23rd Jul 2024
What’s Involved in an Office Design and Build Project?
A well-designed workspace can have a hugely positive impact on a business, improving employee well-being and increasing overall productivity.
An office design and build project might be the next step if you know your workplace isn’t capable of supporting your company to achieve these things.
So how can you ensure your workspace matches the needs of your business?
Here’s our step by step guide of what’s involved in workplace design and build projects from start to finish, including the benefits that forward-thinking office design can have on your people.
What Does ‘Office Design and Build’ Mean?
When looking to refresh your workspace, a design and build project streamlines the process for your team.
Rather than looking at the elements of an office upgrade individually, you consider the project as a whole.
Design and build firms handle everything from designing your space to managing the project and completing the final touches. Rather than working with a multitude of contractors, you only need to liaise with one as they manage it all for you.
It’s important to take a strategic approach to the process. Implementing changes without planning or guidance will most likely increase the amount you spend, with results that may not be fit for purpose.
By planning the whole process from start to finish, you can set clearer goals and allow for better communication between all parties involved. Better communication often leads to improved results, with the final workspace more likely to meet your needs and expectations.
The Design and Build Process
1. Planning for Success
All workplace transformations should begin with an in-depth planning session. To ensure your office design and build project achieves everything you want it to, you should create a clear project plan and objectives.
These in-depth planning sessions are essential for success. When everyone starts on the same page, your design and build project can meet your needs more effectively – whilst considering the timeline and budget you’re working to.
When we deliver office design projects, part of the initial phase often involves visits to your office to observe how it’s currently used. This helps us understand your people’s daily tasks, any issues there might be, and the current culture in relation to what you’d like it to be.
This means your updated office design can address your needs and reflect the culture you want to create.
2. The Design Phase: Bringing Ideas to Life
After the initial consultation phase, it’s time to create the design.
Against the backdrop of your business vision, culture and future plans, there are three key considerations that work together at this stage:
- Functionality: ensuring that people can do what they need to do in the various spaces, using the tools they need for the job.
- Layout: taking into account the above, making the best use of your available space.
- Aesthetics: bringing everything together in a coherent office space design that reflects your company and culture.
Functionality
There’s no point having an aesthetically pleasing office if it doesn’t meet people’s needs. We take everything discussed in the initial consultations into account to ensure your workplace allows people to complete the activities they need to, in the most effective way.
Layout
Office layouts have a huge impact on the way people work – your employees can only make use of the space available to them. This is when we consider things like collaboration space and quiet focus areas – and not placing them next to each other!
Aesthetics
While office layout affects how people work, design aesthetics are more about how people feel. But both are important factors in creating a productive workplace. Interior design can positively (or negatively) impact mood, so it’s important to get this right.
The design phase also takes into account making sustainable design choices. This means looking at the environmental impact of elements like the furniture and fittings you use in the space.
It may mean investing more up-front, but going for better quality items that are made using responsible materials is better for the planet and for your business.
Integrating Technology and Innovation
Consciously considering your workplace technology can be the difference between empowering people to work how and where they choose, or causing unnecessary frustration.
Choosing the right technology is a given for today’s ways of working.
Your office design and build partner should help you think through what this means for your company now, and your future plans.
3. The Build Phase: From Blueprint to Reality
Once the planning and design is complete, your project is ready to go on site! This is the point where your ideas are brought to life.
Although the build phase might seem daunting, your design and build partner will take care of everything so that you don’t have to. This usually means taking charge of project coordination, site management, logistics and more.
At Blueprint, our team supervises the entire fit out process including budgets and timelines. If problems arise, we’ll find a solution.
Fostering Employee Well-being and Productivity
Employee well-being is at the heart of your business’ success. When a workspace is designed to support your people, you’ll undoubtedly see the benefits that comes from having happy, healthy employees.
Frameworks like the WELL Building Standard help organisations to define what this means in practice. It gives a list of interventions that are split into ten key areas. Some of the recommendations are office design based and some more scientific.
For example, WELL suggests creating social spaces where coworkers can meet and unwind, and covers other aspects like giving people control over their immediate workspace areas.
Implementing an inclusive office design that promotes physical and mental health can benefit your business. It can lower staff turnover and boost productivity, helping both your staff and your bottom line.
Read our WELL Building Standard guide if you’d like to learn more.
Final Touches: Making Your Office a Destination
By adding unique, memorable elements into your office design, you reinforce your company’s unique identity and foster a sense of pride amongst your team.
Beyond design, there are many other ways to encourage people to work in the office and get the benefits of people more regularly being together in one place.
Consider organising events that take place in your workspace. These don’t always have to be ‘work-based’, you might get someone in to do a workshop for your team, or organise a regular team lunch that brings everyone together.
This will naturally create opportunities for increased engagement and help you bring the culture you want to life in your workplace.
Conclusion
From initial plans to final delivery, the office design and build process is one of constant collaboration.
Well-designed workspaces are increasingly important for your success, especially as hybrid working is here to stay.
By integrating technology in your office, you can future-proof your office and stay ahead of the competition.
Implementing an agile office design can improve your business at all levels, from individual employees to overall results.
Got a project in mind?
If you’re ready to create a people-focused office design for your business, we’re here to help.
Whether you have questions about the process or are ready to dive into the deep end, we can schedule a consultation and show you around our living office and showroom, WorkLife Central.