Transforming your workspace doesn’t always have to mean shutting down operations. In fact, for many businesses today, the idea of closing doors completely during an office fit out simply isn’t realistic.
Whether you’re updating your workplace tech, refreshing your interior design scheme, revamping your furniture or implementing a full office refurbishment, keeping the business running throughout the project is possible with good planning. It’s all about figuring out how to balance workspace transformation activity with your day-to-day operations without compromising either.
In this blog post, we take you through some key strategies for successfully delivering office fit outs in live environments, drawing on industry best practices and our own hands-on experience.
The benefits of an occupied office fit out
The decision to remain operational during a fit out isn’t usually taken lightly. For most organisations, it comes down to practical realities rather than preference. However, with a great office fit out partner (like the Penketh Interiors team) and some solid planning, business-as-usual doesn’t have to be disrupted.
Little to no downtime
Client-facing businesses, for example, often can’t afford downtime and professional services firms, customer support centres and businesses with ongoing contracts need to maintain service levels. Even a few days of closure for businesses like these can mean lost revenue and angry clients.
Cheaper than relocation
If you were to temporarily relocate your workforce to vacate the office being kitted out, this would be a hefty financial commitment. Between rent, utilities and temporary setup expenses, maintaining two premises can be super expensive.
Less stress for employees
Moving teams to temporary locations disrupts working patterns and can impact morale. Keeping people in familiar surroundings, even with ongoing construction nearby, often proves less disruptive than a relocation or another kind of alternative working arrangements.
Things to consider with occupied office fit outs
Occupied office fit outs require a different approach compared to vacant premises. The presence of working teams introduces complexities that call for careful consideration from the earliest planning stages.
On-site safety
Health and safety of everybody on site becomes paramount when construction activity happens alongside daily work. Contractors must maintain strict protocols to protect employees from noise, dust and potential hazards, whilst ensuring emergency routes remain clear and accessible.
Cross-team communication
Your project team needs to coordinate not just amongst themselves but also with employees who need to understand what’s happening, when and how it affects them. Regular updates help manage expectations and reduce anxiety about the changes happening around them.
Timelines and out-of-hours work
When a workspace is occupied while it’s being transformed, project timelines often extend beyond standard fit out schedules. This requires meticulous planning and adds complexity to project management and logistics.
Work may need to happen outside normal office hours to minimise disruption or be phased across multiple stages to keep different areas operational. Many successful occupied projects shift heavy construction work to evenings, weekends or holiday periods when fewer people are present.
However, out-of-hours work also comes with extra considerations, including labour costs and contractor availability. You’ll need to weigh these factors up against the benefits of reduced operational disruption.
Out-of-hours working minimises noise and dust exposure during peak productivity times, which leads us onto…
Noise control and air quality
Noise and dust control measures that might be optional on vacant sites become essential requirements because both can significantly impact concentration, comfort and well-being. Physical barriers, air filtration systems and acoustic control all play important roles in protecting the working environment and everybody in it.
Sound control
Physical barriers provide your first line of defence against fit out noise. Heavy-duty site hoarding with acoustic properties helps contain construction sounds within work settings, while additional soundproofing around particularly noisy operations offers further protection.
Scheduling noisy activities for times when they’ll cause the least disruption also makes practical sense. If a task absolutely must happen during working hours, advance warning allows affected employees to plan accordingly, perhaps working remotely that day or using alternative spaces.
Top tip: Use quieter equipment where possible – Modern power tools often include noise reduction features that can make a big difference.
Controlling dust and air quality
Construction dust doesn’t just settle on surfaces; it also enters ventilation systems, affects office air quality and can impact health, particularly for anyone with respiratory sensitivities. Here are three things to help combat any problems:
- Sealed barriers – Physical barriers between construction zones and occupied areas help keep on-site staff happy and healthy. Don’t forget, sealed-off spaces will need proper installation (and ventilation) and regular inspection to ensure they remain effective.
- Air filtration systems – These actively remove dust particles from the atmosphere. Positioned strategically, they can significantly improve air quality in both construction zones and adjacent occupied areas.
- Regular cleaning – Daily cleaning of transition areas prevents dust from moving and collecting around the workplace. Protective matting at construction zone exits also helps to trap dirt and debris before it spreads.
Communication is key for active office transformations
How you communicate about your occupied fit out shapes how people experience it. Clear, consistent messaging helps employees understand what’s happening and why, which fosters acceptance rather than resistance.
Before work begins
Pre-project communication sets expectations and addresses concerns before they become problems. Share the big picture, explain why the fit out is happening and what benefits it will bring.
Preemptively answer questions that your employees may have. Will noise levels increase? Will certain settings be inaccessible? What alternative arrangements are in place? The more specific you can be, the better prepared people feel.
Let employees know how they can raise concerns or ask questions throughout the project – this demonstrates consideration of their experience and helps head off issues early.
During the project
Regular updates throughout the project help maintain transparency and trust as they keep everyone informed about progress, upcoming activities and any changes to plans.
Be open and honest about any challenges that you face along the way. When unexpected issues arise, explain what’s happened and how you’re addressing it. People appreciate transparency far more than optimistic messages that don’t necessarily match their experience.
Also, celebrate milestones as the project progresses. When a phase completes or a new space opens, acknowledge the achievement and thank employees for their cooperation and patience. This will help maintain morale and positivity, especially during long projects.
More ways to boost productivity and wellbeing
Maintaining employee performance during an occupied fit out requires more than just minimising disruption. It calls for proactive measures that actively support wellbeing and productivity, such as:
- Being flexible and adaptive – Offering options helps employees manage the disruption in ways that work for their individual needs.
- Remote working – This allows people to avoid construction disruption entirely if they need to, especially if they struggle with noise.
- Hot desking or temporary desks – This will help move people away from the most disruptive areas and can be moved around as the project develops.
- Adjusted working hours – If heavy work happens between 9am and 3pm, for example, you could make it possible for employees to choose when and where they work around this.
Amenity considerations
Office fit out activities often impact facilities that employees rely on daily, so it’s important to think about your contingencies and temporary fixes.
If construction affects kitchen areas or workcafes, for example, consider providing temporary facilities elsewhere. Even basic provisions like a kettle and microwave help maintain normal routines and a sense of familiarity and lower stress.
Toilet facilities must remain accessible and clean despite ongoing works, so you’ll need to ensure that this is taken care of.
Inclusivity and diverse needs
Beyond practical logistics, occupied fit outs offer an opportunity to demonstrate genuine care for your workforce. How you manage the experience can strengthen or strain employee relationships and this is particularly prevalent when considering neurodiversity and other diverse needs.
Employees with sensory sensitivities, neurodivergent team members or those with respiratory conditions may find noise, routine changes and air quality particularly stressful. Proactive support makes a huge difference and ways you can do this include:
- Creating quiet zones away from construction areas.
- Offering noise-cancelling headphones to anyone who would benefit from them.
- Ensuring flexible working policies genuinely accommodate people needing to work remotely during disruptive phases.
- Using simple, accessible language when communicating project updates.
- Offering anonymous feedback channels for people who feel anxious about voicing their concerns.
Considering an office fit out whilst keeping your business operational? The right partner can make or break the process, so get in touch to discuss how the Penketh Interiors team can help.
