Like all businesses, yours is concerned with improving, and developing over time. This is how firms structure themselves and restructure as the zeitgeist shifts, as products become irrelevant and as technology develops. A library’s worth of writing could be published describing how businesses can change with the times and how they may develop to suit their surroundings as the years pass on. In fact, some firms look nothing like they did when they started. Some firms might have rising success only to middle out into humility later (such as BlackBerry) while others may struggle for decades only to make it big with one essential product launch.
However, developing and refining your output as a business is hardly something easy to forget and disregard. It’s in the very structure of most worthwhile business plans. That being said, we can often look at our processes, our hires, our vision, that looking at more solid firmament, such as our premises, only gets a look in when in need. There are many reasons to renovate your office, and if you’re willing to put up the relevant investment to do so, odds are your justifications are valid.
But planning for a change and handling it well are two different things. Protecting your staff during this period is perhaps one of the most important considerations here. So, let’s consider what that might mean and how you might go about it. This way, not only do you evolve as a business, but deliver on those goals in the best possible way:
Keep Staff In The Loop
Only firms that have sensitive information to keep or little trust in their staff need to keep them out of the loop, and that second reason might suggest real changes need to be made. When constructing a new block or renovating your office, there’s no reason to keep staff in the dark. After all, they are just as excited as you are, and would likely wish to know just how their working premises is changing. Additionally, you may have to change their workiing circumstances, so it’s best to keep them on board with the idea from the beginning.
Show them your office plans and blueprints, showing them the functionality you hope to have, why this should make a difference and what that means for your firm going forward. Most of your staff have a time investment in your firm and so are interested to know how its story will play out – and you have no reason to hide this from them. This can also help them become additionally understanding and less anxious when making the changes that you are. Be sure to hold a talk on this and a short Q&A section to settle their nerves, update them with memos, and also give all staff an ‘office renovation pack’ to help them understand what their obligations are. This should be replete with dates, responsibilities, and measures to keep them safe.
Use Temporary Offices
Not only might your infrastructure (such as your IT networks) be down in the event of an office renovation, but simple things, such as the flooring, lighting and safe passage to the office may not even exist. This may mean that using temporary offices to keep production flowing nicely can help them adjust as work is taking place.
If necessary, finding temporary rentable office units can be worthwhile, but we would recommend using portable buildings for many reasons. One, you can select where they are placed within reason, giving you a greater deal of control over your management of said unit, perhaps still within your industrial lot or premises. Two, they are durable, cheaper, and can withstand punishment from the weather. Secondly, you can rotate your teams in and out of said environments while structuring different parts of the office. Furthermore, transporting all of your office assets to another location can be a real pain, and this method solves that completely. With a little care and insight, you’re sure to have the best method figured out.
Hammer Down Safety Protocol
If your staff are going to be within even a mile of the renovated premises, it’s essential for them to keep up on safety protocol. They cannot figure this out themselves, you will be the one who needs to disseminate this information. Show them what safety equipment to wear, what areas they are permitted to access, and how to report issues. Show them how to carefully move their belongings by boxing them in an organized manner, and using wheel lifters or lifting with their legs instead of their back to transport items. Additionally, supplement your HR resources in an even stronger context to ensure that unsettled employees have a place to voice their concerns or seek help with renewed stresses. This can seem like overkill, but some handle change better than others.
Solve Voiced Problems
You’re renovating the space, so perhaps this is a good time to ask for the insight of your team who work in that area each and every day. Solving the voiced, confidential problems in a survey might be a good idea. Perhaps one side of the office is often freezing during the winter despite the heaters within, and that can be something to work on when renovating this space. Perhaps they feel as though their first floor office has little in the way of window privacy as they look onto a busy city street. Installing privacy glass might be a good way to counteract this.
You might enact all of the confidential, anonymous suggestions, or you might just ignore them all. But it’s important to listen to them, and see what issues are continually reported. After all – if you’re not renovating your office space to work more profoundly for your staff, then who are you renovating it for in the first place?
With these tips, you’re sure to ace your office renovation. Through a combination of careful application, willingness to listen and to improve for the office you wish to be, not the one you are, you can come to the best result.
(Image Source- Pexels – CC0 License)