Most employees view office renovation as a financial burden and a dreadful chore. But much to their surprise, constant office renovation is actually essential in order to maintain business growth. So rather than viewing it as a burden, renovating the office should be celebrated instead, because the need for redesigning or refurbishing can mean that the business has made progress that thereโs a need to upgrade the current layout and style of the office. Planning the renovation in advance will help employers make a whole new office space even with a tight budget.
Below are some golden tips that every employer needs to take note of when planning to renovate the office space.
- Remove the cubicles
Big, forward-thinking companies such as Facebook and Google have long ditched office cubicles. When you walk into their offices, youโll definitely notice that there are no walls between desks or cubicles because the heads of these innovative and giant companies have learned that employees actually work better when you donโt confine them in tiny cubes with too little space. Studies have shown that open spaces encourage more office interactions and it can also keep lines of communication between co-workers open. Not to mention that removing cubicles will also make smaller office spaces seem airy and larger โ less like a cage at the zoo.
- Use bright and bold colors
Bright and bold colors bring life and energy to the ambiance of your office space. A lot of offices nowadays are often decorated with boring neutral grays, browns and whites that make employees so bored that they want to go to sleep. Bright colors have a psychological effect that somehow makes people happy and excited. So start painting those walls yellow or blue the next time you do an office renovation.
- Rethink the Floor Plan
It will be a lot better if the layout of the office will allow easier interaction between employees. Think about the current layout of your office and consider facing the desks inwards instead of away from one another. That way, employees will be able to communicate more openly with one another, get along better, and make the stressful office space a happier place. Another good idea is to provide areas or lounges where they can rest or have more private conversations and meetings with each other during breaks.
- Upgrade the windows
Most employees will definitely prefer to work in a place with lots of natural light coming in from the outside rather than feel like their caged in a windowless closet. Bring in some sunshine and natural light by upgrading your office windows. An office renovation doesnโt have to cost you a lot, but if your office happens to have small windows, you might want to consider putting larger ones instead. Also, donโt forget to keep the window dressings airy and light because what would be the use of upgraded and bigger windows if your employees wonโt still see the light of the day, right?
Investing in new windows might be good for your pockets, too, because some of the older models are not very good insulators. Insulation is important because better insulated windows mean that you would need to spend less money in cooling and heating your office space.
- Upgrade your Kitchen
Most employers donโt really give much thought on designing or renovating office kitchens so they usually end up looking dismal and ugly. There may be an outdated coffee machine, a boring sink, and a cheap refrigerator just to make it look like a legit kitchen, but other than that, itโs just a gloomy and boring place where your employees eat their meal or get their coffee after a stressful morning of heavy workloads. Keep in mind that your employees will spend quite a lot of time in the office, and the kitchen might be the only place where they can quickly destress before going back to work.
If youโre planning to do an office renovation, why not invest in a nice espresso maker or put some thought on the kitchen decors just to make it a place where employees would want to be in. You can also get a large table and some chairs so that the members of your company can talk and sit together while they eat, boosting the positive mood in the office.
- Choose the right seats
Although it might seem like a trivial thing, choosing the right seats for your employees can make a big difference especially because they are required to sit in front of their desks for a long period of time every day. Most employers neglect this fact, but you might want to consider getting some newer office chairs that wonโt give your employees too much back pain. The new seats can also be considered as part of the new dรฉcor, making your office feel younger and hipper after the office renovation. Remember that the more comfortable your employees feel, the more productive they will become.
- Add an Employee Gym
A lot of studies have proven that the human brain functions better after doing any physical activity. Many companies have already taken this idea and built gyms that employees can frequent on-site. This can also serve as some kind of a privilege that only members of your company can take advantage of and a good investment that might help attract potential employees in the future. You donโt need to build an entire gym, purchasing a few pieces of gym equipment would be enough. Adding a gym in your renovated office will ensure that your employees feel valued and better, making them stay at work longer.
- Add a Gaming lounge
Aside from adding a gym, building a small gaming lounge and bringing in a few fun games and consoles into the office will definitely make your place of business less stressful for employees and more attractive to potential hires. Office renovation wonโt be complete if your employees wonโt feel that something new was added. Getting a pool table and table tennis will encourage co-workers to interact with each other and have fun together, instantly boosting teamwork which is also an important factor in efficiently doing their jobs.