Technology advances, paint fades, office furniture degrades after hundreds of hours of sitting, carpets are get spotted with stains from spilled food or drinks. There are a number of reasons to undergo an office remodel.

While getting an update or refresh is exciting, you want to make sure you minimize the disturbance caused by the work being done. We can’t guarantee you’ll eliminate all disturbances, but you can easily mitigate some with a little creativity, ingenuity, and planning.

Talk with Employees

When you want to make a change, it’s best to consult with your employees first, not only about the changes but what it will take to bring about those changes. If you’re looking to add things that will benefit employees like break rooms, fitness areas, and the like you’ll want to get their feedback on what they want to see in those types of spaces.

Additionally, undergoing a big renovation will cause some disturbances in the normal ebb and flow of the workday. Turning utilities on and off and otherwise manipulating the work environment while work is being done – by your employees as well as the contractor and subcontractor employed to do the renovating – is a significant disruption that will have to be dealt with. Warning employees ahead of time can help them formulate new plans, processes, and schedules that will allow them to get their work done.

Evaluate Your Needs

With the data you’ve gathered from your employees and your own observations, it’s time to evaluate them. Make a list of the most pressing or most requested items, then prioritize them. This close analysis will help you choose the project(s) that need the most attention and budget the time and money needed to get those items done first.

Create a Plan

Once you’ve evaluated your needs, you need to figure out how to get what you want. Plan the steps to achieving each individual renovation, as well as the whole picture. Start working with the staff at Structr Group now to draw up plans and visual what the end product will be. We can even help evaluate your plan up to this point and identify anything you may have missed in your initial self-analysis. We’ll also help you come up with a realistic timeline when considering the size and scope of your renovation project.

Create a Budget

Hand-in-hand with creating a plan is creating a budget. It can be easy to look at all the new, great advances in office furnishings and tech, but having a budget will reign you in, financially and physically. While a budget is an estimate of the costs of a project, having a number in mind before you start will help you prioritize and spend on the necessary items before heading into the “nice to have” category. A budget also ensures you have the money for set aside for the cost of the construction crew, preventing work stoppages or drawn out timelines.

Take Measurements

Going hand-in-hand with creating your plan, you need to take accurate measurements. The staff at Structr Group will take measurements when we draw up plans, but knowing your measurements when you first decide to renovate can help focus your renovation and keep you from dreaming too “big” – unless your renovation comes with breaking down walls to add space.

Hire Professionals

Make your first move to contact Structr Group to help with the planning and design process! We can help put you in touch with the building and construction specialists you’ll need to carry out any renovation you may need. We have a list of trusted vendors, contractors, and subcontractors we have worked with over the years. These professionals know how to work in all sorts of environments and keep the noise and disturbance to a minimum when you need to go on with your business day.

Schedule an Off-Site Event

Employees may roll their eyes at the “company retreat,” “team building activity,” or “company picnic” but stepping away from the office for the day or a few days will allow the construction crew to get major renovations taken care of, or allow the painters to come in while no one is in the office. Such an activity can also help employees build stronger bonds outside the workplace that they can use within the workplace to improve productivity and efficiency.

Off Work Hours

Much like scheduling an off-site event, scheduling the work to be done while employees are not naturally in the office – before working hours begin in the morning or after they’ve ended in the evening – is a great way to minimize disruption. With no one around to be bothered, no one is bothered. Off-work hours are a great time to paint, too. When paint is allowed to dry overnight before employees re-enter the building or office space, there’s less chance the fumes from a fresh coat will distract them from their work.

This is something to discuss with your contractor and crew as well. They may have set work hours, other jobs, or other limitations that may dictate when they can do the work on your renovation.

Work in Zones

If you’re undergoing a whole-office renovation, rather than closing the whole office for an extended period, split the work up into parts. Divide your office space into manageable zones and shift work around as each task is completed.

This can work especially well where construction debris from knocking down walls, drywall, paint fumes, and other products of the construction process can wreak havoc on sinuses and affect employee health. Keeping employees away from the work zone will minimize the disruptions of noise and environmental changes.

This can also help reign in your budget and help prioritize your needs. By identifying needed repairs and renovations and focusing your time and money on those projects automatically puts the work into manageable zones.

Temporary Room Dividers

When you can’t close a door to drown out the disturbance, consider temporary room dividers. There are even models with sound-deadening qualities that will help reduce noise, and they’ll act as a barrier (somewhat) to construction dust and debris.

Remote Work

Our world, including the working world, changed in 2020. Suddenly, students and employees alike were sent home and forced to work or learn from home and collaborate online via video conferencing platforms and email. Schools and businesses eventually figured it out and were able to get back to work without setting foot inside the office or classroom.

Remote work works, even without a worldwide health scare. It’s actually been shown that employees who are given the freedom that comes with remote work actually experience improved productivity and happiness with their jobs.

When push comes to shove and a big office renovation closes the entire space, employees can easily continue their work online. Company-issued laptops, tablets, and cell phones aren’t a necessity for this, but it will help keep a defined work-life balance and keep employees from having to use their own devices for work-related tasks.

Hot Desking

Your employees may enjoy coming in and sitting down at their desk with the pictures of their family, a house plant or flowers, their own keyboard and/or mouse, or other personal touches. Such personal touches can reduce stress – and those personal knickknacks help remind employees why they do what they do. But when it comes to an office renovation, things like desks/workstations may need to be moved frequently to accommodate the various stages of the renovation.

Hot desking is the concept of a “clean desk” policy that allows many workers to use the same workspace with the only modification being the height of the desk chair. Use hot desking in addition to remote work days to increase efficiency and productivity while limiting the number of people to disturb with renovation work.

Handling Clients

If you typically meet with clients in your office, a renovation can be a major disturbance, even when you’re working to mitigate it for your employees. Consider virtual meetings or a co-working space where you can reserve offices or conference rooms to meet with clients while work is being completed. Check with clients to ensure they are amenable to such changes, or if they’d prefer another form of meeting – like you visiting their workplace.

Final Thoughts

You’ve decided to take on renovating your office! It may seem overwhelming, but with a plan and organization, you can accomplish your goals and end up with a new space you and your employees can be proud of and happy to work in. We at Structr Group can help make your office renovation plans run smoothly to get the results you’re looking for.

Contact us today!