When you own your company’s headquarters, it opens up a world of possibilities. Should there be the space, then you’ll be able to expand it significantly as the business grows. While that’s in the long term, there are plenty of short-term benefits.
Perhaps the most notable is that you can customize your office to your needs. Few people know how to redesign their headquarters, however. You’ll not only need to think about aesthetics, but how they’ll affect employees.
Some will be somewhat more expensive than others, although they shouldn’t be too far outside of your budget. That could mean being somewhat picky about which ones you decide to do, especially if you don’t have much to spend. Some could come much better recommended than others.
There are also a few common mistakes that you might want to avoid. These should not only look visually pleasing, but have a positive impact on your employees.
Office Improvements Every Business Owner Should Consider
Upgrade The Lighting
Lighting will be one of the most important things to focus on with an office redesign. It’s often one of the most overlooked aspects of the process. Should the lighting not be adequate enough, then your employees can start suffering from eye strain and fatigue.
Some studies have even linked long periods in dark areas with depression. If you can, it’s worth bringing in as much natural light as possible. Doing so has been shown to boost moods alongside productivity.
If that’s not possible, then strategically placing lights around a round is vital. Doing so could be difficult, as you’ll need to prevent glare, among other things. Working with an interior design that focuses on businesses could help with this significantly, however.
Once that’s been done, it’ll not only brighten up the office but also everyone’s mood.
Sustainable Energy
Sustainable energy has become quite popular in recent years. It’s a trend that doesn’t look like it’s slowing down and it isn’t limited purely to houses. Getting solar panels installed in your headquarters could be more than recommended. If you’re based in a relatively sunny place, that’s especially so.
You might think that, if you live somewhere that doesn’t get much sunlight, then installing these mightn’t be appropriate. You could be surprised. Solar technology has become increasingly advanced, so you should be able to install them.
There are multiple benefits to doing so. Perhaps the most obvious is that it will cut down on your energy bills. Installing them also shouldn’t be as expensive as you’d think. You should look at this expense as more of an investment.
With the reduction in energy bills you’ll see, you should make your money back over time. There shouldn’t be any risks associated with this, so it’s more than worth investing in solar energy.
Install An HVAC System
Your office’s air quality matters much more than you’d think. According to some estimates, poor air quality results in approximately $15 billion in costs for employers. That primarily revolves around sick leave and worker inefficiencies caused by the air.
You might be surprised by how air quality affects your ability to think clearly and focus. Opening up the windows will be the easiest way to take advantage of this. That mightn’t always be appropriate, however.
In many cases, it could be worth installing an HVAC system. Choosing one with an air filter will make sure that your office’s air supply stays healthy. It will also help with temperature regulation, so your employees can work without being too hot or cold.
That should make them more comfortable while letting them think and focus much better than they did if the air quality was poor.
Bring In Some Nature
One thing you mightn’t think about when considering an office redesign is plant life. It’s something that comes more than recommended for a variety of reasons. Alongside helping the HVAC system with air quality, it will affect peoples’ moods.
Most studies have shown that putting plants around an office has shown psychological benefits for workers. That can be seen in better moods and a better cognitive performance. As a result, you and your employees should work much better while you’re at the office.
Placing these in as many areas as possible is recommended, as it’ll maximize the benefits of the plant life.
Office Renovation Mistakes To Avoid
It’s easy to get ahead of yourself when you’re planning office renovations. That could make it relatively easy to make mistakes when you’re doing so. These could prove to be costly and may end up delaying the completion of the project.
Avoiding these as much as possible would be preferred. Many office renovation mistakes tend to be relatively common, however. As such, it should be easy to avoid them, as long as you know what you’re looking for.
Some of these mistakes will be much easier to make than you’d think. Avoiding them should not only save you a significant amount of money, but also the stress and headache of needing to deal with them.
Underestimating Costs
Quite a few people don’t realize what’s involved in the cost of office renovations. As a result, they’re often quite surprised when they get a quote from a contractor. You should be prepared for this, especially if you’re considering a larger project.
When a contractor gives you a quote, they’re careful to say that it’s an estimate. Many people believe that this will be what the entire project will cost when it’s finished. That’s because things can often go wrong, regardless of how well things are planned out.
You’ll need to have a plan in place in case this happens. In most cases, having extra funds set aside specifically for this will negate the issue completely. You’ll need to do this right at the beginning.
It’s worth adding at least 10% to 20% of the estimated cost away for these potential delays. If you do, you’ll save yourself a significant amount of hassle, alongside the possibility of needing to take out a loan to cover things.
Not Asking For References
References are something that you should ask for from every potential contractor. Each high-quality option will be more than happy to provide you with this. While you’ll need to spend some time making sure these are valid, it can make a significant difference in your decision.
Any contractors that refuse to provide references should be avoided. Though this doesn’t specifically mean that they’re bad at their job, it could be seen as a warning sign. It’s recommended that you ask them for references on their previous three projects.
That will give you the most up-to-date information on their skills. You can first narrow down your choice by looking through customer reviews online. Once you have, it’s then time to check their references.
Failing to ask for these could mean that you’ll end up hiring someone who isn’t as high-quality as they say they are. You’ll naturally want to avoid this, as it could result in more hassle than it’s worth.
Wrapping Up
Figuring out how to redesign your office can seem like much more hassle than it’s worth. That’s because there are multiple factors to consider. You’ll need to make it functional so that employees can work productively while also making sure that everything is visually appealing.
You might also want to try to improve your employees’ productivity levels. When done right, many of the above office renovations and improvements can be more than recommended. Armed with that knowledge, you can rest easy knowing that your employees will have a welcoming office that they’ll be happy to work in.