So, the time has come. The next office fit-out is due and you’re wondering where to begin. This can be a challenging task - the organisation involved can make it very complicated, but it is a crucial task, nonetheless.
To make this task a little less daunting, the following is a simple guide on how to plan a successful office refurbishment.
Discuss What You Want To Achieve
Before you start to think about how you are going to execute this refurbishment or begin discussing what types of furniture would look nice, you will need to take a step back and think about more so about the why.
Your priority should be to discuss the importance of what you want this office fit-out to achieve. Any good project starts with a plan and thinking about your reasoning for refurbishing will help your project deliver better end results.
Below are some examples of why you might want to refurbish; you should think about which ones you ought to prioritise.
- Expansion: Sometimes a business can simply outgrow its workplace. If so, a reorganisation of furniture, and/or added furniture, can create more room for new staff.
- Contraction: On the other hand, if you have had to reduce staff numbers, it might be a better idea to look at how all those empty desk can be used for something more effective.
- Branding: Perhaps your goal is to create a better image and atmosphere for potential clients, this can mean more brainstorming and decorating is in order.
- Productivity: It could be the case that your staff have become lazy. The atmosphere around us often affects our workflow, so maybe it is time for a much-needed moral boost. You don’t have to go so far as Microsoft implementing nap-pods for their employers however, but something changes will need to be made.
Think About Design Elements
Once you have prioritised what you would like to achieve, it is time to think about what you would use to better implement those ideas. Design elements will be crucial in achieving the right goal for the project.
Consider the following:
- Planning the space: Creating more efficient use of your space will almost always be a priority. Think about making clever use of office partitions in order to create a better organised workspace.
- Office furniture: Consider if you need a whole set of brand-new furniture, perhaps you could reuse or reorganise existing furniture. It might be a good idea to ask the staff if their chairs are ergonomically designed enough for example.
- Colour schemes: This is an underrated part of the design process. Certain colours can impact human mood and psychology. If your workers are feeling unmotivated, or if there is a brand image change in order, a colour change could do a world of good.
Set A Budget
The next step is to think about how much you are willing to spend on this office refurbishment. Most refurbishment companies will provide a quotation with cost estimates, helping you to see how much the desired fit-out will be, and if the budget is realistic for what you want to achieve.
It is important to account for hidden costs as well, some of which include:
- Fire plan assessments
- Insurance costs
- Furniture removal, delivery, etc
- Security costs
- Temporary storage if necessary
Once you have set your budget you could explore alternative finance options.
What’s Next?
The last step would be to put your plan into action. You will need to get a good refurbishment company in order to make your office dream a reality, and work with them closely.
You may have to temporarily move out of the office whilst work is being done, and then arrange moving back in when it is complete (this is why accounting for moving and delivery costs are important).
Once this stage is over, all you will have to do is settle in and enjoy your new surroundings. Perhaps you could arrange to have a meeting with your colleagues on a weekly basis to see how they are finding the space. Adjustments and feedback will be helpful.
Good luck!