There are many things that you need to take into account during an office refurbishment in Nottingham. It will enhance the look of your workplace and the morale of your employees. From designing practical layouts to adding colour and plants, here are eight design elements to consider during your office renovation in Nottingham, all of which can be made possible by our experienced team here at FIT Interiors:
1. Practical layouts
Office layouts need to be practical to ensure maximum productivity. This means placing like-minded departments close together, making sure the toilets aren’t too far away and creating open-plan breakout areas so that downtime can be enjoyed. You also want to make sure that collaboration is as easy as possible. But you also need to make it simple for employees to work on their own to increase concentration and focus.
2. Ensuring natural light & open air can get in
According to MYO, it’s important that your office receives as much natural light as possible. This comes as a result of an office refurbishment in Nottingham from us here at FIT Interiors. The same source claims that natural light coming into the office helps employees to sleep better at night, increases productivity in the workplace, improves employee health and reduces costs associated with lighting the office during the day. But how can you maximise natural light in the office when you’re already struggling? As part of your office refurbishment in Nottingham, you can do the following to maximise light in your office space:
- Use a matte wall finish and bright colours – helps to make the room feel larger, airier and lighter
- Use diffuser screens, frosted glass or softboxes – avoids glare as a result of natural light coming in
- Invest in additional windows – windows can be easily added to your building
- Hang some mirrors – this might sound like a funny one, but mirrors are great at reflecting light. You’ll find that adding mirrors will make the space look bigger and feel brighter as a result
3. Adding a pop of colour for interest & brand identification
We have recently written an article detailing the importance of colour in the workplace. There are many reasons as to why you should add colour throughout your office. This is aside from the need to make sure your brand is easily identifiable.
A major reason is that colour in the office can affect workplace productivity. That being said, one report concluded that, “colour in the work environment plays a significant role in people’s perception and behaviours, especially mood, wellbeing and performance. The use of colour in the workplace can enhance positive mood, contribute to a sense of wellbeing and lea to a positive outcome”.
According to Very Well Mind, the colour you choose will play an important role in various things, such as: conveying information, influencing the decisions people make and creating certain moods.
But which colour should you choose when it comes to office refurbishments in Nottingham? Wiley states, from the Journal of Environmental and Public Health, the following about different colours on the spectrum:
- Red evokes passion and excitement
- Pink symbolises earthiness and reservedness
- Purple suggests nobility and glamour
- Blue evokes wisdom, hope and peace
- Green symbolises growth and freshness
- Yellow suggests joy and hope
- Orange evokes warmth and kindness
- White symbolises truth and indifference
- Black suggests mystery and nobility
4. Using office partitioning to divide areas of the office
Office partitioning is a cost-effective way of segregating different parts of the office for varying means. It means that you won’t have to have permanent walls constructed. Instead, office partitioning can be bolted in where needed. But it can also be uplifted and moved to other parts of the office as and when required. Not only does this enhance the practical layout you’re looking for as part of your office refurbishment in Nottingham, as already touched upon, but it also creates zones for your workforce to operate in.
5. Considering the addition of plants & greenery
According to the University of Exeter, productivity in the workplace increased by 15% when plants were added. In addition to employee well-being and happiness, plants offer significant benefits for job satisfaction, innovation and concentration.
With this in mind, it would be a mistake not to include some form of plant life throughout your office. Especially as part of your office refurbishment in Nottingham. In addition to the aforementioned advantages, adding plants in the workplace can also improve air quality and reduce noise levels, especially when there are many of them in one place.
6. Going open-plan, to an extent
Going open-plan as part of your office renovation design in Nottingham might seem like a good idea, but only to an extent. Research shows that not all employees will appreciate a fully open-plan workspace. While the communal areas and social gathering spaces, like breakout areas, are better off being open plan, their office space, where they work, should be segmented into departments using equipment like office partitioning.
While some of the office should be open-plan, to encourage teamwork and collaboration, there needs to be a clear distinction between where teamwork is carried out and where lone work should be done. This allows employees to use the office space as and when needed. It provides them with a space where collaboration is made easy, but it also gives them a place to go back and concentrate, working with focus and limited distractions.
7. Creating flexible workspaces
Flexible workspaces can be easily created during your office renovation in Nottingham. It can be made possible with the inclusion of office partitioning that can be easily lifted and moved to another place in the office. Modular office furniture also makes for a flexible working space that can be enjoyed by all.
This, coupled with the right infrastructure (such as several electrical sockets for easy charging of devices), is all you need to create a workplace that is both practical and flexible. In addition, it makes the workforce happier, therefore boosting morale and productivity in the process.
8. Have some focus on sustainability
Workplace sustainability is imperative in any workplace. It shows that your organisation is moving with the times, whilst also displaying its commitment to its employees and customers, as well as the wider community. By fostering a sustainability culture, businesses demonstrate their dedication to social equity, community support and employee wellbeing simultaneously. There are loads of ways in which you can make your office sustainable during an office renovation in Nottingham, including the following:
- Adopting energy-efficient measures – this includes things like energy-saving lightbulbs, appliances and other technologies that will reduce a company’s carbon footprint and operational costs significantly in the long run
- A dedication to waste reduction and recycling – establishing systems for recycling and general waste reduction is a great way to get moving with your sustainability practices in the workplace, as part of your new office setup
- Sustainable procurement – choose suppliers that have the same level of dedication to sustainability as you do
- Employee training and awareness – empowering employees with the knowledge and resources needed to act sustainably reinforces the need to be environmentally responsible
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FIT Interiors is pleased to provide office refurbishments in Nottingham and throughout the surrounding areas. With a knowledgeable, experienced design team at the helm of our operations, our office renovations in Nottingham will be tailored directly to your individual needs and requirements, exceeding your expectations in the process. If you would like further information about how we can help you today, get in touch with a member of our friendly, professional team – we’re always happy to hear from you.