Office design isn’t the most natural thing in the world. It requires a lot of planning and forethought to get it right, especially if you’re relocating to a new building. Making sure that everything works smoothly on arrival is a significant challenge.
Fortunately, though, there are a bunch of hacks that you can deploy to make the transition more manageable and put a smile on your face. In this post, we’re going to run through some of these to build kick-ass premises and get your business rolling.
Find Suitable Partners
Office design companies come in shapes and sizes. Some are highly qualified and able to take over more of the process for you. Others don’t have as much experience or need to call upon the expertise of outside contractors.
Typically, you’ll need to work with an electrical distributor for the project’s most complicated elements. These guys take care of all the wiring issues and consult with you about the best setup for your particular business needs.
If you’re unsure who to choose, you can ask around your industry to see who other people in your sector use. Usually, they’ll tell you and provide a frank assessment of the quality of service.
Focus on the Details
Technically speaking, office designisn’t tricky. Contractors have robust methods they use to minimize errors and ensure that everything goes to plan. The difficult part is remembering all the little details that make a new office design successful. Something as simple as the number of desks next to windows can have a long-term impact on productivity levels. Keep an eye out for the little details and imagine yourself using your new facilities every day. Remember, it is always cheaper to change things in advance.
Don’t Be Afraid to Spend Some Money
Some companies try to do office design on the cheap, but it’s not a good idea. Any renovations you carry out will probably last five to ten years, so investing is often well worth it. You want something that is going to foster productivity for many years to come. It should be a high priority in your business.
Splashing the cash can feel a little scary when you come to sign that contracts, but it is almost always worth it.
Reuse Functional Furniture
Chucking out all your furniture just because it is old is a bad business move. So long as it’s functional and ergonomic, you have the option of keeping it. This can substantially bring down the costs of your renovation, helping you and everyone else on your team conserve resources.
Prepare for Off-Site Work
You’ve probably already developed a remote working strategy due to COVID-19, but if you haven’t, you’ll want to make sure you have one in place for your new office design. Construction work is a messy and complicated process. Staff can’t get on with their jobs while engineers and contractors are fiddling about with circuits and drilling holes in the wall.
Off-site work, therefore, is usually the only option available to you. Create a BYOD policy and then make sure that all your colleagues can access work materials through the cloud. Invest in collaborative tools that allow them to work on projects simultaneously and chat in real-time to avoid email bloat.
Check Your New Premises
Designing new office is a relatively straightforward process once you get started. The contractor takes care of the process for you, drawing on their experience on previous projects. The big unknown is often the office building itself. Sometimes the office design plans and the real estate don’t match up how you’d like.
It’s worth checking a bunch of things before work gets underway. Here’s a quick checklist:
- Check that all doors close properly and aren’t prone to tampering
- Check all windows close and can be secured shut
- Make sure that all the basic systems, like air conditioning and electricity work
- Ensure all toilets flush correctly and are able to remove waste
- Double-check the alarm system
Once you’ve checked all your systems, you can tell your contractor about your findings. They will then work diligently to ensure that they cause no damage to the systems or repair any issues that they create.
Appoint A Somebody To Oversee The Process
Finally, as the leader of a company, you don’t want to waste your time overseeing the office design process. It’s ridiculously time-consuming. Instead, appoint an office design “champion.” This person will be responsible for doing all the day-to-day admin associated with the project, including paying contractors and dealing with issues.
