How Companies are Addressing Rising Office Fit-Out Costs

Many employees continue to resist returning to the office, citing noise and lack of privacy as major issues. Many offices still fail to provide the comforts of home. Companies are trying to improve workspaces to address these concerns, but rising costs pose a significant challenge. Construction, sustainable materials, and fittings like sound-proof phone booths or electrical equipment are becoming more expensive. Labor shortages and wage increases are exacerbating the issue globally.


In Asia Pacific, material price increases have stabilized, but high energy costs and supply chain disruptions persist. In the Americas, evolving office design strategies and occupier requests are driving up tenant-influenced costs.


It can become quite costly to support both hybrid and face-to-face work, as it requires creating a space that supports seamless collaboration and immersive meeting experiences with highly integrated technology solutions. A large proportion of the budget for renovating spaces goes toward better technology, however, tech alone won’t improve productivity. Teaching your employees how to get the max amount of productivity from these updated technologies is crucial. In the long run, tech investment can rapidly pay for itself if employees focus on optimizing productivity with these new solutions.


Adaptability is key to boosting return on investment. Modular and mobile furniture, partitions, and booths allow for changes in the workspace from one day to the next, or from morning to afternoon. They also help manage costs by maximizing the use of a reduced office footprint. Upcycled and repurposed furniture is frequently seen as a cost-effective, sustainable solution.


Remaining flexible, listening to employees, and making small tweaks over time is key to maximizing the value of your fit-out dollars. Placing people at the center of your fit-out strategy leads to optimal performance.