The do’s and don’ts of office refurbishments

Office refurbishments is at the top of many business leaders’ minds. After an extended break, many employees are now embracing a return to the workplace as part of a hybrid or flexible working model.  Familiar office routines are kicking back in, whether it’s holding meetings without needing a virtual platform to support, stopping to have a chat with a colleague over the hum of the photocopier or even making a brew for more than just yourself.

Office Refurbishments

For many employers, this is also the perfect time to think about investing in the office space to make sure it’s fit for purpose given the changing habits of the workforce.  With more need for collaboration and creative space and perhaps less desire to have a space packed with rows and rows of desks, a refurbishment project could be just what’s needed to help speed up the return to work whilst showing your employees that you care about what’s important to them in their work environment.

Office Design: Meeting (overview) – 3D illustration

Before you start knocking down meeting room walls and recycling your desks though, here are some top tips to think about.

Do:

• Know your budget and stick to it. Your budget will help drive the decisions and choices you make when it comes to just how large-scale your refurbishment project can be.  For example, a bigger budget could allow for construction work to completely change the layout of a space, whilst a smaller budget may require a different approach to the transformation. It also depends if you are fitting out a new space or refurbishing in situ.
• Involve your workforce in the concept stage. There’s little point in delivering a refurbishment that doesn’t meet the needs of the people who are most likely to utilise it.  By understanding what’s important to your employees and how they want to use the space that’s available to them, you’ll be able to create design concepts that excite and energise your organisation.  This isn’t the time for a big reveal; prioritise a workplace assessment before you make any big decisions.

Don’t:

• Ignore the environmental factors you’re dealing with. There’s a solution for pretty much every workplace issue you can imagine: for example, a noisy or echoey space can be quietened using clever acoustic solutions and a dark office can be enhanced with appropriate lighting or elements throughout the décor.  Simply recognising the limitations or advantages of the environment you are operating within is an integral part of the process when creating your optimum workspace.
• Limit your thinking to what you need today. With the ever-increasing application of technology and innovation in the workplace to create efficiencies and enhance productivity, there’s probably going to be a case for investing in future-proofing your workspace as best you can.  Fully integrated SMART tech solutions can be tailored to suit the budget and space you have available, so it’s worth exploring what you might need tomorrow, as well as today.

If you’re thinking about refurbishing your office space, why not have a chat with our experts who can guide you through every step of the process to ensure you have an office that not only looks the business but helps you deliver enhanced employee engagement and as a result, even greater productivity.  It’s an investment that is sure to give you a return!