Let’s face it: COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic we will face in this lifetime. Nonetheless, the pandemic compelled us to rethink working and running our businesses. This includes what setup employers use now that we are slowly coming back to the office.
Whether you are implementing a hybrid or a whole office setup, you must consider what workspace design you will carry out. This ensures that your office stays functional and your employees are productive and safe.
That said, we have listed the six office design ideas that can help you improve your workspace post-COVID-19.
Open-plan Workspaces
Because of the pandemic, it became apparent that a shared workspace is a health risk. Hence, it urges us to adopt an open-plan office whether we like it or not.
What does it mean to have an open-plan workspace, anyway?
For one, it means not squeezing eight employees within a room. Instead, reducing the number of people in an office space to 50%. Second, it means that you have to let go of the cubicles. That’s because it encourages air circulation, which can impact the airborne spread of the virus.
Limited Meeting Room Capacity
Aside from having an open floor plan, limiting the number of people accommodating the meeting rooms is also essential. Doing so ensures the following:
- Physical distancing is implemented correctly
- Reduced risk of getting an airborne viral infection
- Property sanitation of the meeting room
That said, planning how employees use a meeting room is vital. This includes sanitizing the space regularly and ensuring it is set for video conferencing.
It can also help if you have a centralized scheduling system. That way, everyone would know whether a meeting room is available or scheduled for sanitation.
Touchless Technology
If you bring your employees back to the office, it can help if you invest in touchless technology.
According to Proxyclick, touchless technology is any device you can operate without touching. It is like taking a selfie using your smartphone by simply smiling or waving a hand. What’s great about this is that you reduce the chance of spreading the virus through direct contact.
Some of the touchless technology you can implement in the office are touchless hand sanitizer, automatic air purifier spray, and face recognition in exchange for touch-based security features.
Sanitary Features
Reducing the risk of viral infection and spreading COVID-19 can be straightforward. It is just a matter of ensuring that we invest in features that will allow everyone in the office to follow safety protocols.
At Maid Sailors Commercial Cleaning Service New York, we recommend the following office sanitary features:
- Hygienic Wayfinding. This includes directing the flow of traffic and visual cues that impose physical distancing.
- Omni Meeting Rooms. This refers to meeting rooms that enable physical and virtual meetings. After all, we want to limit the number of people in an enclosed space.
- Hand Sanitizing Stations. It can be something as simple as placing a touchless hand sanitizer in high-traffic and other strategic areas in the office.
Biophilic Elements
Here’s the thing: Coming back to the office can be anxiety-inducing to most of us. After all, the office is where people from various locations will commune for hours. Unfortunately, one of them might be carrying the virus without you knowing.
Due to uncertainty and health-related concerns, biophilic office design is becoming the next big thing to ease anxiety.
Biophilic design is bringing nature close to your employees. This includes bringing in more indoor plants, playing nature ambient sounds, and allowing people to work outdoors.
The key here is to incorporate natural elements to make the most out of the rejuvenating properties of nature.
Home Comforts
By this time, your employees are now getting the hang of working from home. Plus, there are some conveniences that they would wish to have in the office.
That said, it would be nice if you could incorporate home comforts in your post-COVID office design.
You can start by giving your office pantry a homey vibe. This means a long dining table, where everyone can still commune while practicing physical distancing. You can also bring in small appliances like a microwave and coffee maker and set up a breakfast station.
Another example is to have a communal area where your employees can sit on a sofa while working. Make sure that this area has a bespoke design close to home instead of just another room in the office.
It is no longer surprising that post-COVID office design is a hot topic nowadays. That’s because all businesses must adapt to these changes if we want to keep our operations going while reducing the risk of spreading the virus.
