As Kent and London office space evolves and transforms, to take account of different work priorities, changing processes and types of working e.g. hybrid, agile, hot desking etc. there comes a time when a business may want to restructure, rationalise and refurbish their existing space to ensure they are utilising their current workspace to its full potential. Every Kent and London business’s needs are different so a one size office design and refurbishment isn’t going to fit every office space but when it comes to office planning there are steps every business should follow to make the best use of the office space they have.
Office Planning Steps
There are three main steps in planning your kent or London office refurbishment. They are analysing the current workspace, identifying your business needs, and planning your new office workspace.
Workplace Analysis
The first step is to analyse how your current office design and layout are performing in terms of your business processes and work tasks. Think about how you currently use your office space and how that now fits with your current business goals and objectives.
Think about how your staff work individually and in teams and if the current layout meets their needs and allows then to communicate effectively.
Look for areas that are overcrowded or underutilised. Perhaps space was set aside for specific work tasks that are no longer performed or previous work in a certain area has increased resulting in more people working in that part of the office. Where an area is busy it can lead to issues e.g. where there are limited meeting spaces, and a team needs to meet but the meeting room is already occupied. In this situation you may decide that you require additional meeting areas. These may be designated meeting rooms or more casual break out areas.
It’s also worth considering setting up a workplace survey where you can ask your staff what works for them and what areas could be improved within the office space. Ask them for their ideas on what is required in any new office design and layout. Getting their input and acting on it will more likely to lead to a successful outcome as staff that are involved in their office design feel more empowered and are more likely to be happy.
Define Your Office Layout
Once you’ve gathered the information from the analysis stage the next step is to define how you want your office to work and the types of office area that will be required to allow you to carry them out. This will then enable you to set out your office design requirements. Consider the following questions to guide you in determining the best office design and layout for your specific business needs:
- Have you factored in staff feedback?
- Are you looking to move to a certain type of office model e.g. hybrid working, agile, activity based or hot desking?
- Are you looking for your office space to be sustainable?
- How many staff do you currently have and are you likely to recruit more staff in the short or long term?
- What type of tasks will your business need to accommodate within the available space?
- How often will each area be needed and for how long?
- Can areas be setup to be multi-purpose?
- If you have different departments, do they need to work closely together? If so, is there enough space to have these departments in close proximity or within easy reach of each other?
- Do the various job roles in your business require designated workspace or individual office space?
- Does any work carried out within your business require privacy?
- How many meetings do you have throughout the day, week, or year? Would one meeting room be enough or would more be required?
- How much space will be required for break out areas?
- How much space will be needed for social space like kitchen facilities, tea points etc.?
- What other amenities will be required?
- Will you be meeting with clients and if so, will a reception area important?
- How much storage space will be needed?
- Where will printers and other electrical equipment be sited?
- How can you future proof the space?
Planning Your New Office Design and Layout
Once you have the answers to the questions above you can set about planning your new office design and layout.
At this point it’s also a good idea to find an office design company which specialises in office refurbishments, office design, space and layout planning and who will be able to advise you on whether your current space can be redesigned to fit your business needs and tailored to your working practices or whether it’s time to look to a new office space.
Your office design company should also be able to help you visualise your design ideas and requirements through 2D and 3D visuals and renders and to refine your office design to meet all of your business needs.
JBH Refurbishments, Experts In Sustainable Office Design and Refurbishment
JBH Refurbishments have over 30+ years’ experience in office design and office refurbishment and fit outs as a cat a and cat b fit out contractor we can advise on all aspects of your Kent or London office refurbishment. We understand what’s required to design a sustainable office space and carry out a refurbishment to the highest standards. We can provide the right expertise for your project. Contact us via our contact form or by calling us on 0333 207 0339 today for a free on-site consultation.
