An office refurbishment project involves a significant investment of your time and money. That’s why it’s so important to understand why you want to embark on a workspace refurb project before diving in.
Familiarising yourself with the main benefits of an office refurbishment— from improving productivity to implementing new technologies—is a great place to start.
Plus, if you’re looking to secure funds for the project or want a key decision-maker to sign off the budget, it’s always helpful to arm your pitch or proposal with benefits.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the top advantages of refreshing your working environment.
Facilitating modern ways of working
More and more of today’s workspaces are facilitating things like agile working, remote work, nomadic working. However, offices that are still configured and designed in traditional ways aren’t set up to support these new modes of working.
One of the top benefits of an office refurbishment project is to rethink:
- The types of work settings provided (collaboration spaces, breakout areas, meeting rooms, private focus zones, social spaces, etc.) and how diverse these are.
- How these spaces are configured within the wider ecosystem of work settings.
- Potentially moving away from dedicated work settings and toward more flexible space usage, in offices where this approach is relevant.
More reading: Agile, hybrid, blended, flexible: what’s the difference? >>
Incorporating modern office technology
Part of facilitating more modern ways of working is taking advantage of workplace tech.
A great example of incorporating workplace tech into an office fit out to benefit space users is the project we recently worked on at Ombudsman’s commercial offices.
At Ombudsman’s offices, we installed:
- A smartboard with high-spec programmable AV into one of the large interactive rooms for improved collaboration and more dynamic meeting experiences.
- Mobile collaboration screens for wireless working and screen-sharing.
- Sophisticated programmable hardware into the Town Hall/training suite area, as well as projectors, screens and video conferencing capabilities to make the space more multifunctional.
- Touchscreen controls to adapt the lighting in the space according to how it is being used or who is using it and what for.
Read the full Ombudsman case study >>
Combating workplace issues
Some common workplace issues that businesses face today include:
- Excess noise
- A lack of privacy
- Lack of collaboration
- Poor communication
- Lack of inclusivity and accessibility
- Not enough support for connecting remote and resident workers
- Physical health problems due to a lack of ergonomic considerations
A successful office refurbishment requires you to audit and analyse your current workspace design, how people use it and the satisfaction of employees. That way, you will be able to identify your own unique workplace issues and redesign and refit your office to solve these problems.
That’s also one of the benefits of including AI in the office design process. AI can provide you with real data and insights about how and when work settings are being used so you can adapt the space to what its users really want and need more or less of.
Read more: AI and the future of office design >>
Encouraging productivity and collaboration
Another one of the main benefits of an office refurbishment is the opportunity to refresh your workspace design in order to foster a more productive and collaborative environment. This is especially important if you want to create a co-working space.
If your office is still designed traditionally, the configuration of the space and the furniture and technology in it are likely dated too. This will hinder modern collaboration, idea-sharing and effective cross-team communication.
An office refurbishment gives you the opportunity to include more work settings designed to support and encourage more effective collaboration, productivity and engagement.
Boosting motivation and engagement levels
A fresh new look can work wonders for team morale and employee engagement as an outdated office becomes a flexible, contemporary workspace that meets modern requirements.
Providing staff with more choice and control around where, when and how they work through innovative design choices, product developments and new technology will inspire a fresh perspective on attitudes to work and drive motivation.
When people feel they have the spaces and resources they need to do their best work, engagement levels are sure to climb too.
A chance to evaluate spending
Although an office refurbishment might seem like a huge investment of finances at first, it can actually save you money in the long run. Initiatives like this will help rule out any redundant space so money isn’t being wasted on work settings that aren’t required.
For example, introducing hot desking instead of tethered desks will optimise the use of space and overheads. You won’t need to spend money on dedicated desks that people aren’t using at all times when you adapt the space for flexible, agile use instead.
Again, AI data and insights can help you figure out how your workspace is being used so you can evolve the space over time using this user-centric knowledge.
Attracting and retaining new talent
When you start considering those who use the space carefully, you then create a working environment that appeals to them and meets their professional and personal needs. This is an effective way for employers to attract and retain the best talent in their industry.
If people don’t feel that their employer has their best interest at hearts, they’re more likely to show less loyalty to the business and look elsewhere for roles in companies that are more user-driven.
Bolster your brand image and messaging
In the same way your physical appearance makes a first impression about who you are before somebody even knows you, the look and feel of a workspace has the power to create a lasting impression of your business, its values and its identity.
An office refurbishment is the ideal opportunity to assess if your physical working environment is embodying your brand identity accurately and efficiently.
Perhaps you’ve undergone a rebrand and need new brand manifestations or colour schemes, or maybe you want the accessibility of your space to reflect your ethos regarding diversity and inclusion. Perhaps you’ve taken a closer look at your sustainability approach and want your workspace to align.
However you want your brand to be reflected, a refurb is the perfect way to go about achieving it.
Read more: Office design and brand identity >>
Reassess new health and safety regulations
Last but not least, a refurb project is the perfect chance to evaluate and address whether or not your workspace adheres to current Health & Safety regulations. Laws and rules are being updated all the time—it’s critical to ensure you are compliant.
So, now you’ve got a better understanding of the many advantages that come with refreshing your workspace, you might be wondering how much it’s all going to cost.
If so, read our blog post on how much an office refurbishment costs in 2024 or check out our expert tips on doing an office refurbishment on a budget.
Are you looking to refurbish your office? Get in touch with our workspace experts to learn more about how we can support your project.
