Creating a new office fit-out and work environment is a large investment for any firm, but it is only one piece of the puzzle.

The day that a business owner trusts and empowers their team, they will never look back. Creating a new office fit-out and work environment is a large investment for any firm, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Changing an entrenched culture is one of the hardest tasks to face. You must win the hearts and minds of your team and ensure that they want the change as much as you do. It is imperative that change and the desire for improvements comes from the top and that senior staff are seen to ‘practice what they preach’.

Trust is a powerful thing, no longer will staff feel like a mere cog in the wheel, suddenly they will realise how important they are to the business and to the business owners as people. Not only will they care about their position, but also about the business as a whole.

Trust can come from initiatives such as flexible working. Entrust your staff to manage their workload and recognise that everyone has commitments outside of the workplace. By allowing people to attend appointments, or arrive late, it is likely that the absence of micro-management will mean they won’t abuse this trust and freedom. If the team have well-defined KPI’s, then their accountability and commitment to work will be clear no matter how often they are at their desk. Don’t discount the fact that many work in the evenings, take calls or answer emails out-of-hours.

It is undoubtable that a fresh new space can be good for team morale. It is important to get them involved in the process and ensure that they understand why these changes are being made. If the space is a reflection of your office culture, then you want your team to be stewards of that culture. The work environment can reinforce the culture you are trying to create and that culture in turn feeds energy and motivation back into the team.