A question many Kent and London businesses find themselves considering is whether they should carry out an office refurbishment. There are many reasons why a business may consider an office refurbishment from their office space starting to look outdated, running out of appropriate office space, overcrowding, space not being used efficiently, poor acoustics, poor air quality or temperature control, a lack of amenities, a drop in productivity or a problem retaining or recruiting staff. In this article we go through some the reasons in more detail, as to why a refurbishment may be a good business investment.
Outdated or Off Brand
Over time your Kent or London office will become outdated and as your brand evolves you may also find that your office space is no longer on brand. The office you started off with may have perfectly represented your business, but over the years as your business makes changes, grows and develops your office space may no longer represent your business the way you’d like it to.
Working in an outdated looking office space is also likely to make your staff feel undervalued and may even cause a drop in creativity and productivity. Trying to retain and recruit staff may also prove difficult especially if you are in a highly competitive market where other Kent and London companies’ office refurbishment are modern and up to date and offer staff the working environment that they’re looking for.
Anyone visiting your office may feel that if your office space is tired and unwelcoming and you’re not taking pride in your surroundings this lack of care and attention to detail may also be reflected in your products or services.
We all know that first impressions are vital, and they can make or break just how successful you are.
Changing Needs
As businesses develop or change their focus, their office needs very often change too.
It maybe that your current office design and layout no longer work for you and don’t meet your daily needs. Your current office space may be making the work harder for your staff as they don’t have the appropriate setup or layout to allow them to do their work effectively. As your business processes or projects change some areas of your office maybe underutilised where other areas maybe crowded and busy. When you first refurbished your office, you may have set out to be open plan and now need privacy or more quiet areas or you want to incorporate new collaboration or breakout areas for your staff.
Whatever your new needs an office redesign and refurbishment can help you to refocus your office space to ensure that it provides your staff with a productive working environment which takes into account your working practices and your staff’s health and wellbeing.
Flexible Workspace
The need for more flexible working practices has driven the need for refurbishment in many office spaces. In a traditional office staff have their own designated desk and workspace. However, you may now need a different type of office setup.
You may have decided that Activity Based Working (ABW) better suits your working needs. An ABW layout is designed around your work processes and sets out to support the work task. Different work zones are designed for different purposes so instead of staff working from a fixed desk or office space they move to the area designed for the work they are involved in. This also allows for easier team work and collaboration as staff involved in a task or project are all in the same area.
If you need complete flexibility, you may find an office space designed for Agile Working is better suited to your business needs. An agile office allows staff to work from anywhere within an office, from another office as well as from home or when on the move. This is an ideal scenario for larger businesses with multiple locations and staff who need to travel for their work.
If many of your employees are unlikely to be in the office for periods of time or your staff sometimes work from home an office designed for hot desking may be a good solution for you. Rather than tying up desks hot desking allows office space to be used more efficiently as staff can book out desk space as and when required and won’t spend time hunting for a desk when they need to come into the office.
Overcrowding
A common issue with office space is overcrowding due to business growth. If future growth wasn’t considered when you first refurbished your office space, you may find that you eventually run out of space and start to have overcrowding issues which in turn will most likely lead to staff wellbeing and productivity issues.
Fortunately overcrowding doesn’t always mean you have to move office space. Most businesses have wasted office space which could be better utilised to make more efficient use of the space available. According to Verge Sense wasted office space costs US companies in the region of $300,000 per year. A study by Abintra Consulting UK found that the cost of underutilised office space in London was more than £4 billion annually and across England and Wales the cost rose to £10 billion.
An office redesign and refurbishment can ensure your current space is utilised efficiently and effectively while factoring in future expansion and safeguarding against overcrowding. Space planning can help you look at your business processes, factor in employee needs, incorporate the right layout to consider your office requirements in terms of number of employees, individual offices, meeting rooms, break out areas, kitchen and tea point areas, reception, meet and greet areas and storage areas.
High Noise Levels
Poor office acoustics can be a reason for redesigning and refurbishing an office space. We know that office noise can be a major stressor and distraction for staff.
In fact according to Amplivox a supplier of hearing and diagnostic equipment, noise doesn’t “just affect our hearing, but excess noise can also cause distress in our bodies, either consciously or unconsciously. Stress can also lead to a variety of psychosomatic problems such as headaches, elevated blood pressure, concentration issues, fatigue, digestive disorders, irritability, increased susceptibility to colds, depression, and even a stroke or heart attack.”
