If your office is looking jaded and tired, or if you have exceeded your current capacity, it might be time to consider a refurbishment project.
Often a more cost-effective solution that relocation, an increasing number of businesses are opting to re-fit rather than move to new premises.
But although a refurbishment might sound like less work than packing up lock, stock and barrel, to do a good job and maximise the possibilities takes a lot of planning and effort. This guide looks at how to manage an office refurbishment project to get the very best results.
Plan, Plan and Plan Some More
It’s impossible to over-estimate the amount of planning which is required to make your office refurbishment a resounding success.
You might start with some vague ideas about where you want everything to go, but by the time you’re ready for work to begin, you should have every little detail sketched out concisely.
Appoint an experienced office refurbishment firm from the start and your project will receive a real boost. Their know-how will be simply invaluable in understanding what eventualities you need to plan for, and what factors you need to consider.
Communicate with Staff Proactively
Although an office refurbishment may sound like a fairly trivial affair for the staff, asking them to change their established routines and accept some major changes in their working habits could be quite stressful.
Proactive communication throughout the project is absolutely essential; don’t wait for grumbles to arise to address any particular concerns. Keep your staff briefed throughout the process and you’ll find they will be far more positive about any changes you want them to accept.
Even minor adaptations such as being further from the vending machine, or from the toilets, could create quite a stir if you haven’t kept your employees updated with your plans. Communicate regularly and you’ll find the employees will begin to share your excitement about having a sparkling new workspace.
Consider Legislation
If your office space was quite old and outdated, it may have been difficult for disabled employees to mobilise around.
Regardless of whether you currently have any disabled members of staff, you need to be able to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Equality Act 2010.
This means not putting any individual with a disability at a disadvantage compared to other employees. If you fail to make reasonable provisions for an employee with disabilities, you could face prosecution.
You never know when one of your employees will develop a disability, or you might want to employ a new recruit who has a disability. An office refurbishment is the ideal opportunity to make sure that your office is accessible to those with disabilities as much as those who are able-bodied.
Carry Out a Workplace Audit
A refurbishment is a great chance to reconsider how the office operates and whether the layout works efficiently.
Carrying out a workplace audit will allow you to consider whether you should reconfigure the layout to increase productivity and reduce unnecessary trips and moving around. For example, are supplies close to those that need them the most? And how about photocopiers and printers? Providing staff with a better layout will almost immediately boost their output.
Other factors you might want to consider is whether there are enough meeting rooms, breakout areas and refreshment facilities. Ask staff for their input too; you might be surprised at exactly what it is that they find the most frustrating on a daily basis.
Conclusion
By using the services of office refurbishment specialists you’ll be able to maximise your use of space and create a radical new design. It takes experience and skill to be able to manage an office refurbishment project so don’t waste the opportunity to redesign your workspace into a new layout which works in the best possible way.
