Why Now is the Perfect Time to Refurbish Your Office

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has brought about a change in lifestyle for everyone - from not being able to see family and friends and simply pop to the pub for a drink, to queuing to enter supermarkets and working from home. And whilst many businesses are operating a work-from-home policy for staff until at least the end of 2020, many workers are planning to return to the office as soon as it is safe and possible to do so. With this in mind, employers must be ready to welcome their staff back to a motivating and productive workspace. 

While offices remain emptier for the time being, businesses should take full advantage of this time. After all, there may never be another opportunity to refurbish your office without causing disruption to your staff.

In this blog, we’ll be looking at the key signs that it’s time to undergo an office fit-out, why now is the perfect time to do so and what you need to consider to ensure your project can run smoothly.

Do I Really Need To Refurbish My Office? 

There are a few common signs that it’s time to refurbish your office. One of the biggest red flags to suggest your workspace might need some attention is a dip in productivity and motivation. You might also find that your staff are uncomfortable or frustrated in their surroundings. If this is the case, you could be putting their mental health and wellbeing at risk. Updating your office can help tackle this issue and reinvigorate and refocus your team.  

If your team is quickly expanding, the clutter is getting out of control or you’ve outgrown your existing workspace, it is almost definitely time to get a refurb in the diary. Not only will a refurbishment facilitate your growth, but it’ll also provide you with the opportunity to design your workspace so that it aligns with your branding.

Why Now? 

There are many benefits to opting for a full office refurbishment right now. The timescale for a full office fit out can vary from weeks to months and with the extra freedom that an empty office brings, businesses can incorporate bolder ideas and place more focus on creating an individual and tailor-made workspace. An empty office will give you the freedom to make big changes including refurbishing your ceilings, laying new flooring and moving walls, as well as the less daunting tasks such as changing your office furniture. 

Unfortunately, most offices are not tailor-made. Companies often make-do with the space they are given, without realising that this could be negatively impacting their business. The extra time and space that an empty office brings will also allow you to create a space with the flexibility to adhere to social distancing measures whilst not only maintaining key working attributes such as productivity, communication and staff morale but improving them too.    

A new office space can create more space and provide additional meeting rooms to increase inclusivity and improve communication amongst team members. Not only can these changes improve work for current workers, they can also provide an attractive working environment for prospective employees and make a great impression on current and potential clients.

Our Top Tips 

When it comes to refurbishing your office, there are a few things to consider to ensure your project runs smoothly. Firstly, be sure to communicate the changes with staff to ensure they have everything they need to fulfil their daily tasks while the operation is underway. If your office is in a multi-occupant building, you should also let the other tenants know what is planned to avoid any fallouts.

Scheduling frequent site visits to appraise progress and keeping lines of communication open with your refurbishment partner will help to speed up the project and ensure there is minimal disruption to normal work activities. 

The process of returning to work is as important as the refurbishment itself. So once the project is complete, be sure to give the employees a full tour of their new office to help them settle into their new workspace and avoid any confusion as to where everything is and how their new facilities function.

COVID-19 has certainly accelerated the evolution of the workspace so if you’re looking to embrace this change and refurbish your office, McFeggan Brown is here to help guide you through this process. Get in touch with us today!