For a business, renovations are a necessary part of keeping the company growing and thriving. But a large-scale remodel can also be a challenge when it impinges on the time and attention of everyone who works at the site.
How can you make the process easier and more productive as your company prepares a big renovation project? Here are a few things to do now.
Rent
Bins and Dumpsters
Make it easy for employees to remove debris and unneeded equipment from work stations throughout the company. Long before renovations begin, rent one or more commercial dumpsters and place them at convenient points around the business site. Schedule regular pickups so that the dumpsters can continue to be utilized throughout the weeks leading up to construction.
Clearly label and educate employees on what type of items should (or should not) go in each dumpster or bin: general garbage, broken equipment, partitions or furniture, recycling materials, and items that could be sold or donated to charities.
If your construction company plans to have dumpsters for the actual remodel, work with the rental company to coordinate dumpster rentals and removal.
Give
Employees Time
The more time you allow employees to devote to pre-renovation preparations, the more progress you'll see. Don't expect employees to come in after hours or on weekends and get much sorting accomplished. This is a quick way to lower morale during this critical transition.
Consider designating an afternoon or even a whole day - perhaps more than one - as a cleanup and purge day. Encourage department heads, managers, and all employees to spend time sorting through piles, determining what equipment needs replaced and which cabinets can be emptied.
If necessary, reschedule some company projects or find other ways to reduce workloads in order to facilitate this de-cluttering effort.
Donate
Items
When you remodel, many older pieces of furniture and equipment won't need to be used in the new offices. Donating some of these pieces to charity has many upsides. First, the company or the owners may get a tax deduction for contributions to qualified organizations. You can also often support community causes that boost your business reputation among local customers.
Donating also allows you to schedule the removal of furniture and equipment so that you can get it out of the office before the chaos of renovation takes hold.
Schedule one or more pickup times each week or month and publish this information to all employees so they can bring donations to a single pickup spot.
Make
Space
Remodeling takes a great deal of space, so clear out and make room as soon as you can. Rented bins and dumpsters need space that will be outside of traffic patterns but accessible to all employees. Construction equipment and vehicles will have to navigate around your site while business is still going on. And many employees will need a new space to work while the remodel is underway.
Plan extra space beyond what you think you'll really need. You won't regret having too much available space for workers to move into while their offices are remodeled. But you will be in trouble if you have too little space for efficient work to continue and customers to be served.
Consider creative solutions like moving some employees to remote work and renting temporary storage or warehouse space.
The
more prepared you are for the renovation of your commercial site, the
easier it will go once the work commences. At ESP
Dumpsters
,
we help businesses prepare for and execute remodels both large and
small. Contact us today to learn what we can do for your business.
