How Is Staff Comfort Protected While an Office Is Renovated?

Four things spoil staff comfort: dust, noise, smell and uncertainty. All four can be managed by sealing off the working area, moving noisy jobs out of hours, ventilating well and sending a weekly notice.

Four problems, four measures

• Dust: the working area is closed off from ceiling to floor with sheeting; sanding is done with dust-extraction machines and the area is swept daily.
• Noise: demolition, drilling and cutting are moved to the evening or the weekend.
• Smell: water-based paints are used; painting is done on Friday evening and the space is aired over the weekend.
• Uncertainty: staff are told in advance which section will be closed on which day.

Temporary working arrangements

The team from the section being renewed moves to a meeting room or a spare room, or works from home in rotation. Desks, computers and files are labelled before they are moved, so everyone finds their things in place on return.

Safety

Cables and materials are not left in walkways, wet floors and freshly painted surfaces are marked, and fire exits are kept clear.

How does a renovation improve comfort permanently?

Acoustic ceilings and panels reduce echo and the right lighting reduces eye strain. Making these decisions during the renovation is easier than adding them later. See Erdağ Yapı's acoustic panel and office renovation pages.