How to plan an office fitout in a matter of months

So, for whatever reason, you’ve decided to refurbish your office for the new year. Whether that’s because you’re moving into new premises, or simply upgrading your existing office, it’s all very exciting!

Once the excitement wears off however, it’s time to double-down and get stuff done – after all, you only have a few months to get organised. While that might seem like an arduous task, it’s also one that’s doable (in fact, we deal with this situation regularly with our clients).

It’s also worth it. A new office fit out in the new year is an opportunity to enhance your company culture through a workplace design that improves team collaboration and staff wellbeing. For your bottom line, that means improved employee engagement and productivity.

So here are our top five tips on making sure your office move or refurbishment is done on time, on budget, and on brand – and with minimal disruptions to your business.

1. Determine your objectives

Your new space needs to be guided by your overall business objectives around your workforce, so ask yourself why you’re refurbishing your office or considering relocating in the first place.

Is your end goal to attract and retain talent, or enhance collaboration? Or are you changing the way of working to reduce real estate costs?

Did you notice that an existing space is being under-utilised? Are you expanding, downsizing or just hoping to move to a new location? Is it because you have an upcoming lease expiry?

It’s important to understand your business goals because they will impact your office fitout requirements, which will then need to be balanced with your company’s vision, culture and values.

2. Set a budget

If you’re able to request a budget, consider how this office relocation or refurbishment will help you achieve your business objectives, and start from there.

Will clients be walking in and out of that space, making it highly visible? Do you work in professional services, where the morale and productivity of staff members are key to the company’s success?

It can be difficult to strike a balance between having a modern and functional workspace, without breaking the bank. However, a partner like Axiom Workplaces can help you establish a budget to assess the financial impact of the project early on, considering all aspects of the fitout.

3. Establish a timeline

While this is not always a fun activity, it is a crucial one. Without excellent project planning and organisational skills, you will find it difficult to keep the project on track and on budget.

A thorough timeline with key deadlines, milestones and meetings should be determined from the outset to maintain transparency as to the project delivery’s progress.

This can be the most difficult part of the process to manage without an experienced workplace design partner that knows the process inside out, so it’s worth consulting with one to ensure that things get done on time and on budget.

4. Get the team together

You’ll need to get your steering committee together to make sure that there’s enough collaboration on the vision of the new office throughout the entire process.

There are multiple elements to an office fitout – including strategy, design, technology and project management.

Getting all the relevant stakeholders together will not only result in faster approvals across each aspect of delivery, it will also ensure effective change management during the transition, because everyone is kept in the loop.

5. Embrace the opportunity

Instead of seeing this project as a daunting hassle, see it for what it is – an exciting opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of everyone who touches your business.

You’ll be able to implement the latest design trends – and not just for design’s sake, but to boost staff morale and wellbeing, and show your customers that you’re adaptable, forward-thinking and believe in your business.

Want some help?

If you’re planning an office fitout in the new year and are feeling overwhelmed just thinking about it, meet with us and get a comprehensive design assessment and execution plan, obligation-free. This is a limited offer so act now to secure your spot.

We’re confident that we can deliver an end-to-end solution, encompassing strategy, design and delivery, that will have you and your team reaping the benefits of their new space in a matter of months.