Considering a new office design? Time to revamp your workspace? Ready to make changes for the better? In a matter of months, you could be sat in your newly designed and refurbished office. As a result, you could have happier and more motivated employees. Even, a more productive business! Doesn’t that sound great?
However, fitting out your office isn’t without its fair level of stress. In fact, office fit-outs can be disruptive and become a headache if not well-thought-out from the start.
The good news? There are certain things you can do to avoid a stressful office refurbishment and ensure the process goes smoothly. In this blog post, we’ll discuss our recommended steps for a stress-free office fit out…
1. Plan ahead for a stress-free office fit out
Budget your refurb project
Refurbishing your offices can require significant investment – and therefore, you need to know exactly how much it will cost you. Having a budget in mind will help you keep on track from the start – minimising the chance of nasty costly surprises.
To budget, consider what great return you could see. Although not always tangible, things like improving employee motivation and company culture are invaluable to your overall business’ success.
Audit your existing workplace
Taking stock of your current office situation can help you plan effectively. For instance, think about what furniture can be reused – and what needs to be replaced.
This can really help when budgeting for your office fit-out too!
Involve employees
In the planning stages, it can be a good idea to get employee feedback about their current office. After all, these are the people who use the workplace every day – and they will know what works well – and what doesn’t.
Involving employees also promotes employee buy-in, helping them to feel part of a potentially big change. Remember – change can be a delicate subject so it serves to be open about the new office design, avoiding any bad, confused or excluded feelings down the road.
Check the small print
If you lease your office space, make sure you can legally make the changes you want. A wise move is to get written confirmation from your landlord that you can go ahead.
2. Find an office fit-out partner
Working with a fit-out company you can trust is paramount. Look for a company with a solid track record – ideally with a portfolio of projects that shows their quality of work. Also, keep an eye out for legitimate testimonials from happy clients.
Being sure of a fit-out company’s experience and capabilities can help you avoid stress – and perhaps costly mistakes – down the line.
3. Communicate change
Communication is often key – especially when making changes that can impact your employees’ working life.
When thinking about how much time employees spend in the workplace, it’s vital that they know what’s going on – to minimise any negative feelings by inevitable disruption.
Make sure that staff know in advance when the changes will happen – and how it will impact their daily working lives. Pre-empt questions like “where will we work during the refurb?” by allowing employees to work from home or providing temporary workspaces during larger projects.
4. Inform clients if necessary
Depending on the nature of your business, consider informing your clients about the refurb – especially if you have regular meetings onsite as you’ll need to relocate temporarily.
5. Oversee the project
Your new office fit-out is underway – exciting times are ahead! However, don’t take your eyes off the ball quite yet.
Providing you hire a reputable company, you can trust the professionals to take care of the project – but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep checking in.
Again, communication is key. And, regular updates mean both parties clearly know what’s going on. So, if for example, it looks like something may take longer than originally thought, you can be well-informed and take the steps needed to ensure ‘business as usual’.
Revamp your office – without the hassle
Ready to create your dream workspace? Somewhere that your employees will thrive in – bringing huge productivity-boosting benefits to your business?
Whether you’re refurbishing an old office or you’re moving to a new location, you’ll want to make sure that an office fit-out makes the very best of your space – and is at minimal disruption to your everyday business.
We have the expertise and experience to help you navigate your office fit-out – and run a stress-free office fit out from initial concept to final handover.
To learn more about Planned Office Interiors and how our office fit-out service can help it can help you, click here.
Or, contact Richard on 01785817114 to speak to an expert about your office fit-out plans.
Additional office fit-out resources
If you’re looking for a full office fit-out, start by requesting our Office Fit-out Guide below