Making the decision to move your office doesn’t mean you need to blow your budget. There are easy ways to make savings and cut the cost of aAre you looking to revamp an existing space and give it a modern touch? Or perhaps you’re about to lease out a new office space and want to give it a quick makeover? Redesigning your office workstations and partitions is the easiest way to breath life to a space, without having to move your employees to a temporary office while you redesign.

Take a look at these modern trends to revamp your office space:  

Shrinking workstations

Desks are starting to become smaller, as technological advancements have encouraged smaller laptops and thinner desktop screens, freeing up the space once dedicated to large modems and bulky desk phones. But while desks may be getting smaller, you still need to ensure they’re equipped with everything necessary for your staff. This may include a laptop stand, a partitioned pin board or white board around the desk and enough electrical outlets and wire organisers to reduce clutter.

 

The integration of USB ports, USB charging ports and even task lighting means your employees can quickly plug in their devices and get to work; there is less mucking around with cables and computers. As well as eliminating the safety hazard of loose cables, it makes the workplace look neater.

More team spaces

The creation of these new spaces go hand in hand with the smaller personal workspaces. More and more teams are beginning to embrace communal or team spaces to switch up their eight hour day. You might start to notice your staff moving to different sections of your office to work, rather than solely at their desk, and this behaviour should be encouraged! Research shows standing, walking around and working in various parts of the office promote productivity and help people stay in the ‘flow-zone’ for longer.

If you have an open plan office with no closed small rooms, consider using greenery or light partitions to divide up your office. You can also use cafe-style tables and chairs to cater for your employee’s needs.

Lower your partitions

Workplaces are also becoming more open with partitions either being left out completely or their height being lowered considerably. This removes any feelings of a “sterile” or “clinical” office. This can also be helpful for larger team, who need to communicate with one another during the day.

 

While the above suggestions are trends and based on the current behaviours of modern employees, it is important to keep in mind that they won’t suit every workplace or business. Observe the habits and behaviours of your staff and ask them what changes they’d like to see in your company’s office culture. With these goals in mind, speak with an office fitout specialist to see how you can make the quick and easy fix of partitions work for your office space.  

your new office fit out.

Save on your fit out with these three tips:

Is a new location necessary?

This question is always the first option to consider. One of the biggest costs associated with a new office is the need for relocation, so it’s important to decide whether it’s truly necessary. Is your current space too small? Or is the location an inconvenience? Remember, you can always tweak and refurbish your existing office and save on the costs of removalists, a make good and any time constrictions for your staff.

 

Even if your space is ageing and worn, you’d be surprised how different it’ll look after a fresh coat of paint, new floors and tearing down any walls that may be closing off the space. Consider how your lighting and desks impact the area – it might be worth upgrading these if you’re only in need of a quick fit out fix up. A fit out specialist with design expertise can help you make the final call on whether your company really needs a new office.

Ready and waiting

If a move is necessary, think twice before leasing a space that’s already partially or completely fitted out. It may seem convenient at first, but it often comes with the higher risk of increased rent or reduced lease incentives.

Aside from these costs, unless the office is built to your requirements, it’ll often involve some form of change to mould around the needs of your team. Calculate these costs to see whether starting from scratch will, in fact, be cheaper than updating an existing space.

A fit out with all the goods

Work with a fit out specialist experienced in interior design, plumbing and electrical circuiting to save costs on outsourcing these services from different providers. Decide on all the needs required and agree to a budget to avoid any unwanted surprises down the track.

In terms of convenience, you’ll also be able to frame timelines to work with your team, reducing any team barriers and blockers. It also means you’ll have one point of contact through the whole process, removing the risk of complications and misunderstandings between your different contractors.

Whatever the case might be for your office, it’s important to have a budget put in place to ensure your expectations are met through the fit out. Remember, an office fit out doesn’t need to drain the bank – instead, it can provide a new leaf for your company with the economy budget to boot!

If you have any questions regarding your fit out, or updating a new space please get in touch with our team.