Planning A Successful Refurbishment Of Your Office

There will come a time in the life of your business when your workplace is tired and old and is no longer fit for purpose. When this time arrives, you have two options: finding a new office and going through the hassle of moving or refurbishing your existing office space. It is an ideal option when you are happy with the location but want to get the most out of the premises, and it allows you to design the perfect workplace for your business. However, there are various factors to consider when planning your office, and speaking to a professional office design company can help you get the most out of your space. Below, you can see some vital factors you must decide upon before starting your office refurbishment, which can also boost the morale and productivity of your employees.

Creating The Floor Plan

One of the first tasks in planning your office refurbishment is to create a floor plan for your space. You can look at the internal walls of your office and see which ones you can remove, which will give you a blank canvas from which to work. You must ensure that the work can flow smoothly and unhindered between the different departments and that they all have enough room for their employees and expansion. In this area, a professional design company can assist you the most, as you can utilise their experience and use the tips and tricks that they have learned to maximise the use of space. Once you have decided how to lay out the office floor plan, you must consider many more factors.

The Office Flooring

The flooring in your office is another vital aspect that demands your consideration, and you want to choose a material that is easy to clean and maintain and is also hard-wearing. There are various options you can consider which may suit your preferred aesthetic, such as:

• Commercial Carpet Flooring
• Laminate Flooring
• Concrete Flooring
• Ceramic Tile Flooring
• Hardwood Flooring
• Vinyl Flooring

However, consider installing raised access floors in your office space, giving you space beneath the floor to run data cables and power outlets. These floors are a convenient option as you can move the cables by removing the floor tiles and relocating them wherever you want, which is ideal when the desk plan for your office changes. Whatever you choose for the floors of your office, ensure that it helps with the office acoustics and does not increase noise levels or echo, and then you can look at the ceiling.

The Office Ceiling

The ceiling in your office is a vital but often overlooked aspect of office refurbishment, but it plays a crucial role in the comfort and productivity of an office. If you have high ceilings in your office, reducing the height by installing suspended ceilings is an excellent way to reduce echo and absorb sound. They also offer a convenient place to hive ducting and cables while still being able to access them easily. There are ceiling tiles that can reflect light and help to make rooms brighter, and acoustic ones that help you control noise levels in a bust office. There are many styles, designs, and material options for ceiling tiles, so there is something to suit most budgets and tastes, and a suspended ceiling can make a cleaner and more comfortable working environment for your employees.

Do Not Forget The Storage

Storage in an office space refurbishment is another afterthought for many businesses who do not seek professional advice when planning their refurbishment. Still, it is vital for a smooth functioning office space. You can find plenty of office storage tips online that can help you, and maximising every square inch of available space and ensuring plenty of storage can help your business function smoothly. You can have cupboards, create floor-to-ceiling shelving, which can also act as a partition, or get more furniture to increase your storage capacity. The best option will depend on the size of your office space and the nature of your business, with every company being unique and having different needs.

Dividing Your Office Space

Rather than build internal walls in your office space, consider another option for dividing the area, such as using partitions. You can consider using many types of partitions for your office so there is something to suit the design aesthetic you want and your budget. Options include:

• Demountable Partitions
• Frameless Glass Partitions
• Sliding Partitions
• Drywall Partitions
• Double-Glazed Partitions

Choosing glass partitions is an excellent option to help you increase the natural light in your office, and various options are available. Choosing double or triple-glazed partitions can also give you additional thermal and acoustic insulation for your office. By defining areas in your workplace using office partitions, you can make it more productive and keep the work flowing smoothly.

Your Office Furniture

One area of your office refurbishment where it is well worth investing in quality products is furnishing it. You want to ensure that you purchase high-quality ergonomic furniture that supports your employees' bodies correctly. It can help prevent repetitive strains, injuries, and back problems and reduce absenteeism. Investing in ergonomic furniture does require a little more, but quality furniture will often outlast cheap alternatives and is much more comfortable for prolonged everyday use. Look after your employees' well-being, and they can help take your business to the next level of success, so it is worth investing in comfortable ergonomic furniture.

Your Office Colour Scheme

When you want to boost the productivity of your employees, another way to do this is through colour in the workplace, making the colour scheme a vital factor to consider in your refurbishment. Through the clever use of colour, you can help boost productivity, concentration levels, creativity, and other aspects of your employees and make a much brighter and happier workplace. Each department can have different colours, depending on the time of work being done, and it can make for a colourful-looking office. In 1996, the University of Oxford wrote a detailed paper on the effects of colours in the workplace, which you can read by clicking here, and further research has proven the results to be correct. Choosing the colour scheme in your office can significantly impact its productivity and happiness rating, so it is a subject worth researching extensively before making your choice.