A Cat B Fit Out Guide for the Modern Workplace

An office should never feel anonymous. It should feel like yours, shaped by who you are, how your team works, and what your business stands for. A Cat B fit out is where that begins.

The best workplaces show your clients what matters to you, and remind your team that they belong. When done right, a Cat B fit out brings clarity to all of it, turning blank spaces into purposeful ones, and helping people feel connected to where they are, and why they’re there.

But what exactly is a Cat B fit out? And why are more businesses choosing it as the smarter way to shape their next chapter?

Your Brand, Your Space

A Cat B fit out takes a blank canvas and turns it into a workplace that works, complete with meeting rooms, teapoints, workstations, soft seating, and brand personality. It’s where layout meets logic, design meets identity, and the people who’ll use the space are front and centre from the start.

If Cat A is about ceilings, lighting, and raised floors, then Cat B is about people, purpose and presence. It’s the difference between a space that’s ready and a space that’s right.

What makes it especially relevant now is its adaptability. Whether you’re fully office-based, hybrid, or shifting towards a more flexible future, a Cat B fit out lets you design specifically with your people in mind. It creates spaces that support how your team works, not how they’re expected to.

Where Design Meets Impact

The impact of a Cat B fit out is measurable. Studies show that 70% of employees feel more productive in a well-designed workspace, not just because it looks better, but because it works better. Including natural light, ergonomic furniture, and tailored settings helps reduce distractions and increase motivation.

Varied, task-focused environments, like quiet corners, collaborative zones, and social spaces, have been shown to boost engagement. When employees can choose how and where they work, based on the task at hand, they feel more in control of their day. The result is more interaction, more energy, and better work. And that connection doesn’t come from a row of desks. It comes from spaces that reflect their needs and values, from biophilic design and acoustic comfort, to branding that tells a story and layouts that make life easier.

Why It Pays Off

Beyond aesthetics and logistics, there’s compelling evidence that a considered Cat B fit out makes strong business sense. The impact of biophilic office design can boost productivity by up to 15% and enhance creativity by the same margin. When staff feel comfortable, empowered, and connected to their environment, they work better, making thoughtful office fit outs a strategic investment for any business.

Meanwhile, Deloitte reports that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is important to business success. That culture often starts with space, and Cat B fit outs give companies the opportunity to express their values through design, layout, and detail.

The Flexibility Factor

The way people use the office has changed, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less important. What teams want now is flexibility: a space that works differently depending on the day, the task or the person using it.

That’s where activity-based working comes in. It’s the idea that no one should be stuck doing every task in the same setting. Sometimes you need a quiet space to concentrate. Sometimes you need somewhere to catch up with your team or jump into a call without disrupting everyone else. A good Cat B fit out gives you all of that, planned in from day one.

When it’s done well, activity-based working gives structure to that choice. Quiet areas feel separate from social ones. Meeting rooms don’t double up as touchdown desks. And the space gently nudges people towards the right place for whatever they’re doing, without needing a set of rules to make it happen.

It also makes a real difference to productivity. In a survey by Skanska and JLL, nearly 80% of office workers said they could only do their best work if they had access to a quiet, private area. Which makes it simple: when the space works, people work better.

Designing for Everyone

A Cat B fit out is also a chance to build a space that works for everyone. That means creating a workplace where different personalities, workstyles, and neurodiverse needs aren’t just accommodated, they’re designed for.

Roughly 15% of the UK population is neurodivergent, and many more have sensory preferences that shape how they work best. Traditional offices often overlook this, with harsh lighting, complex layouts and noise levels that create constant distractions. A considered fit out can avoid all that.

Zoned spaces that separate quiet, social, and collaborative activity give people more choice and more control over their environment. When you layer in acoustic treatments, softer lighting, and options for retreat or reset, the result is a space that helps people feel calm, clear and focused, not overstimulated.

From layout that encourages walking to breakout areas designed for play or pause, supporting physical health is as important as visual comfort. And for everyone, neurodivergent or not, that sense of flow makes a difference. Wellbeing is about giving people the tools and space to thrive, not just physically, but mentally. Inclusion becomes part of the structure when those decisions are made at the fit out stage.

Attracting and Retaining Talent

In a competitive hiring landscape, your office says more than you think. A well-designed workspace is a signal of who you are as a company. It tells potential hires what you prioritise, how you operate, and why you’re different.

Cat B fit outs give you the space to tell that story, visually, spatially, and with conviction. Whether that’s through bespoke joinery that reflects your brand values or curated zones that encourage cross-team connection, you’re designing a place people want to stay.

This matters more than ever in a hybrid world. The latest guidance from the British Council for Offices urges companies to think ‘customer-first’ when designing for their own people, focusing on comfort, belonging and experience. Offices prioritising wellbeing, social interaction, and personalisation are proving far more effective in drawing teams back together than policies alone.

With a Cat B fit out, you have the opportunity to make every square foot count, not just functionally, but culturally. You’re building more than a workplace. You’re building a reason to be there.

In an age of hybrid working, the office has to earn its commute. Offering desks and coffee is no longer enough, people want connection, clarity, and purpose. A Cat B fit out makes that possible, transforming the workplace into somewhere people want to be.