Is your office looking a little worse for the wear? Maybe the paint is peeling or the layout is constricting.
You may have put an office renovation off for quite some time thinking it didn’t make much of a difference. However, office design can affect everything from your employees’ mood and productivity to their retention rates.
So, if your office looks dull or out-of-date, a remodel should be in your near future.
Don’t know where to start? Keep reading to learn the top 7 tips that will help you have a successful office renovation.
1. Know Your Goals
It’s important to think of your remodel like any other big project. And that means starting by outlining your goals.
Think about the ideal effect this renovation will have on your business. Do you want to energize your staff, increase productivity, or impress your new set of high-end clients?
Once you’ve outlined your goals, think about how you can achieve them in this remodel.
For example, you may choose to decorate with plants and add alternative workspaces to energize staff, integrate the newest technology to increase productivity, or opt for sleek, modern design to impress your clients.
2. Ask for Employee Input
Change is good! And you know that an office renovation will be beneficial moving forward. But that doesn’t mean all your employees will be on board.
Many of them may be dreading it because they don’t want to sacrifice the comfort and familiarity of their office. Of course, no company can benefit from a bunch of unhappy employees.
One of the best things you can do is ask your employees for ideas and input. It will make them feel involved and can help open them up to the idea of new office design.
Plus, your employees may have some great ideas that you never thought of before. If you don’t often walk through the different departments, you may not realize how the IT department’s conference room always feels cramped or how awkward the floor plan in the HR department is.
3. Choose Your Design Wisely
Alright, now that you’ve identified your goals and talked to your employees, it’s time for the fun part–putting your vision down on paper!
Think about floor plans, color schemes, and other design elements. Remember that noise level, along with color and lighting can all affect employee productivity. You can read more here about the carpet and why it may be the best choice for your office flooring.
You’ll also want to take your company’s future into consideration. This may mean integrating technology to move your company forward or utilizing your space, so you can add more offices as you expand.
4. Outline a Budget and Stick to It
Of course, all these big ideas you have will cost you a pretty penny. You’ll want to set a realistic budget and be sure to stick with it.
Add up all your costs, such as materials, furniture, labor, and construction, and don’t forget to leave a little wiggle room for those unexpected costs that will inevitably occur.
If you think you’ll barely scrape by within budget, prioritize your wish-list. Think about what aspects of your design have to be done to meet your goals and which aspects can be cut or done on the cheap. This will help you be prepared to make quick decisions if you’re at risk for going over budget.
5. Decide Where Your Employees Will Work
While your new office may maximize productivity when it’s complete, it sure won’t be doing that during the renovation. Many of your employees will be out of an office while their old ones are under construction.
But remodels can last a long time, so you don’t want your entire production to come to a screeching halt. Instead, plan ahead and decide where your employees will work during the renovation.
You could utilize vacant areas, rent room in a coworking space, or have one department work in conference rooms that aren’t currently under construction. You may even have some employees work from home.
6. Communicate Openly
After putting so much thought and money into this renovation, the last thing you want is for any miscommunication to ruin the big picture.
You’ll be working with several different people to make your new office come to life, including designers, contractors, and your landlord. Create a work schedule and written plan for your remodel and make sure it’s distributed to everyone who needs it. This will help ensure everyone is on the same page and has access to the information they need.
You’ll also want to include your contact information, so they can get ahold of you if questions or concerns arise. If any change is made to the original plan, be sure to set up meetings with everyone to discuss them.
7. Give A Tour
All your hard work finally paid off, and your new office is finished! You’ll probably be tempted to get everyone back to work as soon as possible.
However, your employees will need time to adjust to their new office. The best thing you can do is give department heads a tour and instruct them to give the tour to the rest of their department.
This gives employees a chance to ease their way in and “get the lay of the land.” This is especially important if you’ve changed the floorplan, moved departments around, or changed the location of the supply closet.
Employees should also be trained on any new technology installed. Overlooking this step could cause employees to become frustrated with the new technology or refuse to use it. Instead, you want them to feel confident using it to increase productivity.
Start Your Office Renovation Today
Don’t procrastinate on your office renovation any longer. Just follow these tips to choose the best design for your business and ensure your remodel goes smoothly.
Are you looking for more ways to increase productivity in the office? Then check out how these organization crafts can do just that!
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