An Office Refurbishment project is the refreshing of an existing space which is no longer meeting your business’s needs.
Planning an office refurbishment project can be both a daunting yet exciting prospect. It is a chance to breathe life into your outdated, worn out office space and provide your employees with a space where they feel proud to work.
An Office refurbishment can be a complex task with many elements to think about and often its hard to know exactly where to start.
Officeinsight’s specialist team of designers, project managers and consultants have come together to share their knowledge in this easy to follow guide, equipping decision makers with the tools needed to lead your company towards a refreshed office environment.
What is an Office Refurbishment?
An Office refurbishment project is the refreshing of an existing space which no longer meets your business’s needs, transforming it into a space where your business can operate to the best of its ability now and well into the future.
In this guide you will discover:
An office refurbishment can be so muchmore than just simply giving the wallsa fresh lick of paint. It’s an opportunityto make a positive impact on yourorganisation and its people.Creating a new space can transform howyour organisation works, its culture andmay open up long-term benefits.Each organisation will have adifferent motivation behind their officerefurbishment project, however there arethree key benefits which are important toevery organisation, regardless of industry.
These three benefits are:
Recruitment & Retention
It may come as surprise but many job seekers look beyond salary, bonuses and other monetary incentives when deciding whether to work for one employer over another.
A well designed office space can play a large role in attracting and the best and brightest talent to your organisation. The case study below describes the impact a new office has had on Hermes, one of the UK’s leading courier companies.
Consumer delivery specialists Hermes tasked Officeinsight with designing their new office space with a focus on improving their recruitment efforts.
The end result is a vibrant yet homely space where the Hermes employees love working, delivering the below improvements in terms of recruitment and retention:
Job Applicants | 20% ▲ |
---|---|
Time to Hire | 100 Days ⇨ 21 Days |
Employee Turnover | 20% ▼ |
Employee Well-being
According to the Health & Safety Executive, over 1.4 million workers reported long- standing cases of work-related ill health. Poor workplace design may not have any noticeable short term impact on your employee well-being, however over a long period of time the consequences can be severe.
Improper office ergonomics can lead to musculoskeletal disorders resulting in greater absenteeism and reduced productivity. Fortunately there are ways to minimise the risk of these ailments through careful office design, such as choosing ergonomic furniture or designing more ‘active design’ elements into your space such as standing desks.
Although office design can’t cure mental health related issues, there are ways in which the design of your office can alleviate certain stressors. Increased exposure to natural light and outdoor scenery along with careful colour choices can give a boost to employee mood.
Designing relaxing, fun breakout spaces can give employees a much needed break from work, allowing your people the chance to chill out and return to work refreshed and relaxed.
Business Performance
A new office environment can give a much needed boost to performance for a number of reasons. Opting to go with a more open-plan space can remove the silos between teams allowing for easier communication and collaboration.
Introducing elements such as informal meeting spaces and breakout areas gives your team the perfect space to brainstorm new ideas. Supporting these spaces with screens and network connectivity provides spaces where your teams can share and present new ideas, nurturing a collaborative and innovative culture.
Quiet concentration spaces allow your employees to knuckle-down and focus on tasks which require close attention to detail, or to take important phone calls without distraction.
Space no longer reflects your brand
A tired old office space isn’t going to do your brand image any favours, especially for those organisations which place great emphasis on innovation and creativity.
Even if your business is more traditional or corporate, a spruced-up office space can inspire employees and create a more comfortable working environment, after all, the average worker spends 1,791 hours of their life in the office each year!
Aside from reaping benefits in terms of well-being, recruitment and productivity, there are a plethora of other motivations for an office refurbishment which will be explored further in this section.
Lease Coming to an End
If your lease is coming to an end your office may have fallen into a state of disrepair, in which case you may need some refurbishment work carried out to bring your office back up to a good standard.
Expansion/ Contraction
Perhaps your office is bursting at the seams or maybe your current space is underutilised, either way an office refurbishment may be the perfect way of reaching the full potential of your existing space.
