mandates: Does your real estate footprint effectively support your business needs across locations?
3. Ways of Working: How are your current and future workstyles accommodated in the physical environment?
4. Culture: Does your workspace reflect your organisational values and strengthen your company identity?
5. Change Appetite: How ready is your organisation for workplace transformation, and what level of change is appropriate?

Real-World Impact

One of our recent clients, a renewable energy organisation experiencing rapid growth, needed a workplace strategy to maximise their lease, support evolving workforce needs, and align with ESG goals.

By providing data-driven insights, analysing space utilisation, and working with the leadership team on key business objectives, we helped them secure a future-ready space that was delivered on time and on budget. The integrated approach ensured their property decision supported both immediate operational needs and long-term strategic objectives.

Making Informed Property Decisions

Whether you’re considering staying in your current location with a refresh, relocating to a new space, or consolidating multiple properties, engaging with workplace strategy consultants before making property commitments ensures you’re making decisions with confidence and conviction.

The right workplace strategy partner can help you:

• Build a strong, data-driven business case for your property decisions
• Align stakeholder priorities across departments and functions
• Optimise your space for both current needs and future flexibility
• Create environments that enhance productivity, connection, and collaboration

Is Your Organisation Ready?

With financial pressures increasing and workplace expectations evolving, organisations can’t afford to make uninformed property decisions. By taking a strategic approach to the “stay vs. go” question, you can ensure your workplace remains a valuable asset that supports your business objectives, rather than just another expense line. To learn more, contact us at hello@pmggroup.com.au

Want to make smarter lease decisions? Download our Workplace Strategy Guide to explore how to align your space with growth, change, and long-term business goals.