Moving along the government’s roadmap out of COVID-19 lockdowns has involved many different shifts for businesses, from adjusting to remote working to streamlining and redesigning products and services to ensure business resilience in challenging economic circumstances. Today, the big topic is modifying interiors to repurpose a workspace to cater for different working practices going forward. Reviewing and redesigning workplace interiors and implementing fit-out is going to be crucial to ensuring that any organisation is ready to capitalise on the next phase of recovery. It is also going to be key when it comes to brand perception and business values too.

2021 – all change (again)

Change has certainly been a constant in the past year and uncertainty something that we have all had to get used to on another level. However, now there is a more positive drive behind the changes that are happening – a return to the workplace, the option of more social interaction and, of course, hugs. In any office changes are going to be necessary to accommodate not just the physical public health requirements that are announced in future but to adapt to changing customer and client demand and employee expectations too. In particular, interior redesign and fit outs can help an organisation with:

• Although we’re currently on the way out of lockdowns there’s no knowing what the future is going to hold. A flexibly designed workplace that has been fitted out to adapt in a versatile way to whatever comes next is going to be a key component in maintaining productivity and growth.
• Existing workspaces simply aren’t appropriate for a world in which the pandemic has changed perceptions about safety. Alongside existing health and safety requirements, workplace interiors need to be able to meet legal requirements and recommendations for COVID safety too. A fit-out can also provide a way to create a space that makes staff feel more comfortable about their level of risk and looked after by the business, for example by introducing options for air purification and ventilation.
• A workspace is a blank canvas on which a business can imprint its values to create a cohesive and visible statement of culture. Whether this is a more sustainable approach to interiors or opening up areas with a fit-out designed to foster collaboration and connectedness between staff, there is a great deal that can be achieved with this process.

Working with the right partner is key: case study

MBM Omega was called into work on a refurbishment for Landmark Chambers in London, a barrister’s chambers with a high-profile reputation. The project – refurbishing the first and second floors of Landmark’s Fleet Street offices – had been stalled for some time due to inadequate proposals from previous suppliers. The MBM Omega project team produced solutions based on an in-depth understanding of the practical use of space, as well as aesthetic requirements. The fit-out created options for Landmark in terms of the way existing space could be used and repurposed, and MBM Omega brought the project management in on time and on budget, from early-stage initial concepts to post-implementation snagging.

As the Landmark project shows, the right fit-out partner is essential in avoiding delays and ensuring a return on a refurbishment investment. Today, given the need for businesses to adapt to changing public health requirements and economic conditions, this kind of collaboration could be key.

Contact us today regarding our office fit out services.