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Our surroundings have a big impact on the way we feel and behave. When we are at ease, safe, and energised, we are better thinkers and communicators, and more connected to the world and the people around us. It makes sense, therefore, that the work environment that we provide has a direct impact on our team's motivation, productivity, and staff retention, not to mention the impact that great workplace design can have on a brand's image.
If your workplace is looking unprofessional, old-fashioned, tired, hinders your productivity, or simply does not suit the organisation you have become, it could be time to invest in a workplace transformation. But what would such a project involve?
Having the right workspace is integral for a business. People often think of well-designed offices as being “cool” or “trendy”, or with unusual design features such as ball-pits and slides. In reality, a well-designed office will enable staff to be more productive and engaged in their work. It will support and celebrate a business’ brand and culture. It can promote and encourage improving one’s wellbeing and allows for strong relationships to be built by the team members who occupy it.
Providing the right functionality of a workspace is key to achieving all the aforementioned benefits, and this has to be driven by detailed research and analysis of those who use the space. The ‘perfect’ office will be different for each company, as designs must be bespoke to cater for a business’ specific needs. Fundamentality you need to provide spaces which support team members to complete their various job responsibilities to the best of their ability.
The ‘human centred design’ approach is needed to recognise the physical, mental and emotional needs that people have too. Satisfying both professional and personal requirements of a business and its people are key to a workspace adding value.
We’re extremely thorough when it comes to taking a brief and understanding the organisations that we support. As an overview there are 4 key themes which we really need to discuss, and that businesses should be considering if they are planning a design and fit-out project. They are:
The best types of spaces for team members to collaborate will be based on how they work and what functionality suits them best. There’s definitely a shift (in the right direction) of recognising the need to enable and support more collaboration within the workspace, especially as that seems to be one of the main reasons why many people will choose to come into the office opposed to completing their tasks at home. Once again, it’s about listening clearly to what people need to allow them to work in a happier and more efficient way, and then designing a space which is fit for purpose.
Timeframes can vary hugely depending on a number of factors; size of project, whether work is being undertaken whilst the premises is un-occupied, the level of mechanical and engineering work needed, furniture lead times and so on. It is always highly advisable to plan way ahead of time. The more time you allow yourself for a project means the process runs as smooth as possible. Initial conversations can sometimes be 6-12 months prior, but this guarantees that decisions aren’t being made with the pressure of pending deadlines.
The workspaces of the future will hopefully resemble workspaces that have been well-designed in the past, i.e. they will be workspaces that cater for the needs of the people who occupy them. They will have the right technology and infrastructure to allow for the most efficient work possible.
They will be workspaces that recognise that feelings and emotions and moods are affected by the environment and amenities. They’ll be workspaces which have capacity to accommodate change and flexibility.
Well-designed offices aren’t anything new, or a post-COVID reaction, it’s businesses’ attitudes to the employee experience which have evolved.
There are a variety of elements that affect the cost of a project, so each budget will be specific to each business. Cost saving solutions can be implemented into the design, and this demonstrates the need for a really clear design brief as it identifies priority areas when it comes to the budget. Following similar advice as the timeframes of a project, the best guidance is to establish how you will be financing the project at the earliest opportunity. Exploring finance solutions can be a very effective way to spread costs, as well as understanding what contributions can be obtained by landlords, and using commercial agents to help you negotiate the best rates should you be moving into a new premises.
While paying for your interiors project upfront in cash is certainly an option, an increasing number of organisations are choosing to use asset finance to spread the cost over time. Why? Because they unlock many if not all of the following benefits.
TOTAL SAVING MADE BY CHOOSING LEASING = £52,966.89
Customer assumptions: Corporation tax rate: 19% | Capital allowances: 18% | Discount rate: 10% | Return on capital employed: 15%
The best finance deals are those that are tailored to your business and project, and that is what we specialise in at Bluestone. If you are planning to invest in a workplace transformation and would like to spread the cost, keep cash in the business, and potentially unlock significant tax benefits, a bespoke finance solution could make that happen.
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