How to Plan Workplace Technology During an Office Refurbishment

Office refurbishments are usually driven by a clear business need. The workplace may need to support more people, new ways of working, better collaboration, improved client areas or a more efficient use of space.

But workplace technology is often brought into the process too late.

By the time meeting rooms, work areas, furniture layouts and finishes have been decided, the technology requirements are forced to fit around everything else. That is when costs rise, compromises appear and avoidable problems start to creep in.

A better approach is to plan workplace technology early, alongside the refurbishment itself.

That does not mean overcomplicating the project. It means understanding what people need to do in the space, what technology already exists, what can be reused and what needs to change before the design is locked in.

Start with how the workplace will be used

Before selecting equipment, start with the way people will actually use the refurbished office.

Technology should support the work, not sit awkwardly on top of it.

Ask practical questions early:

• How many people will use the office day to day?

• Will people work mostly from desks, shared areas or meeting rooms?

• How many meeting rooms are needed?

• Which rooms need videoconferencing?

• Will clients or external visitors use the spaces?

• Will staff need simple BYOD laptop connectivity?

• Will the business use Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet or a mix of platforms?

• Are there reception, signage, training or presentation requirements?

• Will teams need quiet rooms, focus spaces or collaboration areas?

  
  

These questions shape the technology design. A boardroom, a small meeting room, a training space and a casual collaboration area should not all be treated the same.

Bring technology into the design process early

The earlier workplace technology is considered, the easier it is to get right.

Meeting room technology affects furniture, power, data, wall space, ceiling services, acoustics, lighting and user experience. Network equipment affects comms rooms, cable pathways, wireless coverage and security. Digital signage affects mounting locations, media players, power and content management.

If those decisions are left too late, the project can end up needing last-minute changes.

Common late-stage issues include:

• No power behind displays

• Data points in the wrong locations

• Meeting tables without cable access

• Poor camera sightlines

• Ceiling microphones blocked by lighting or services

• Inadequate rack space

• Wireless access points placed without proper planning

• Rooms that look good but are difficult to use

  
  

These are not glamorous problems, but they are expensive and irritating. Better planning avoids them.

Audit the existing technology before replacing it

An office refurbishment does not automatically mean every piece of technology should be replaced.

Some existing equipment may still be useful. Displays, speakers, racks, amplifiers, cameras, control equipment, network switches and cabling may be suitable for reuse, redeployment or upgrade.

Before committing to new equipment, assess what is already there.

A proper audit should identify:

• What equipment exists

• Where it is installed

• What condition it is in

• Whether it is still supported

• Whether it works reliably

• Whether it suits the refurbished space

• Whether it can be reused, redeployed, donated or recycled

  
  

This can reduce unnecessary capital spend and avoid sending usable equipment to waste.

The important point is to be honest. Reuse is only valuable when the equipment is still fit for purpose. Keeping unreliable or unsupported technology can create more problems than it solves.

Plan meeting rooms room by room

Meeting rooms are often the most visible part of a workplace technology project. They are also where users quickly lose confidence if the technology is poor.

Each room should be planned based on its size, layout and purpose.

A small meeting room may only need a good display, a simple videoconferencing bar and easy laptop connectivity. A larger boardroom may need better audio coverage, ceiling microphones, distributed speakers, room control, multiple displays and proper camera positioning.

Key considerations include:

• Room size and seating layout

• Display size and viewing distance

• Camera position and field of view

• Microphone coverage

• Speaker placement

• Lighting and acoustics

• Table connectivity

• Room booking requirements

• Native Teams or Zoom room requirements

• BYOD requirements for guests and staff

  
  

Trying to use the same technology package in every room usually leads to poor results. Simple rooms become overcomplicated, while important rooms can be underpowered.

Think about the user experience

The best workplace technology is easy to use.

People should be able to walk into a room, start a meeting, share content and get on with their work without calling IT or hunting for adapters.

During an office refurbishment, user experience should be treated as a design requirement, not an afterthought.

Good questions to ask include:

• Can users join a meeting with one touch?

• Can guests connect easily?

• Is laptop sharing simple?

• Are the controls obvious?

• Can remote participants hear clearly?

• Can people in the room be seen properly?

• Is the same experience repeated across similar rooms?

  
  

Consistency matters. If every room works differently, users lose confidence. A standardised approach across similar spaces makes training easier and reduces support calls.

Coordinate with power, data and furniture

Workplace technology depends heavily on the physical environment.

Meeting room tables may need recessed boxes, power outlets, USB-C, HDMI or network connectivity. Displays need power and data in the right place. Cameras and microphones need clean mounting positions. Wireless access points need proper coverage. Equipment racks need space, cooling and access.

