Renovating your office space can both be exciting and stressful. In order to avoid having too much stress and keep everything organized, you should have a detailed strategy in place. Before you even start renovating, you should have a list of things to do, a list of materials needed, and all the ideas and people around you to help you realize the goal. Here is a short guide on how you can manage an office renovation with success.
Create the Right Team
It is a fact that you cannot do this alone, and that is why you should hire project specialists and contractors. Also, look for individuals and companies that have a good reputation and consult with them. This way, you will manage to stay on top of building codes and regulations and get the right assessment of things that need to be done, materials to be purchased, and what you are allowed to change and what you’re not.
Additionally, you should have your own team with you that will help you. You can appoint internal members of your staff to be involved in the project. Make sure to appoint people with the right skills for this and let them communicate with the contractor and be present for any updates regarding renovation, so the rest of the teams can work without distractions.
Set a Budget
Of course, you’re going to need a budget for this remodel. However, include at least a 5% contingency cost line in the budget in case you encounter any unforeseen costs. Also, you don’t have to remodel everything at once. It is perfectly okay and maybe even less messy and expensive if you do it in phases. You can appoint a flexible timeframe for the remodel and you may even save some money in the long run.
Also, make sure that the budget you set is realistic. You don’t have to spend a fortune especially if you don’t have it. If that’s the case, you should focus only on the things that are urgent to fix, remove, replace and remodel, and you can deal with the details later.
Sustainability and Health
When planning to remodel, you should have sustainability and the health of your employees in mind, too. Think about keeping a holistic approach to this, and encourage physical, mental, and emotional health. For sustainability, you can look into natural materials, less plastic, more plants in the office, and so on. For example, you can consider replacing flooring if it’s old and not sustainable. You can easily find hardwood floor installation in Greensboro, NC, for example, and provide your office with some sustainable and durable materials.
Also, you can encourage physical health through adjustable sit-to-stand desks, water bottle refill stations, ergonomic equipment, etc. Additionally, you can provide nice and soothing scents, designate a zen area in the office where people can relax, and overall provide a relaxing and stress-free environment.
Limit Distractions
Remodeling projects take time and can be noisy. That is why you should focus on limiting distractions to the rest of your employees. You can appoint them to work from home or another building while you’re remodeling. Also, you can set up additional temporary networks to keep things running smoothly.
Make sure to be intentional when communicating timelines, and make sure to minimize any interruptions for your teams. Your business still has to continue running while you’re remodeling, so limiting distractions and stress is a must for your employees.
Contain the Mess
Sounds easier than it is, but you have to do your best to contain all the dust and mess that will occur. Especially if you still have employees in other rooms working. To limit the dust from going everywhere, you should include barriers like heavy plastic sheeting or temporary walls. As for the rest of the mess, make sure to organize the proper disposal of waste and instruct the contractors on how to handle it. Lastly, don’t forget to hire someone to thoroughly clean up after.
Any kind of remodel can be stressful and messy. That is why you have to make a plan on how you will manage and handle your office remodeling. You have to set a realistic budget, even pick a proper date to do it, and make sure your business can still run smoothly. No distractions or messes should disturb your employees, so make sure to have everything covered and allow people to simply work from home, if possible. And if you get all of that organized, there is no doubt that your office renovation will be successful and stress-free.
