Setting up a new office is a wonderful and exciting time for businesses. You’ll be weighing up colour schemes, buying new furniture and contemplating new layouts, and this is before you consider the long-term benefits of an exciting new space.
As essential as these big, bold decisions are – there’s a lot of other things to factor in that are slightly less glamorous. Will you have enough power outlets? How will you migrate the telecoms? What about WSH concerns? Fear not – here’s what you need to consider for your new commercial fitout.
Systems design
Lights and power outlets. They are far from the first thing you would notice in a smart office design, however it would be difficult to get through the day without them. When you’re optimising your layout, you should think carefully about where lights need to be mounted and how many power outlets you will need to support the equipment your staff need to do their jobs. It doesn’t end there though; you’ll also need to carefully consider how heating, venting and air conditioning systems need to be put in place to maximise their effects and keep your staff working comfortably.
IT and telecoms
Just because your business is moving doesn’t mean the work will stop. This is why it’s essential to come up with a migration plan that gets your internet and phones back up and working with minimal downtime. Depending on the size and nature of your business, you may have bulky servers that need to be moved as well. The key to a solid migration plan is to have all possibilities covered and be aware of the risks. Be sure to thoroughly investigate the new site, and keep an open line of communication between your carrier and your IT staff.
Health and safety complaince
There are numerous legal requirements that all workplaces must adhere to. They’ll cover almost every aspect of your new office project and must be taken seriously. The most time consuming of these compliance measures will be the following:
- Safe electrical and wiring systems
- Fire and smoke alarms, plus extinguishers
- Health and hygiene standards
While these will be at the forefront, they are far from the only government guidelines. Being proactive and reading up on workplace health and safety can take you a long way towards understanding these requirements.
Innova have extensive experience in creating new offices and commercial work spaces. Partnering with interior design experts for your new project means that many of the small details will be sorted out for you, leaving you to focus on what it’s all about: Your business. For more information about how Innova can assist in your new fitout, contact us today.
