The development of a new workplace is generally considered to be the process by which your business establishes their new offices and develops their new workplace environment. This new environment will be highly influential to the productivity, motivation and staff retention at your company, so it shouldn’t be overlooked. At Innova this also includes the processes of fitting out your existing office space. Whichever it is, it’s often a stressful time for a business. People deal with change in wildly different ways, and when they’re blind to the decision-making process they can begin to feel left behind.
By bringing your staff into the process you can establish a successful new workplace environment far more easily, and overcome any possible obstacle as a team. Here are Innova’s key tips for ensuring a smooth new office development.
1. Communication
If your staff are the backbone of your company, then communication is surely the nervous system. It’s not just about having an ongoing dialog between key stakeholders, but about inviting everyone who will be affected to participate. You can start small, assigning a delegate in each department who will report information from management to their team, and vice versa. With regular discussion you can ensure everyone is on the same page at every step of the process.
2. Education
Keeping everyone in the loop is essential. Not everybody will understand every aspect of the new workplace, and for this reason may find it difficult to play their part. Keep your people informed about the process. Explain not just what you are doing but also why you are doing it, and how it will positively affect them. Whether this takes the form of a special presentation or is integrated into departmental meetings is up to you, but it’s important to provide the information as well as be open to questions and comments.
3. Commitment
Managing any kind of change to the workplace is not something that can be done with minimal effort. It takes a lot of planning, a lot of careful consideration, and a lot of hard work to ensure things go smoothly. It requires the commitment of a whole team, where each member is willing to welcome change and move forward. Without making a commitment to the project, it’ll be very easy to get sidetracked or lose momentum when you meet obstacles. Some people will naturally have a difficult time adjusting to change, especially if the new workplace project presents challenges on top of their regular workload. This is why the aforementioned communication and education are important – to get them on-side, and pushing in the right direction.
4. Flexibility
The process of establishing a new workplace is not always simple. There are a lot of moving parts and for this reason there can often be a few bumps along the way. You will likely have a plan for the new office that you are working off, and it’s imperative this plan has room for adjustments to be made. Careful planning means you can anticipate some issues, however there are multiple opportunities for you to be caught off guard. A great example of this would be obtaining approvals. In some cases, the relevant regulatory bodies or the body corporate that regulates the building, will require amendments to your plans, it could be implementing better disability access or perhaps more smoke alarms. This might delay the approvals process slightly, and being flexible means your entire plan won’t be derailed by small inconveniences outside your control.
Partnering with the right company can save you a lot of time and problem-solving. Innova has over 27 years experience in commercial design and fitout, and we’ve seen it all. We can guide you from to A to B via the easiest route possible. For more information about our services, get in contact with us today.
