An office refurbishment can seem like an expensive and daunting prospect but sometimes it is exactly what your company needs. If your office and reception areas are drab and tired then it is likely your staff will feel the same. This has a knock on effect on productivity and on the first impression of your business your visitors receive.

Your office and reception area are the first places that potential clients and customers see. If the area looks dull and uncared for then they are likely to be left with the impression that people don’t really care about the company or their customers.

In contrast if the reception and office areas are full of bright, funky furniture and well-designed then the client is much more likely to remember you in a positive way.

If the office refurbishment has been given lots of thought and consideration then you can guarantee your employees will be thankful. A new environment is likely to inspire them, creating new ideas and also boosting their productivity. If you don’t believe that an office refurbishment can boost productivity then just look at the research. The Abius Report was completed in 2009 and reported that 62% of US workers said they would be more motivated to work if their employers made an effort to improve their work surroundings.The facts back this up as the study references research that found enriched work environments improved productivity by around 15%. Involving your employees in the plans was another key in increasing productivity as productivity doubled to 30% when they were involved in refit plans. The British Council of Offices produced a similar study in which they found that office workers prefer funky fit outs rather than traditional ones with 60% of people stating a funky office refurbishment increased their productivity.

It is clearly important to consider an office refurbishment project from all angles and if the research is correct then get your staff involved. Ask what they would like to see or what would be helpful for them.

Specialised office refurbishment

An office refurbishment project may seem quite daunting which is why it is often best to entrust it to a specialised office refurbishment company such as Meridian Interiors. We would like to be able to take the project from its initial concept through to completion.

If you want to leave your office refurbishment project to the professionals contact Meridian Interiors and see your business productivity grow.

Despite the growing trend of remote working, fuelled by teleconferencing and the ‘cloud’, companies are still investing in office design projects to make their physical office space more enticing. And contemporary design style is very much in vogue.

At the more ‘quirky’ end of the spectrum, Rental Cars’ new Manchester headquarters boasts an open-air cinema, rooftop ‘beach’, games room and drive-in diner and, at Ticketmaster’s London HQ employees can take the ‘slide’ down to the office bar!

But the reality is that these companies have spent a large amount of money designing and developing a very unique and contemporary space that aligns with their culture.

So how do you design your office to incorporate a more modern and contemporary feel that engages your staff, without it costing a fortune?

Use lots of glass

Glass allows light to permeate and light helps to boost energy and morale. That is why glass partitioning is widely used in contemporary office design – both to separate workspace areas and create meeting rooms and managers’ offices… Glass helps retain that feeling of space, openness and modernity.

And using glass does not have to mean a lack of privacy: manifestations on glass can provide much-needed privacy as well as being used to great branding effect.

Create social spaces

You might be accustomed to grabbing a takeaway coffee on the way to work, but many employers have also recognised the benefit of recreating that café culture in the office. Having an informal social hub for staff to relax and chat also brings with it more collaboration, idea-sharing and, ultimately, more motivated and engaged employees.

And a workplace café is also the ideal space to add a bit of contemporary style. By using modern office chairs in vibrant colours, glass coffee tables, or comfy sofas, you can create the perfect environment to break the workday tension.

Think about your walls

What’s on your office walls? Just a bit of magnolia paint? Why not get creative with your walls and inject a more contemporary ‘look and feel’ to your office design at the same time?

Art inspires creativity and hanging artwork on your office walls is a quick fix way to transform a relatively sterile office environment to a more colourful and inspiring space.

Or you could turn an entire wall in your office into a whiteboard – the perfect way to build interaction in meetings or a brainstorming session.

And finally…

For that quirky touch – on a budget – here’s the perfect way to add contemporary design style and grab some peace and quiet at the same time! Yes, we can source this cork helmet for you! Just ask.

Many people think when employing office fit out companies to refurbish their new or existing offices, that they are limited to the designs on show in the office fit out companies portfolio. However, this is simply not the case!

Meridian Interiors have your visions at heart, and are committed to creating the office look envisioned by you. This means that you can get the designs that you want, with as little compromise as possible.

Office fit out companies help you stand out

Designing your bespoke office means you can stand out above the rest by creating your own individual image. This is essential in competitive markets as it makes your company memorable, something which is evidently important for attracting customers/clients. For existing customers/clients, standing out in the crowd allows you to stay in the forefront of their mind – making them more likely to continue business with you.

Reflecting values

Another important thing to remember when trying to attract and maintain customers/clients, is how your image reflects your company values. Creative ideas expressed in bespoke offices allow you to show your company image, and convey what it is you stand for to your customers/clients. The way you look can be incredibly important to potential customers/clients when choosing which company to opt for as they will likely make judgements and choices based on whether your image reflects their needs and desires. Additionally, having an office which reflects your company as a whole is important as a consistent image makes your company look more professional.

Whether you want to adapt designs already brought to life by office fit out companies, or whether you want to use your own ideas – your needs come out on top. Office fit out companies can create designs in all different kinds of shapes, sizes and colours. With a huge array of options in regards to office partitioning, lighting, seating, carpets and paints there’s a virtually unlimited number of combinations to create your own bespoke idea.

Why not look at previous fit outs for ideas and use them to inspire your own individual designs? Not only will this provide you with inspiration but it will also give you a good idea of what works best in real life offices.

For more information on what office fit out companies can do for your bespoke ideas please contact Meridian Interiors.