Ecophon a manufacturer of acoustic products and systems, “Noise impact in the workplace” report says noise is a “superdriver” and that “reducing noise and distraction levels can improve a worker’s ability to focus and think more clearly and to be less stressed. There’s a growing demand for workers to perform more complex problem solving with various teams, colleagues and partners. So, the importance of a good sound environment can’t be underestimated.”
It’s interesting to note that an National Library of Medicine study “Association of open-plan offices and sick leave—a systematic review and meta-analysis” found that “Compared with employees working in cell offices, those working in small open-plan offices were associated with higher odds of sick leave days as well as those working in various kinds of open-plan offices with ≥4 colleagues” and an HRreview report from 2014 found that “while employees who work from home only took an average of 1.8 sick days last year, workers in open plan offices took over 70% more (3.1 days). Those working in an open plan office are also almost six times more likely than home workers to believe their working environment promotes stress (28% vs 5%), with previous research demonstrating workplace stress can significantly increase absence levels.”
Acoustics should be designed according to the office space and the function that space fulfils. An office with a variety of different spaces with different functions will require different acoustic measures.
Poor Temperature or Air Quality Control
With the UK experiencing unprecedented temperatures and heat health alerts poorly controlled indoor temperature and air quality can lead to poor working conditions.
When the temperature is too high or too low it can cause a variety of symptoms including dizziness, nausea, dehydration, fatigue, and headaches making it harder to work effectively.
Staff in offices with poor ventilation can suffer from sore throats, dry cough, runny nose, eye irritation, breathing issues, skin problems, dizziness, nausea, irritability and fatigue all of which are attributed to “sick building syndrome” (SBS) (also being referred to by the Building Research Establishment and the World Health Organisation as “Indoor Air Quality”).
Office temperature and air quality can be addressed by incorporating a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system into your office design and refurbishment. If you already have an HVAC which isn’t efficient it may be possible to adapt the current system by making changes such as rerouting ducts.
A Lack Of, Or Poor and Outdated Amenities
As office design and refurbishment have evolved and there has been a focus on staff health and wellbeing many businesses have found that their current office space’s lack of, poor or out of date amenities need addressing.
We know that the top five most successful businesses focus on health and wellbeing was at the forefront of their office design and office refurbishments. A review by Mind on “How to promote wellbeing and tackle the causes of work-related mental health problems” also backs this up. It highlighted the fact that “FTSE 100 companies that prioritise employee engagement and wellbeing outperform the rest of the FTSE 100 by 10 per cent. By supporting staff wellbeing, they reap the benefits through enhanced morale, loyalty, commitment, innovation, productivity, and profitability. Open and supportive workplaces benefit everyone – employees, employers, and the bottom line.”
Office amenities that encourage a healthy workplace include onsite cafés, kitchen and tea points which allow staff to come together in one place to socialise and relax. Breakout spaces enable staff to step away from their desks to a more informal, quiet area to meet with others or to simply take some time away from work to destress and decompress.
Fitness facilities can also play a vital role in encouraging staff health. Regular exercise can provide many health benefits including reducing the risk of many diseases such as stroke, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and cancer. Research also shows that physical activity can improve mood, sleep quality, self-esteem, and boost energy, as well as reducing stress, depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Physical activity can also lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.
Games areas can also be vital in encouraging staff to take short recreational breaks and to focus on something other than work. It can also help to bring staff together, encourage social interaction and team bonding.
Staff health and wellbeing must play an important role in your Kent or London office refurbishment.
Problem Retaining Or Recruiting Staff
Your Kent or London office design and refurbishment is vital to being able to retain and attract the right staff. This is especially true for the younger generation who place a premium on working in a well-designed office.
A One Poll survey looked at why companies across the UK were struggling to attract and retain younger workers. Over 2,000 UK office staff were surveyed. Over 21% of 18–24-year-olds say that they’ve walked away from a potential employer because of poor or uninspiring office design or where there was a lack of available amenities.16% of the same age group have left a job because of having to work in a poorly designed office space.
Brita research found that 79% of office workers stated that a well-designed office would motivate them to accept a job.
How your office is designed and refurbished can have a big impact on a great many factors and when done well can provide a multitude of benefits to a business.
JBH Refurbishments, Experts In Office Design and Refurbishment
JBH Refurbishments have over 30+ years experience in office design, 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 carry out a Kent or London office 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.
