Our guide to effective office design & fit out

For those considering refurbishing, expanding or relocating their offices

1. Would you benefit from a fit out, refurbishment or relocation? - Questions to ask yourself when considering a change

2. Benefits of a refreshed and uplifted office - Reflectyourbrandandcompanyculturemoreclosely - Inspireyourclientsandemployees - Attractthebesttalent - Focusonflexibility - Considermodernofficetrendsandinnovations

3. Office space tips to get the best out of your employees - Breakout areas - Informalmeetingzones - Stand-upspaces - Teamcollaboration - Use of furniture and artwork - Internal Cafe

4. The importance of preparation - WhatareyourobjectivesandKPI’s - Understandtheimportanceofworkplaceanalysis - Howmuchcanyouafford?

5. Factors to consider when relocating - Fittingwithbrandimage - Testfits - Roomtogrow

6. Sustainability and environmental impact - Makegreenthinkingakeypartofyourcompanyculture - Conserveenergywithintheofficeandinyourpeople - Sustainablebusinessdecisions - Greengovernmentandcorporatelegislation

7. Appointing the right design and fit out team - Howtochoosetherightteamforyou - Dotheyofferafullservice?

8. Author information and credentials

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Would you benefit from a fit out, refurbishment or relocation?

Toseeifafitoutorrefurbishmentofyourofficeswillbenefit you,yourpeopleandyourorganisation,firstlyaskyourself, doesyourcurrentworkspace…

1. Supportyourplansforcontrolledbusinessgrowth?

2. Reflectanddefineyourbrand?

3. Retainexistingpersonnelandattractnewtalent?

4. Supportyourapproachtosustainability?

5. Provideacost-efficientsolution?

Iftheanswertoanyofthesequestionsis‘no’,thenyour businesswouldlikelybenefitfromafitoutorrefurbishment inordertooptimisetheworkplace.

Alternatively,youmightevenwanttoconsiderrelocating togiveyourselftheperfectspaceinwhichtoflourish!

of the workforce feel their workplace is toxic**Source:2018studyconductedbyAlanHedge,aprofessorintheDepartmentofDesignandEnvironmentalAnalysis atCornellUniversity,USA

Benefits of a refreshed and uplifted office

of UK employees claimed their office environment had a negative impact of their health**Source:2018surveybyFellowesBrands

A refreshed and uplifted office environment will:

a. Reflect your brand and company culture more closelyFirstimpressionsreallydocountwhenitcomestothespacethatrepresents yourbusiness.Acarefullythought-outofficerefurbishmentwillreallylookthe partandcreatealastingfirstimpressionthatsticks.

b. Inspire your clients and employees Agreatlookingworkspacewillhelpyourconsumerbasefeelconfidentthatyou canbetrustedtodeliver,andensureyourteamenjoycomingintotheirworking environment.Thehappinessandhealthofyourpeopleisessential,andgood moralewillhaveapositiveimpactonworkflowandprofits,soyourworking environmentshouldbemadeascomfortableandhealthyaspossible.

c. Attract the best talent Newemployeesneedtobeinspiredbythe‘lookandfeel’oftheirfutureplace ofwork.Ifyouarelookingtogethighqualitystaffonboard,howyoulookinterms ofcolour,layout,plants,(smelleven!),willhelpthosebrightrisingstarstocome onboard.Standoutfacilitiessuchasbreakoutareasandchilloutroomscreate alastingimpressionandcansetyouapartfromcompetitors.

Focus on flexibility Haveagoodhonestlookatthecurrentlayoutofyourworkplacetohelpdecide wherespaceisneededorcouldbebetterutilised.Withflexible‘hotdesking’andhomeworking,officesareusedverydifferentlycomparedwithjustafewyears ago.Bymatchingthelayoutwithstaffworkingpracticesandaddingbreakout areasforthosequick‘adhoc’teammeetingsforexample,youcanoptimiseyourspaceforcomfort,practicalityandproductivity.

Consider modern trends and office innovations Thesedays,thecommunicationprocessintheofficecanbediverse.People needtointeracttoinnovateinaculturethatencouragesthegenerationofideas andimportantly,theinterestingspaceswherenewideascomeintobeing.

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Ourbusyworkinglivesmean thatworkingindifferentspaces

bothinandoutoftheofficecanbe appealingforemployees.Make

anefforttogiveyourteamoptions ofdifferentplacestowork.

Top Tip

of ideas are generated away from desks**Source:2017survey,‘TheriseandriseofActivityBasedWorking’byLeesman

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Office space tips to get the best out of your employees

Breakout areas with soft seating(armchairs,beanbagsandsofas),thatfacilitatetheexchangeofideasandopinions,since an ordinary conference roomisnolongerenough.

Informal meeting zones bycoffeeand vendingmachines.

Placesforholdingquick stand-up chats with added soundproofscreensfor relativeprivacy.

Spacesdesignedfor working in small project teams (bothopened andclosedoff).

