A company’s workforce is at the heart of its operations and therefore it is essential that every organisation strives to create a workspace that not only reflects its culture and values but also maximises its employee’s efficiency and productivity. A way that companies can sometimes achieve this is by redesigning their workspace. Though a big task, creating a purpose-built office that is designed to inspire and cater to the needs of its employees can increase the productivity and creativity of staff by 15%.
However, when it comes to an office fit-out, there are many processes that must be managed to create a finished product that fits the needs of your business exactly. This is where project management emerges as a critical factor in achieving success. But what exactly is project management, and why is it so essential for your office fit out?
Below, we’ll delve into the world of project management and explore its significance in the context of an office fit-out.
In a general sense, the job of a project manager is to take a structured approach to managing resources, tasks, timelines, and budgets to bring a project from ideation through to completion. In the context of an office fit-out, project management involves the planning, executing, controlling, and closing of a project to achieve specific goals and success criteria in the workplace.
Project management involves coordinating all the activities involved in transforming an office space. This ranges from conceptualising the design, selecting the right materials, and managing construction. Ultimately, it is the job of a project manager to ensure a seamless, non-disruptive transition to a new office space for the wider team.
In theory, you might think that employing a designated project manager would be an unnecessary cost for your business and that you can keep this in-house and manage an office fit out yourself. However, hiring a project manager can be extremely beneficial when it comes to the success of your project. Some of the benefits of hiring a project manager include:
An office fit-out involves a number of resources, including time, money, materials, and labour. An effective project manager will ensure optimal allocation of all of these resources which can prevent wastage whilst minimising costs where possible.
A successful office fit-out goes beyond just aesthetics; it must also meet functional requirements and safety standards. Throughout your office fit-out, your project manager will monitor the quality of workmanship and materials to ensure that the final result will meet your expectations.
When taking on an office fit-out, it can be easy to forget about costs in favour of creating an epic office design. Because of this, budget overruns are a common occurrence, and therefore a cause for concern in any project.
It is the job of a project manager to minimise this risk by monitoring expenses, tracking recurring costs, and making well-informed decisions to prevent exceeding the allocated budget. Prior to your fit-out start date, your project manager will sit down with you to confirm your budget allocation.
Like with any project, there can be an element of risk associated with your office fit-out depending on your design plans and whether you own or lease your office space.
A skilled project manager will identify these potential risks and implement contingency plans to address them. In turn, this will reduce the likelihood of unexpected setbacks and delays in your project timeline.
An office fit-out involves communication to ensure that your vision comes to life exactly how you had planned. A project manager will schedule regular meetings with the individual teams required for the project to ensure they are kept up to date with the progress of your office fit-out.
You should also be having regular meetings with your project manager. Having regularly scheduled meetings will allow you to track the progress of your office fit-out and will give you an opportunity to make any last-minute amendments before the next stages of work are carried out.
Unexpected delays in office renovations can not only disrupt your business operations and disturb your employees, but it can also result in financial losses too. Especially where some services may need to be outsourced and charged at an hourly rate, the costs associated with delays and disorganisation can become significant.
When working with an experienced project manager, a clear project timeline will be created with set milestones and deadlines implemented. This will make it clear to all teams involved, including external contractors, that the time expectations of your office fit out. Ultimately, this will help to keep the project on track and ensure a timely completion.
An office fit-out is more than just a physical transformation; it’s an opportunity to enhance your workspace’s functionality, aesthetics, and overall efficiency. Effective project management will ensure a smooth, well-coordinated, and successful renovation process.
If you’re considering an office fit-out, outsourcing your project management team is a decision that will pay off in the long run. Not only will it ensure access to project managers with a wealth of experience, but it will also lessen the pressure of an in-house member of staff managing it on their own, and allow them to focus on growth opportunities elsewhere in the business.
From planning and design to execution and completion, project management plays a crucial role in achieving your office fit-out goals while minimising risks and optimising resources.
At Building Interiors, our project managers are some of the best in the business. With a wealth of knowledge and experience they can make your office fit out dreams become a reality with minimal issues.
If you’d like to talk to us about managing your office fit out journey, you can contact us at 0113 388 6522 or email us at contact@buildinginteriorsgroup.co.uk. Our team will be more than happy to help!