Owners, managers, and employees are all thinking the same thing; how can we return to an office even if only sporadically in a safe and productive way?  Whether your company has the need for a large workspace or needs a smaller office for occasional collaborations most covid 19 concerns revolve around social distancing, higher levels of sanitization, productivity, flexibility in workspace and cost.

Keeping people apart does not mean we need to go back to the private office footprint.  Reorienting workstations so that employees are not facing each other and putting dividers between workspaces can help keep employees safe and the workspace cleaner.  Removing workspaces to achieve social distancing or rotating in office days for staff will also go a long way in helping employees stay safe and productive.

Shared Areas

Gone – at least for the time being are gatherings at the water cooler, eating communal snacks, or sharing lunch time in the office kitchen.  Rethinking the need for these amenities should be included when considering safer shared areas.  Items that are heavily used like coffee machines, water dispensers and vending machines if updated with no or low – touch devices can provide safer and easier to clean options.

Post Covid 19 Infrastructure

From lobbies to office hallways finding ways to keep social distancing, eliminate bottlenecks in hallways, and providing additional storage for materials will be a major factor when looking at current infrastructure or new spaces.  Transitioning to a one-way flow entering and exiting doorways or widening hallways would help to eliminate the chances of employees walking past each other. Using touchless door and lock systems as well as lights that turn on and off by sensor and providing hand sanitizer stations will make the space can go a long way in providing a safe and productive workspace.