Unusualfurnitureand‘offthewall’artwork orconversationpieces,whichmightsparkanamazingtrainofthought.

Internal cafe’s where the teamcanmeetinformally,take abreakfromtheirdesksorwork inamorerelaxedenvironment, this will also increase the opportunityforcollaboration overlunchbreaks.These spaces,depending ontheirsize,can alsobeidealfor companygatherings andmeetings.

Here are a few ideas that might ensure the interactions between employees are effective:

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The importance of preparation

Fail to prepare, prepare to failIfyouareconsideringrefurbishing,expandingorrelocating youroffice,thereareafewkeypointstoconsiderforyourplan:

What are your objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)?

Herearesomeexamplesofthingstoconsiderwhenplanning anofficerefurbishmentprojectrelatingtophysicalworkspaces conducivetoinnovation:

• Typeofspace

• Furnitureandequipmentlayout

• Thesizeofthespace

• Impactofthereception/meet&greetarea

• Accesstosharedandsensitiveequipment

• Impactonyourteams’productivity

• Ergonomicsandtechnology

• Naturallightagainstartificiallighting.

ConsiderandagreerelevantKPIswithyour fitoutpartnerasearlyintheprocessaspossible.

AtOaktree,whereappropriate,wedelvedeepintoyourbusinesstofullyunderstandwhat

youwantandneedfromyourofficerefit.

UnderstandingyourKPI’siskeytoourprocessandthesuccessofthefinaloutcome.

Top Tip

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Understand the importance of a workplace analysisItisonlythroughanin-depthworkplaceanalysisandcompleteunderstandingofthesubsequentfindingsthattheappropriateworkplacesolutioncanbedesigned.

Yourcarefullyselectedfitoutpartnerwillseekto learnasmuchaspossibleaboutyourorganisation.Theywillanalyseyourgoals,people,culture,systemsandworkflowstoestablishthebestsolutiontoyourworkplacerequirements.Thisprocessmightincludeinterviewingstaff,conductingsurveysoranalysingproductivity,all withtheintentionofbecomingcompletelyfamiliarwithyourworkingenvironment.

Becausetheywillgainanunderstandingaboutthewayyouwork,ourteamofprofessionalswillbeabletoputforwardcreativedesignsandsolutionsthatareaestheticallyoutstandingaswellasexceptionallypractical.Thesewilltakeintoconsiderationyourrequirements(howisthespacetobeused,e.g.closedrooms,openspaces,breakoutareas,incorporatingflexibilityandfunctionality?).

How much can you afford, over what period?Byanalysingyourorganisationinthisway,thepartner willbeabletopresentavarietyofcreative,practical solutionswithbudgetoptionsforyoutoconsider. Theywillalsoincludeaschedule(takingintoaccountplanningrequirements,orderingmaterials,buildtimeandIT/phonesystemsforexample).Becausetheyknowtheprocess,theywillbeabletoplaninefficienciesandstreamlineergonomics.Withasolidunderstanding ofyourbusiness,thesolutionswillbepracticalfor yourbudgetandtimeline.

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Factors to consider when relocating

What to consider if you decide to relocate?

Findingtherightofficeforyourcultureandfuture plansiskeyandshouldnotbehurried–you’vegot alotoffactorstoconsideraroundthespaceitself,includingfacilities,locationandhowitaffectsyour day-to-dayoperations.

Fitting with the brand imageYourofficelocationshouldbeanextensionofyour ‘brand’image.

Ifyou’reacreativeagencyforexample,prospect clientswon’trespondsowelltoapoorlylitrundown office.However,ifyou’reanot-for-profitorganisation suchasacharity,spendingtoomuchonyouroffice spacesendsoutcompletelythewrongmessage.

Test fitsAkeypartoftherelocationprocessonceyouhave narroweddownyouroptionsisthetestfit.Thisprocess willshowyouthepotentialofthespacesyouhave selectedandalsohighlightanyfrictionpointsthat youmayencounter.

Room to growHigh-growthcompaniesaregoingtoneedspace toexpand.Thinkaboutyourgrowthrateandfind aspacethatwillaccommodatetheseplans–it mightmotivateeveryoneinmeetingtheirgoalstoo! Whenconductingtheworkplaceappraisal,Oaktree willanalyseyourcompany’sgrowthandassess howthiswillimpactonthedesignofyourspace.

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of consumers want brands to help them become more environmentally friendly and ethical in their daily lives**Source:2018Futerrasurveyofover1,000USandUKconsumers

Sustainability and environmental impact

Moreandmorecompaniesacrossindustriesare committingtoreducingtheirimpactontheenvironment. Fromabusinessperspective,customersaremore inclinedtobuyproductsfrom,investinservicesfrom, andlendtheirsupporttocompanieswithaproven recordofsocialresponsibilityregardingreducingtheir environmentalimpact.Ifyouarelookingtomake sustainabilityakeypartofyourrefit,Oaktreecan supportyouindoingthis.

