The Modern Office Fit-Out Guide
First time investing in an office fit-out? Our modern office fit-out guide is here to help you navigate the process and make your project a success.
From flooring and furniture to bespoke branding and signage, your new space is about to be completely transformed from top to bottom. But, before you dive straight in, here are some handy tips for figuring out what you want from your fit-out, what will actually work, and what to do with your team while your new office is being brought to life!
What a Successful Office Fit-Out Can Do for Your Business
It probably comes as no surprise that a thoughtfully designed office space comes with big benefits for your business. A comprehensive office fit-out allows you to maximise space, boost team morale, attract new talent, and create a more positive attitude across the team.
Quite often, companies are surprised at just how much of an impact their new office space makes. When people get used to putting up with dreary decor, harsh lighting, and uninspiring furniture, they don’t always realise the direct correlation this has with their productivity levels or overall mood while at work. It’s only when they start working in a fresh environment and suddenly feel more inspired that they realise the enormous difference that their new workplace has made.
As an office fit-out company, this is what we live for. Our team work tirelessly to ensure that every client experiences a transformation they can not only see but also feel.
What Happens to My Team During an Office Renovation?
During an office renovation, you generally have a few different options to consider. You can remain in your current office but relocate to a different part of the building, transition your staff to remote or hybrid working arrangements, or move into a temporary office space.
You may even wish to adopt a phased or hybrid approach that allows you to mix and match these options.
At the end of the day, where you house your staff will depend on your budget, how big your company is, and the type of work you’re doing. As an experienced fit-out contractor, we’re always happy to discuss these options with you.
If we’re working in your space while your team are in the building, we’ll always ensure we take steps to minimise disruption as much as possible.
Your Fit-Out Brief: Figuring Out What You Want and Need
An office refit can help to improve your business’s operations and meet your company goals in countless ways. But, when it comes to putting together a brief, it can be helpful to split your requirements up into 3-6 ‘must-haves’.
By narrowing down your core needs and wants, it can help to provide you with the initial clarity and direction you need to create something truly functional.
Once you know your most important considerations, it then becomes easier to plan other secondary elements that feed into your project aims. For example, you might decide that your top three goals are:
- To improve well-being and reduce stress
- To attract new talent
- To increase cooperation across the team
With these three goals, your designer can then help you to explore how these translate to different options. For example, a modern kitchenette with comfortable seating and dining areas could feed into goals 1 and 3 by bringing people together in a shared space and encouraging them to relax.
Likewise, an outdoor space with lots of plants and booth seating could help you to meet all three goals by encouraging time outside, providing a unique environment that stands out to potential hires/clients, and creating informal meeting spaces where your staff can collaborate more naturally.
Thinking this way will help you to avoid any regrets and ensure your office actually supports how your team works.
Commonly Overlooked Office Refit Requirements
As you can see, there are many different elements that go into creating a modern office fit-out. Yet some tend to get forgotten about more than others. This is why it’s helpful to keep your office requirements simple and clear to begin with. When your big-picture vision is uncomplicated, it’s easier to identify which details are critical and which might be accidentally neglected.
Here are some fit-out elements that can sometimes get overlooked:
Plug Sockets and Data Points
It’s very easy to overlook plug sockets or underestimate how many you need. With laptops, phones, monitors, and other devices, you’ll probably need far more outlets than you think, especially as new flexible working spaces will mean people may end up sitting in different spots daily.
Acoustic Planning
Sound management is hugely overlooked until it becomes a problem. Poor acoustics can destroy productivity in open-plan offices, and inadequate soundproofing in meeting rooms means confidential conversations can be overheard.
Storage Solutions
When all your focus is on seating and colour schemes, it can be easy to forget about where things will actually go. Without proper storage for supplies, personal items, equipment, and files, even beautiful offices quickly become cluttered and dysfunctional.
Future Growth and Flexibility
Don’t fall into the trap of planning for today’s headcount and needs. In the future, there’s a good possibility you’ll expand, contract, or change how you work. Fixed layouts can become expensive mistakes when you need to adapt.
Cleaning and Maintenance Access
Finally, beautiful designs sometimes ignore practical maintenance needs. Spaces that look great but are difficult to clean, or equipment that’s hard to service, can become ongoing operational headaches that drain resources and morale.
As your fit-out contractor, we’ll need your cooperation to plan some of these elements. The more detail you can provide about the technical aspects of your design, the better equipped we are to create a forward-thinking design that adapts to your evolving needs.
Communication Throughout Your Office Fit-Out Project
When liaising with us throughout your project, consider selecting a spokesperson or two. Rather than having multiple team members providing input and feedback at different stages, appointing dedicated project champions can help to streamline the process and avoid mixed messages or conflicting requirements.
Your chosen team members should ideally understand both the practical needs of your business and the vision you’re trying to achieve. They’ll act as the main point of contact between your team and ours, making sure that decisions are made efficiently and that everyone stays informed about progress and any changes that arise.
It can also be helpful to establish regular check-in points throughout the project timeline. These scheduled check-ins allow you to review progress, address any concerns, and make any necessary adjustments. We find that clients who stay engaged throughout the process tend to be much happier with their final result, as it allows for fine-tuning along the way.
And don’t forget to keep the rest of your team in the loop, too! While you don’t want too many voices in the decision-making process, regular updates help to manage expectations and build excitement about the transformation that’s taking place.
Speak to Our Fit-Out Specialists
If you’ve secured a new office for your business and need a team to transform it into a functional yet stylish workplace that inspires creativity, collaboration, and a happier workforce, speak to us at McFeggan Brown. Our experts are here to ensure that your company can thrive in an environment that’s built with success in mind.
Check out our latest case studies to get inspired and use our easy contact form to talk us through your project plans.