These requirements should be coordinated with builders, electricians, furniture suppliers, designers and IT early in the refurbishment process.

Important details include:

• Power and data behind displays

• Power and data at tables

• Cable pathways from tables to displays

• Floor boxes or table boxes where required

• Rack location and ventilation

• Ceiling access for microphones and speakers

• Mounting heights and wall structure

• Network ports for room devices

• Wi-Fi coverage across the refurbished space

  
  

Getting these details right early is usually cheaper than fixing them later.

Consider network and infrastructure requirements

Modern workplace technology relies heavily on the network.

Meeting rooms, wireless presentation devices, room booking panels, digital signage, access control, printers, workstations, video calls and smart building systems may all depend on stable network infrastructure.

Before the refurbishment is completed, check whether the network is ready for the new environment.

This may include:

• Switching capacity

• PoE requirements

• Wi-Fi coverage

• VLANs or network segmentation

• Security requirements

• Internet bandwidth

• Remote management

• Device monitoring

• Rack space and patching

  
  

The network does not need to be overbuilt, but it does need to be suitable. A beautiful office with weak Wi-Fi and unreliable meeting rooms will not feel like a successful refurbishment.

Build in flexibility

Workplaces change.

Teams grow, work patterns shift, meeting platforms evolve and rooms get repurposed. A good technology plan should allow for reasonable future change without requiring a full redesign.

This does not mean buying more equipment than needed. It means making sensible decisions around infrastructure, cabling, mounting and standards.

Examples include:

• Using commercial displays with suitable inputs and control options

• Providing spare data capacity where practical

• Allowing accessible cable pathways

• Standardising room technology where possible

• Choosing supportable, widely adopted platforms

• Avoiding overly bespoke systems unless genuinely required

  
  

Flexibility is not about future-proofing everything forever. That is usually fantasy with a purchase order. It is about avoiding decisions that trap the organisation too early.

Include sustainability in the plan

A refurbishment creates a natural opportunity to make better sustainability decisions.

Existing technology should be assessed before disposal. Equipment that is still useful may be reused in the refurbished workplace, redeployed to another site, donated to a school or charity, or recycled responsibly if it has reached the end of its life.

This supports more responsible asset management and can help organisations with ESG reporting.

A good technology plan should document:

• What equipment was reused

• What was redeployed

• What was donated

• What was recycled

• What was replaced and why

  
  

That record gives the organisation a clearer sustainability story and avoids the common problem of usable technology being treated as waste.

The aim is not to keep outdated equipment forever. The aim is to make deliberate, responsible decisions.

Budget for the whole technology outcome

A common mistake is budgeting only for visible equipment.

Displays, cameras and room panels are easy to understand, but the full cost of workplace technology may include design, installation, cabling, programming, network configuration, testing, training, documentation and support.

A realistic budget should include:

• Hardware

• Installation labour

• Cabling and containment

• Mounting hardware

• Programming and configuration

• Network setup

• Licences or subscriptions

• Testing and commissioning

• User training

• Ongoing support

  
  

This gives stakeholders a more accurate view of the project and reduces uncomfortable surprises later.

Test before handover

Technology should be tested before the refurbished office is handed over to staff.

This is especially important for meeting rooms. A room is not finished just because the display turns on and the camera appears in a call.

Testing should confirm:

• Audio pickup and speaker quality

• Camera framing

• Content sharing

• Touch panel or control operation

• Room booking functionality

• Guest laptop connectivity

• Network performance

• Device management

• User workflows

• Support escalation process

  
  

The goal is to catch issues before staff walk into the room and form their first impression.

A poor first week can damage confidence in the new office quickly.

Provide training and simple documentation

Even simple technology benefits from clear handover.

Users do not need a technical manual, but they do need to know how the rooms work. IT and facilities teams also need documentation so they can support the environment properly.

Useful handover materials include:

• Quick-start room guides

• Basic user training

• Admin access details

• Equipment lists

• Warranty information

• Support contacts

• Network/device information

• As-built documentation

  
  

This is not paperwork for the sake of paperwork. It helps the workplace operate smoothly after the refurbishment is complete.

Final thought

Office refurbishments are a chance to improve how people work, meet and collaborate.

The technology should be planned with the same care as the layout, furniture and finishes. When it is considered early, the result is cleaner, easier to use and less expensive to fix later.

A good workplace technology plan helps organisations reuse what still has value, replace what no longer works, reduce waste, support ESG goals and create rooms and workspaces that people can trust.

The best outcome is not the most technology.

It is the right technology, planned early, installed properly and made simple for the people who use it every day.