Choose your Project Team
Assemble a cross departmental team consisting of representatives from each of your key business areas. Not only does each department require different types of spaces to carry out their duties, but they can also provide valuable insights.
The ideal project team will consist of people with real decision making experience who aren’t afraid to put their ideas across.
This means you can get the space your business actually needs from the get-go without any chopping and changing once the work is underway.
Human Resources
HR will rightly want to ensure that any works are carried out in accordance with the latest Health and Safety regulations. The HR team may also have ideas on which office design elements can positively impact employee well-being.
Facilities Manager
It’s their job to know the office like the back
of their hand and should have a working
relationship with your landlord.
Marketing
The Marketing team will be able to advise on the correct branding and colours which reflect your corporate image.
IT
If your refurbishment involves the installation of network and AV technology then the IT team are best placed to know the exact requirements for your business.
Finance
The Finance department will be concerned with keeping a tight grip on the budget, ensuring costs don’t spiral out of control.
Consider what your space already has.
There are several features within your existing space which could still be fit for purpose meaning you can potentially make some easy cost savings for your business, meanwhile reducing the environmental impact of condemning furniture and equipment to landfill.
Some examples of existing fitments which could be reused, sold or recycled include:
Furniture
Purchasing new furniture can be a costly endeavour and in some instances it may not be necessary.
If keeping costs down and minimising the environmental impact of your office refurbishment are important considerations to your business then consider performing a survey of all the reusable equipment in your current space.
If your furniture colour scheme is either bland or no longer reflects your brand you may have to look at either donating, selling or recycling your existing furniture.
Partitioning
Designing around existing partitioning is one way to save on the costs and labour associated with installing new partition walls, however if you’re looking to maximise natural light you may want to consider swapping out existing partition walls in favour of glass.
Miscellaneous
Existing kitchen units, ceiling and flooring tiles are all examples of office design elements which our team have previously recycled. A fresh coat of paint or some minor repair works can leave certain fixtures looking brand new, without the expenditure involved with buying a replacement.
If you’re eager to undertake an ambitious refurbishment project but are concerned about the potential costs of your grand designs, there are options.
If you believe the investment could enhance your business but are struggling to justify the upfront cash outlay, don’t worry, there are financing options which offer more flexibility than traditional funding methods.
There are several alternative financing solutions which have been designed specifically for office refurbishment and fit out projects. These providers offer solutions which can cover all elements of your refurbishment project, from design to fit out.
Many businesses prefer alternative finance because they allow for easier budgeting and put less pressure on cash flow. Fixed regular payments with no unexpected variations or interest rates mean that more businesses can feel that the costs of an office refurbishment won’t hinder their visions for the business.
Many decision makers make the mistake of thinking that the only costs involved in the office refurbishment are the furniture, building works and decorating, however there are several other costs which aren’t immediately obvious such as:
The best office refurbishment companies will be able to provide an accurate breakdown of costs according to the vision for your office space, meaning you can identify where any compromises can be made.
Unless you are a large global brand, it’s unlikely that your company will have all the design, project management and building capabilities in-house to deliver an office refurbishment project to a high standard.
You are likely going to need to call upon the expertise of an office refurbishment company who can provide a full turnkey package including interior design, project management and their team of approved contractors.
Outsourcing to a turnkey commercial design partner with a strong track record of delivering office refurbishment projects means you will be left with a space which meets the needs of your business.
When choosing an office refurbishment partner look at their past work, identify whether their previous projects reflect the style you want reflecting in your workplace.
Choosing an Office Refurbishment Partner
The sooner you decide to involve an office refurbishment partner the better, as they can provide a valuable insight on budgets, setting goals and choosing the right internal project team.
When selecting an office refurbishment partner, you should look at their project portfolio, financials, insurance, Health and Safety and their reputation for delivering office refurbishment projects.
To spare yourself from nasty surprises later down the line, have a candid conversation about the fees in advance so the company can select correct specifications for the products, finishes etc. put forward.
