Strategic Planning Phase to Ensure a Successful Office Renovation

In one of our previous articles, we talked about all the main phases of a successful office renovation project. If you have not read it, please click on this link. In this article, we will dive deeper into the first phase, which is the strategic planning phase, we will find out what questions companies should address during this stage of the renovation process as well as the benefits of executing the strategic planning stage.

1. What do they like and dislike about their current office interior design?

Every company is different, what works for one may not work for another. Therefore, to help their office interior designer to design an office that is suited for them, companies should examine what their employees like about the current space that they wish to see in the new office space and what they absolutely must change.

2. What is the working culture like in the organisation

Working culture heavily affects the best office interior design for each company. For example, single-person telephone booths are very popular, and, in some companies, the utilisation rate is high as their employees have a lot of virtual meetings to attend to. However, another company may have more face-to-face meetings, and therefore 2 people telephone booths or a small discussion room may be a more efficient use of space for them. Also, if a company is employing a hybrid work arrangement, they may not require as many workstations as compared to a company where their employees must go back to work every day.

3. To stay or look for a new office space

Before conducting their renovation works, companies must evaluate and decide if their existing office space is still able to serve their current needs. Some reasons why a company may choose to move is if the company is expanding or downsizing, the location of their office is not ideal, increase in the rental fee, not able to renew the lease from their landlord, etc. If the company is looking for new office space, they must consider which office space best suits its needs. Different offices have different configurations, and they may not fit a company’s needs even if the floor area is the same. A professional office interior design company like Ampersand can help provide test fit services for a few potential office spaces.

4. What is their budget?

A critical factor to consider before the renovation work begins is the budget. There are times when companies choose to start the design process before setting the budget and after spending weeks or even months on the design, the design plan was struck down by the management as it is way above their budget. In the end, they must spend weeks coming up with a design that matches their budget.

5. What is the timeline?

Knowing the timeline in the planning stage is important because it allows the company to make sure that the materials and furniture that they want will arrive on time for the completion of the office renovation, if not they will have to choose alternatives if the substantial completion is dependent on these items. Also, this will help with the planning of the swing spaces for employees if the company is doing renovation work to their existing office.

6. What are the furniture and equipment that they will be reusing?

The last item that companies should consider in the strategic planning stage is which furniture and equipment they can reuse. From that list, the company must decide which ones are they planning to reuse. Reusing furniture is recommended to help save on renovation costs as well as the environment.

Benefits

1. Office space that suits the company’s need

Each company is unique and has its way of doing things, what works for one may not work for the other. This is the same even for office design and conducting the strategic planning beforehand will ensure that the final office design suits the company’s needs. This means that space is the most effective and efficient for their employees to work in.

2. Minimise changes during the construction phase

The strategic planning phase will help minimise the changes during the construction phase. This means that it will help reduce costs and reduce construction time. There would also be less disruption to the business as there will not be any delays during the construction period and also their employees can focus on work instead of spending time trying to solve the issue that arises due to the lack of planning.

3. Ensure that the best decisions are made

With strategic planning, companies can be sure that they have made the right decision regarding whether they should renovate their office or move to a new office. If they are moving, they can be confident in their decision about the new office space that they chose.

4. Reduce cost

Strategic planning can help prevent mistakes which in turn will help to reduce unexpected and additional costs. Also, through planning, companies can find the most cost-effective option for their office renovation plan. Also, with the help of a professional Project Manager in this stage, companies can be assured that they will not be taking unnecessary steps throughout the whole renovation process.

Conclusion

Strategic planning answers a lot of questions at the beginning of the design and construction phase, these answers could prevent the waste of time and money in the process. At Ampersand, we place high importance on this phase and together with our clients, we will ensure that we will consider every aspect before the design and construction phase. If you need help with your office renovation plan, please contact us at info@ampersandassociates.com.sg