How Can Office Refurbishment Help Your Business?
Does your office feel uninspired? Could it use a new coat of paint or better office furniture?
Spending money on office improvements may seem like an extravagance, but in reality it can be good for business. Creating a pleasant place to work will improve staff morale and impress your clients with a more professional atmosphere.
Why you should consider it
Redesigning your office can help you use space more efficiently so that you can continue to grow without feeling crowded. If you need a new meeting room or need workspace for additional staff, it can be cost effective to redesign the space you have instead of moving to a larger office.
Better workspaces can improve productivity for your team. Whether your company favours private offices or an open floor plan, a well designed, attractive space improves morale and shows that you care about your employees’ work environment.
Renovation also gives you a chance to get rid of dated equipment and old items that have deteriorated due to wear and tear. By replacing old items with furniture and equipment made from carbon neutral materials and energy efficient technology, you’ll reduce the environmental impact of your office and potentially lower your bills.
First steps
So the question is, where to start?
Since a complete redesign can be a big undertaking, your first step should be to consult with an office design specialist. Whether you have an idea in mind for your redesign, or aren’t really sure how to make the best use of your space, design consultants will walk you through a series of questions to understand the needs or your staff and your future growth plans.
A good office designer will consider your budget, building regulations, available space, type of business, and staff size to come up with a look that reflects your corporate identity and presents a confident image to your clients. CAD software can show you how your space will look after the changes.
Obvious areas to consider for upgrades include furniture, office partitions, and equipment. There’s a good chance you’ll also want to install new flooring and add a new coat of paint as well. In addition to these more obvious changes, here are some additional areas you might want to alter: Lighting
Design your space to take advantage of natural light as much as possible. This not only reduces the need for artificial lighting, but it helps employees stay more alert and focused. For areas not near a window, light-reflecting panels hung from the ceiling can help maximise sunlight.
Ceiling
Adding a suspended ceiling can make your space look cleaner by hiding pipes, wires, and power and data connections. Suspended ceilings are not terribly expensive to install and add a professional touch.
Depending on the design of your building, you probably won’t lose more than a few inches of ceiling height.
Climate control
If you have issues with ventilation, heating, or cooling, now is the time to address things. If you have older systems, you may be able to lower heating and cooling bills substantially by installing new, energy efficient equipment.
But even smaller changes like improving ventilation or adding extra insulation around windows can help employees feel more comfortable in their day-to-day environment.
There may never be a perfect time to undertake an office refurbishment, and there will always be project deadlines and costs to consider. But if you’re considering an office refurbishment now is the time to take the first step. Do a little research; get an estimate or two. Money used to make your workspace a more productive, pleasant place to come to everyday is money well spent.
If you’re concerned about the presence of asbestos in your commercial property, you should requst anasbestos survey.
Call MDHS on 0800 011 2962 or contact us online.