We’re under construction – literally! Part of our headquarters building here at Trade Press Publishing is finally getting a bit of a makeover. That’s the good news. The bad news is that we have at least six weeks of pounding nails, sawing saws and contractors’ “gentle banter” to look forward to. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a bit disruptive, but it’s nothing a good set of earbuds and an iPod can’t fix.

Minor inconveniences are part of the package during renovation projects. Thankfully, this project should be relatively quick and painless. You’re probably used to dealing with much bigger issues on much bigger renovation projects, and keeping occupants happy is certainly a key consideration. But that’s got me thinking: How exactly do you do that? What strategies do you use when an area or even an entire floor of your building is being re-fit-out? How do you deal with occupants’ concerns that the project will interrupt their ability to do their jobs?

Facility executives will no doubt answer those questions in dozens of ways, but certainly a common theme will be good communication. Make sure the occupants know everything that is happening, what the timeline is, where people have moved and anything else that will change day-to-day routines. Our de facto facility guy here – our CFO – did a fantastic job keeping everyone in the loop, and as a result, most people were cheerful about the impending renovation. It’s just a slight bump in the road, and there’s no doubt that the new space – judging from the drawings – will be fantastic.