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Developinganeco-consciousorganisationstartswithyourworkforce,asitiscrucialforyourpeopletobelieveinyourvisionandpracticeenvironmentally-friendlyhabitsintheofficeinorderforyourmissionofsustainabilitytobeacceptedallday,everyday.

Make green thinking a key part of your company cultureIncludeyouremployeesinyourenvironmentalvisionbygettingthemengaged andinvolved.Gettingtheirinputbylisteningtotheirideaswillallowthemthe opportunitytobepartofyournewmissionandgoals.Thiscanapplytoyouroffice refitorrelocation,aswellasbusinessinitiativesthatimpacttheirday-to-day workingpatterns.

Conserve energy within the office and in your peopleInvestinginautomaticlightingorsmartsolutionsaswellasturningofflights,heatingandswitchingoffelectronicequipmentoutsideofworkinghourswillconserveenergy.Thewellbeingofyourpeopleiscrucialtothehealthyhabitsofyourorganisationandmindfulnessisequallyasimportant.Sustaininghealthyandenergeticemployeesisbeneficialtothecompany’soverallproductivity.Ifthisisapriorityforyourbusiness,thetestfitprocesscanhighlighteffectivesolutionsandideasforinitiativesthatadheretothesegoals.

Sustainable business decisionsAlongwithsmallerinitiativesrunningwithinyourbusiness,makingkeybusiness decisionswithsustainabilityatthecorewillhaveahugeimpactonyourcorporatesocialresponsibility.Examplessuchaspaperlessofficeswillimpactthedesign ofyourspace,asmoretechnology-focusedareaswillberequired.

Green government and corporate legislation Atthetimeofwriting(November2019)thereisnolegislationregardingsustainabilityandenvironmentalimpact.However,theUKGovernmenthasrecentlyintroduced thegroundbreakingEnvironmentBilltotacklethebiggestenvironmentalpriorities ofourtime.

ThisBillsignalsahistoricsteptochangeinthewayweprotectandenhanceour preciousnaturalenvironmentandwillhelpensurethatwemaintainandimprove ourenvironmentalprotections.ItwillbuildontheUK’sstrongtrackrecordandsetsoutacomprehensiveandworld-leadingvisiontoallowfuturegenerationstoprosperthroughmeasurestoimproveairandwaterquality,tackleplasticpollutionand restorehabitatssoplantsandwildlifecanthrive.

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Appointing the right specialist office design, refurbishment or relocation team

Whenselectingadesignandfitoutcompany,makealistofeverythingthateachcontractorwillprovideaspartof theirservice,aswellasthingstheydon’t.Objectivelycomparingcompaniesonthisbasiswilldeterminetheirfitness forpurposeandtruevalueformoney.

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• Howyoufeelaboutthem?

• Istheregoodchemistrybetweenyou?

• Doyoutrustthem?

• Dothey‘get’you?

• Aretheyhonestandtransparent?

• Whatisyourgutinstinct?

Equally as important to an objective analysis are:

However,thereareseveralthingsthatanofficedesignandfitoutcompanyMUSTbeabletooffertohelpyoutransformyourexistingspaceoridentifythenewofficespacethatwillmostsuityourcompany’sneeds.

Do they:1. Offer a full-service support system –fromBrief>Analysis>Design>Fitout >Post-launchcare

2. Provide a workplace appraisal  –toidentifyhowmuchspaceisneededand howitwillworkforyourbusinesstodayandinto the future

3. Test fits –theseplansforyourcurrentofficeorshort-listed newspaceswillgiveyoupeaceofmindthatthe spacewillphysicallyworkforyourbusiness

4. Give an indicative fit out cost –tohelpyouplananaccuratefitoutbudget. Knowinghowmuchitwillcosttofitouteitheryour currentspaceoranewonewillhelpyoudecide toeitherstayormove

5. Create concept drawings and 3D renderings  –toenableyouandyourteamtoclearlyseehow thespacewilllook

6. Undertake office surveys – anofficedesignandfitoutcompanywillhelp youwithmechanicalandelectrical,environmental, asbestosandcontaminationsurveys,tomakesure youunderstandexactlywhatyouaregettinginto ifyoudecidetomove

7. Provide post-launch care –thisisamaintenanceprogrammetokeep trackofyourcompany’sneedsastheychange, incorporatingthelatesttrendsandstaff contentmentintoyourenvironmentwhere necessaryandappropriate.

Contact

ThespecialistsatOaktreeInteriorswillcreatetheperfectofficespacetoinspireandmotivate.Wewillreallyget‘underyourskin’togettoknowyou,youremployeesandyourorganisation,todesignanenvironmentthattotallysuitsyourneedsbothtodayandintothefuture.Wewillmanagetheprojectwiththeleastdisruption,supportingyoueverystepoftheway.

So, if you’ve got a project in mind, we’d love to hear from you. Call us on 0345 21 86955oremailus:hello@oaktreeoffice.com

WehaveofficesinBerkshire,London,HertfordshireandKent and,ofcourse,wouldbedelightedtocomeandmeetyou.

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