Top Tips to Refurbish Your Office on a Budget

In this era of fierce competition and rivalry between businesses, it is important to keep your employees motivated to retain both a competitive edge and top talent. One of the most important aspects of maintaining high employee morale and increased productivity is to provide them with a constructive working environment. Small things such as lighting, air conditioning, space and office organisation can have a profound effect on employee output directly affecting your business.

While these are important factors to consider, business owners may have the option of moving offices or buying new premises. However, this is an expensive undertaking and can be disruptive to employees. Therefore, it is important to consider a bespoke office refurbishment even if you are on a budget.

Enhance your space

One of the most important features of an office is space. You need to ensure you have enough space for employees to go about their duties effectively. Most of the time, you will find that your office has non-essential clutter. Therefore, it is important to review what is essential and what is non-essential, and get rid of the latter. If it is also possible, you can rearrange some essentials so that they free up some space, but ensure they are within reach when needed. It’s also important to get the most out of your office space in accordance to your employees needs and suggestions. By getting them involved in the office refurbishment process, they will feel important and trusted, something that goes a long way in enhancing their morale.

Review your floor plans

Since the office is a dynamic environment with people walking in and out amid various changing conditions, it may be time to rework your floor plans. An office refurbishment may sometimes call for a rework of the plans to make the office space more functional. You may find a review of floor plans opens more spaces and identifies non-essential items such as excess furniture. You may also want to change fixed spaces and partitions. This is because they are not only expensive, but also take up a lot of space. In this modern era of technological advancements, it may be more beneficial and logical to take advantage of innovations such as wireless technology.

Research on the latest trends

Gone are the days of partitioned offices and rows of desks, with the current trends reflecting collaborative working. Many office design companies, such as refurbishment experts Saracen Interiors now plan the inclusion of office social spaces as opposed to formal ones, with research showing that many people collaborate better in a shared space. This leads to the importance of adding designated zones that enhance creativity, socialisation and meetings. It’s vital to remember that trends are constantly changing, so make sure to stay aware of what’s popular and what isn’t but also what works for your business operations.

Think of how you can recycle rather than investing in new items

Recent environmental trends show the importance of going green. This is important in making sure we make good use of what we have. For example, you may find it useful to dismantle old furniture and refurbish it instead of investing in new furniture. This has the added advantage of being a cheaper alternative as well as a means of conserving the scarce resources provided by our environment.

Use second hand accessories and rent instead of buying

Technology is constantly changing and what may be fashionable today may be replaced by a better item tomorrow. This is why it is good to consider what is needed to make your business tick. This will allow you to invest in items that are cost effective. For example, you can buy refurbished items that will still enhance the look of your office instead of going for brand new ones that cost 5x the price. In addition, if you need a piece of equipment to use for the short term or which you will not use often, then it would be advisable to rent rather than buy. Doing this will ensure you free up funds which you can use elsewhere to enhance the productivity of your business.

Look for discounts and buy in bulk

Finally, it makes good business sense if you buy in bulk as it typically leads to a sizable discount. There are numerous items you can bulk buy at a discounted rate such as office furniture, electrical and electronic items. Therefore, always be on the lookout for savings if you are doing an office refurbishment on a budget. However, it’s important not to sacrifice the essentials that help in enhancing employee morale and retaining their talent.

Published by Kidal Delonix (1197 Posts)

Kidal Delonix is a contributor to Mr. Hoffman's blog. The views and opinions are entirely his/her own and may not reflect Mr Hoffman's views.