A recent Business Times piece highlighted that young Singaporeans are eager to get back to the office after working at home for a considerable period because of the pandemic. This means, as COVID-19 becomes endemic, many businesses will likely start moving back to the office or take the opportunity to undertake office renovations to facilitate a hybrid model of working from both the home and the office.

A recent Work Trend Index report by Microsoft revealed that 42% of employees say they lack essential office supplies at home, and one in 10 do not have adequate internet connection to do their job. So, while many SMBs found they could operate with a remote workforce there is still a desire to have some form of operating office.

Setting up an office space comes with various challenges. For SMBs who have gone digital during lockdown and are looking at a hybrid working model, the old office might not fulfil business needs anymore. Commercial renovations, scaling down or a completely new space might be required.  If you are looking at setting up or reworking your current office, here are some steps to consider: 

For SMBs, setting up an office involves co-ordinating with multiple parties, so assigning one individual to plan and oversee the entire process is best. That way, others in the company can focus on their role to ensure continuity. It is easier for the chosen person to manage the whole process and update the rest of the team along the way. 

Whether it is a new office space or an existing one whose IT requirements have changed, it is essential to assess the technology infrastructure. Specifically:

• Assess where your company currently is at, in terms of employee headcount and your development stage.
• Review what IT and telecommunication inventory are required.
• Review your current IT and telecommunication contracts. 
• Consider whether additional equipment or services are needed and what your company can do without.

If you’re changing your technology needs to support a hybrid work arrangement, you will need to decide on your telephony requirements. There plenty of comprehensive voice solutions and business phone systems that cater to most needs.

The same goes for your broadband connection. A bit of research will find a wide range of fibre broadband services and dedicated premium internet services to suit all business requirements.  

Do you need a server room or is it cheaper and more efficient to move to a cloud server? If customers are entering the space regularly, are they able to maintain social distancing and what sort of COVID safe plan do you need to set up? Seeing the space can help you make these decisions. Conduct necessary site visits with solution providers and plan accordingly.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that businesses need to always be prepared to manage change. To allow employees easy access to the company resources, businesses should adopt cloud computing services.

As work arrangement change the office must change with them. While changing the office layout, or moving to a new space can feel daunting, these steps will help for a smooth transition.