Consider what your space needs
Now you have your team in place and a goal in mind, the next step is to work together to create a wish-list of what your space should have.
Each member of your project team will play an important role in identifying exactly what it is their department needs, therefore it is important to listen to the requirements of each department representative to create a space which works for your business.
Don’t worry if you aren’t sure how to bring these ideas together into the perfect cohesive design, as the best office refurbishment companies can translate your ideas into a perfectly crafted space.
Some ideas you may have for your wish-
list include:
At this point you should have a wish- list of essential elements of your new space, a rough idea of your budget and most importantly the goals you hope to achieve through your office refurbishment investment.
If you’ve decided to carry out the refurbishment works in house the design stage is where you can determine whether your ideas are too ambitious for you own DIY expertise.
Many people do not realise that interior design is an art form in its own right, with the best commercial office refurbishment companies employing teams of designers with years of experience and a network of contractors on hand to deliver the perfect space.
An office refurbishment specialist will translate your visions into a reality, helping you to achieve the following:
Make the Right First Impression
Regardless of how many visitors you welcome to your office, making the right first impression is absolutely vital.
A survey published by Ipsos discovered that 76% of millennials felt office design and aesthetics are a key influencing factor when forming an impression of a prospective employer.
With this in mind, leaving a positive impression interviewees should be a high priority for businesses who want to attract the best talent, as a well designed space can give you the edge in a competitive labour market.
Depending on the industry and the nature of your business, your clients will be expecting a certain level of professionalism to be evident from the moment they walk into your office.
Industries such as aeronautical design and nuclear engineering will rightly expect a space which reflects your high professional standards, as any lax standards within these industries can be potentially catastrophic.
Reinvent your Company Culture
Office design and refurbishment specialists create a living from digging through the various office design movements and focusing on the trends which actually deliver results to your business.
You may have ambitious visions of a creative office space with parallels to Google’s Mountain View Campus or ASOS’ London HQ, with both spaces being known for nurturing a collaborative culture through their vibrant and unique breakout and meeting spaces.
Boost Productivity and Well-being
At this point you should be well aware of the positive impact an office redesign and refurbishment can have on your employee’s well-being and productivity.
Kitchen and breakout areas can be designed to be inspiring, rather than just a place to eat. Many companies derive great benefits from installing screens, pool tables and other facilities into their breakout spaces to ensure that employees return to work relaxed and less stressed.
Designing flexible spaces into your open plan office such as collaboration areas, informal meeting areas and private working zones may be exactly what your employees need to deliver their best work.
Removing Distractions
The trend towards open plan office designis not without it’s flaws, with the primarycaveat being increased noise levels dueto improper sound dampening previouslyprovided by screens and cubicles in closedplan office design.
Noise levels can have a significant impacton an employee’s ability to concentratewith phone chatter, traffic, footsteps,humming air conditioning units and evencreaky pipes providing a detrimentaldistraction to workplace productivity.
Several design choices can be madeduring your office refurbishment tomitigate the negative impacts of noise,such as carefully choosing appropriatefurniture, partitioning, flooring andtechnology.
Offices which are primarily call centres can improve productivity by installing partitions or screens which dampen the noise between departments. This is especially useful if your accounts team is located next to your sales team but require fewer distractions to concentrate on their important work without the chatter of your sales teams.
A complete office refurbishment project is going to cause some disruption to your business, especially when it comes to where your employees will be working throughout the refurbishment works.
Fortunately, there are several ways in which disruption can be minimised; such as splitting your project into phases and working on one part of the build at a time.
Where minimal disruption is vital it maybe worth asking your office refurbishment provider about out of hours work, however this is likely to come at a premium.
If you choose to remain in your current space throughout the duration of the works then some thought will need to be placed into where impacted employees will work throughout each phase of the project,but also any additional health and safety considerations which may arise.
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www.officeinsight.co.uk
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Office Insight Ltd
Insight House
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Altrincham
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