The office is more than just a place where the workers gather to do their daily tasks, it is also the place where the team spirit is created, and this is what will put you head and shoulders above your competitors. If a revamp is on the cards, spend a little time thinking about creating something a little out of the ordinary. Modern office fitout companies have in-house designers who can help you make the most out of the available space, and with all the services you would need under one roof, the project can be completed without affecting the business.
Professional Guidance
If you are located in the UK and are looking for a reputable office fitout company, there are online solutions where all the stages of the project from design to installation, will be handled by professionals with many years of hands-on experience in refitting offices. They will handle all your IT needs and ensure the new office is ready to use as soon as possible. The design stage is essential, and you should bring in the experts as early as possible. An experienced office designer would ask many questions about the nature of the business, and would want to have a clear picture of the business and its daily activities. Only then can he or she create the ideal working space.
Another Essential Partner
Apart from the office fitout company, you need the help of another group, and that is your workforce. As they are the people who will operate in this new environment, they should play a part in the design, and by giving your staff ownership, you are promoting best business practices, and you will see a positive change in your employees’ attitude. All staff should be present when the designer is at the office, and by sharing ideas, you will have a clearer picture of the optimum layout. For more detailed information about involving staff in the office design, here is an interesting article.
Open Plan Concept
The modern office is an open area with partitioned screens that are placed in a specific arrangement to facilitate the ideal working layout. Open plan offices encourage dialogue and internal communication is essential, and leads to a strong team spirit. The workstations of today are easily moved around, as devices are smaller and with wireless connections the norm, it is easy to change locations.
Be Resourceful
Revamping the office doesn’t mean throwing everything away and starting afresh, there will be many things that can be used in the new layout, and a professional designer would look at that before anything else. While it doesn’t pay to buy cheap furniture and fittings, by recycling usable items, costs can be kept to a minimum.
Plan for the Future
If space permits, keep a section aside that can be used for storing things, or it could be turned into a new workstation when you expand and start recruiting. The last thing you want to do is relocate shortly after the renovation is completed.
Zones
With open plan office layouts, there are typically zones – areas for specific departments, which might include,
- Accounting
- Sales and marketing
- Production
- Logistics
- Management
Even though the areas are zoned off, everyone should have easy access, and certain departments, such as sales and accounting, should be in close proximity to one another.
The Reception Area
This is the flagship of the office, and therefore should reflect the image of the business, with plush furniture and a warm ambience. Lighting should be warm and inviting, with task lighting where necessary, and a congenial visitor’s waiting area to one side. Screening can keep this area apart from the internal section, and your visitors can wait in comfort before someone attends to them.
The meeting Room
If there needs to be one self-enclosed room, the meeting room is the ideal choice, as you want to have an environment where people can focus on the topic at hand. This is the heart of the business in more ways than one, as most of your innovative strategies will be born in the meeting room, so make sure you equip the room with a whiteboard and some markers. The company’s awards and achievements should be displayed here, to remind everyone how successful the business has been, and will continue to be.
Hiring the Right Fitout Company
This is the key to a successful transition, as they will be able to handle every aspect from the initial design to the installation, and their aim will be to complete the assignment with the minimum of disruption to the client’s business. A reputable company would be able to take care of any government paperwork or building regulations, and also would be able to offer top quality furniture and fittings.
Finance Options
Revamping the office might have to be done when things are a little tight, and lack of capital shouldn’t be a reason to postpone the work, so a good fitout company would be able to offer competitive finance. Office renovation isn’t something to skimp on, and if the necessary funds just aren’t there, take out a small loan, and you won’t regret it. The boost a new office will give your staff will result in greater productivity, and the team spirit will be enhanced.
Utilise Technology
Revamping the office is a great time to make the switch to wireless devices, and almost every piece of network equipment used in a modern office can be accessed with a wireless technology, even the flat screen TVs in the reception area can be fed without the need for unsightly cables.
Temperature Control
The ambience is affected by temperature, and you don’t want the office to be either too hot or cold, so think about heating and air conditioning to ensure the office is always comfortable. Modern solutions are energy efficient and maintain an even temperature throughout the office.
A modern office is more than just a place of work, and if it is designed well, your workforce will be motivated to push forward and reach their goals.
