6 Office Renovation You Should Invest In

Office renovations go a long way in motivating staff, attracting new employees and improving the general performance of a business. It may be an expensive affair but it always pays in the end. Businesses should thus consider renovating their offices regularly. For instance, most offices in Singapore are renovated once in every 5 years. However, there are offices that are renovated more often than others, depending on the core business of the firm. Here are six office renovations you should invest in.

1. Technology upgrades
Gone are the days when new technology would make us feel like old Jurassic fossils. Today, everyone who appreciates technology is always waiting for upgrades. Technological upgrades range from simple tasks like replacing old desktops with new laptops to complicated tasks like computerizing all the operations of the organization. Furthermore, every organization views technological advancement differently. Information Technology is a very important aspect of any firm, and here are some IT upgrades that you can consider
· Switch to a faster wireless speed, such as 802.11n Wi-Fi
· Upgrade your storage to a Network Attached Storage
· Consider cloud computing
· Consider Gigabit networking to increase the Ethernet speed.
· Upgrade your RAM (Random Access Memory) and SSD (Solid State Drive)
· Use a faster USB flash drive

2. Ergonomic
From this definition, it is clear that creating an ergonomically correct office entails several activities, depending on the nature business activities of the firm. Here are some of the basic ergonomic aspects that any office should consider:

· Ensuring that that the chair, keyboard and mouse of each employer’s computer are properly positioned. The chair should be adjustable and the keyboard, mouse and the monitor should be at the elbow height.

· Acquiring accessories that aid in the ergonomics of an office such as phones and document ramps. These accessories should be well positioned to prevent excessive stretching.

· Ensuring that workers perform their duties in the best posture once the chair, keyboard, mouse, and other accessories are placed in the best position.

Ensuring that positioning of key working facilities that are used by most workers is strategic and ergonomic. For instance, keep the main printer close to each computer (where a single printer serves many printers).
· Ensuring that it takes the shortest time to get to important like the toilet.
· Keeping the work surface fit for the tasks that are performed
· Ensuring that there are short breaks between heavy duties.


3. Office space
The office space should tell a story; a story of the worker’s ability to control their working space. It should be warm and welcoming. This means that there should be a proper mix of both open and private spaces. There should be private rooms for private and confidential activities and common rooms for communal activities. Aspects of office space that you should consider are:

If there are cubicles in your office, consider reducing them to an acceptable level. In fact, you can even do without them if you don’t need private rooms. The offices of many forward-thinking companies lack walls because they have realized that people perform poorly when they are confined in cubicles.

Consider an employee gym. People all over the world working days and nights losing weight and attain the tacitly desired up-to-the-minute body shapes and figures that will attract other people to themselves like moths. Indeed, weight loss is the daily health and fitness mantra and every office should have at least a place where employees can exercise a bit when they are free.

Games. You may be wondering why there should be a space for simple games in the office. Though you are at the office to work, there are simple games that can boost your concentration levels and help you to be more productive.

Reflection areas. There should be an area in the office for employees to reflect and meditate.

4. Lighting
An office that is built for the 21st century must have as much natural lighting as possible. Natural lighting boosts employee’s morale, productivity, and general wellness. In fact, recent research indicates that insufficient natural light leads to seasonal depression. Nobody wants to work in a dimly-lit room. Having adequate access to natural light also reduces energy bills.


5. Repairing wear and tear
If you want to create a warm and welcoming environment in your office, you must repair the facilities that have been in use for a long time. Repair or replace the HVAC for instance if you have been using it for quite some time. Additionally,
· Get rid of ripped or stained office fabrics and replace them with new ones.
· Paint the interior walls with fresh paint.
· Replace the carpet and rugs.
· Get a new upholstery for the chairs.

6. Going green
Although Singapore does not experience extreme weather conditions like winter, office renovations should appreciate the need to go green in this era of global warming. The office should blend with the environment in the most effective way. For instance, you can have air-purifying potted plants in the office like the Dracaena, Peace lily, and the Weeping fig, to name but a few. some of these plants such as the Boston fern will also serve aesthetic purposes. Others like Aloe Vera are medicinal. Plants aside, going green also entails avoiding pollution at all costs and enhancing environmental conservancy.

For instance, you are always encouraged to use documents in soft copy whenever you don’t have to print. In fact, most offices have done away with file cabinets and have embraced paperless documentation instead. In general, eco-friendliness requires that you adopt a holistic approach in renovating your office. Look at all the aspects of the office that make it suitable to the environmental factors. Get a programmable thermostat where there is need, for example, and ensure that you have double-pane windows.

All said and done, office renovations are benefits both the business and its clients. They give the clients the feeling that you know how to change with the times. This further elicits the feeling of contentment and satisfaction, further growing your reputation. This creates the domino effect, accelerating your success.