Planning an office renovation can be stressful, but it can pale in comparison to the process of the work being completed. As a PA or EA, youโll be in the unenviable and unique position to ensure the successful and smooth running of your office refurbishment project, with your team no doubt coming to you with a wealth of questions.
Suffice it to say, managing such a project isnโt easy. It requires thorough organisation, superb attention to detail, and the ability to seamlessly coordinate multiple โmoving partsโ, from stakeholder expectations to staff working practices. This isnโt even considering the disruption it can cause to day-to-day operations, parking logistics, and access to premises.
Here is a step-by-step guide for PAs and EAs to navigate the complex and often challenging renovation process, without it coming at a cost to business continuity and staff morale.
Make a comprehensive plan
Before doing anything, consult with senior leadership about the logistics, plans, and goals of the renovation. Is it to accommodate hybrid working, or a growing team? Are the refurbishments primarily for improving employee wellbeing, or are they a means of aesthetically refreshing an outdated and tired-looking space?
Understanding the objectives of your renovation helps you make informed decisions throughout. Creating a strategic timeline working backwards from your ideal completion date, factoring in any delays or obstacles such as lease renewals, will ensure you give yourself sufficient time to plan and execute the work. Remember that hasty decisions and rushing can lead to unnecessary stress and potentially costly mistakes.
Assess your current office with fresh eyes and determine what areas work well, which ones donโt, and where bottlenecks occur. Consider how your existing space needs might change after a renovation, being considerate of changing working patterns. During renovations, teams may need to work remotely, which can, in turn, be impractical for some workers who prefer the office environment. Modular furniture supplier Herman Miller eloquently highlights that managementโs role โis being a champion of a healthy, productive, virtual team cultureโฆโ which can extend to PAs and EAs, to ensure theyโre aware of why these renovations are taking place.
Implement proper vacant office safety measures
In any workplace, whether renovations are underway or not, safety should always be top of mind. If youโre working while construction is happening, consideration should be given to designated work zones and ensuring your work can continue without obstructing the project team. Work with your chosen contractor(s) to create an achievable site safety plan that includes proper signage, protective barriers, designated pedestrian walkways, and perimeter protection if work is external and likely to affect car parks or building access. Coordinating with facilities management to arrange temporary protection will be a wise move, particularly if your office or premises will be uninhabited for a time. Property protection specialist Maltaward points out that โfly tipping, theft, vandalism, and squatting are just some of the potential issues that can arise if empty properties are not properly secured.โ Itโs recommended to ensure CCTV and high-quality security measures are implemented to safeguard any valuable equipment and products left on-site during construction.
Choose the right construction company
As a general rule of thumb with any construction work, opting for the cheapest quote can often leave you uninspired and disappointed. Evaluate contractors based on their experience handling office refurbishments, maintaining safety standards, and successfully overcoming complexities and delays.
Establish single points of contact with each supplier to streamline communication, holding regular meetings with key stakeholders to prevent small issues from escalating into major problems. Where possible, request detailed project schedules and plans, and hold contractors accountable to agreed timelines for completion.
Manage expectations
One of the most important factors to consider during office renovations is the well-being and morale of your colleagues. As a guide, consider:
- Establishing open communication channels where project updates are regularly given to colleagues
- Temporary allowances for home working if noise, dust and disruption become problematic
- Arranging quiet working spaces in adjoining rooms or flexible arrangements for those who want to still be in the office
- Addressing air quality concerns with proper ventilation systems and air purifiers in occupied areas. Shop Air Purifiers points out that HEPA-approved purifiers can โcapture 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 micronsโฆ.[including] dust, pollen and mold spores.โ
- Protecting your critical IT infrastructure by safeguarding servers and equipment from physical construction damage and debris, as well as ensuring continued uptime for remote working employees to continue their work
- Establishing backup and contingency plans for essential services like internet connectivity, phone systems, and power, to avoid blackouts
- Setting up cloud storage systems alongside on-site storage to ensure important files and documents are secured and to minimise the risk of loss or corruption
Final tips to ensure office renovation success and approval
Itโs always prudent to conduct your own site inspections to determine the quality of the final product. Take photos to document progress of the work and spotlight any potential issues that may have been missed; this evidence can prove valuable if disputes arise down the line. Determine work quality at each phase rather than waiting until completion to highlight any problems. Itโs easier to correct issues as they happen rather than waiting until itโs too late.
Before declaring your renovation complete, itโs wise to conduct thorough inspections and tests of all your systems to ensure they can work as they did pre-renovation. Check that the finishes meet your agreed specifications and ensure that proper cleaning has been done to the highest of standards.
Consider a soft opening period before bringing everybody back into the office, which will give you time to identify and resolve any teething problems without impacting everyone at once. The last thing you want to create is additional burnout and worry for a workforce already prone to stress. Think of your biggest contribution in a large project like an office refurbishment as being able to adequately support and guide your colleagues through the process with empathy, compassion and understanding.ย
Successful office renovations can be challenging to execute, but with a healthy amount of planning, clear communication, and a continued focus on all the small details, PAs and EAs can manage expectations with complete confidence. Taking ownership of the process from start to finish can be an enriching and empowering endeavour, giving you validation that you can handle stressful, complex projects with a reassuring level head.
