Helpful Space Planning Tips for Offices After COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything from the way we conduct business to our personal lives and relationships. With many companies hastily switching from in-person offices to a work-from-home model, schedules have been shifted and so have the responsibilities of employees.
Though some companies have yet to transition back into some form of in-person work model and some have made the choice to stay remote indefinitely, many companies are already bringing employees back into the office as stay-at-home orders are lifting. However, as in-person work is slowly returning to the fore, companies are rethinking office space layouts and organizational plans in order to maintain social distancing and ensure that employees feel safe returning to work.
Unsure how to outfit your office space for a socially distanced world? Here are a few ways to rethink your workplace layout with public health and safety in mind:
Create a 6-foot distance between desks. Whether or not your office space utilizes cubicles and cubicle partitions, all workstations within the building should be 6 feet apart. This way, employees can remain focused on work without the fear of proximity-induced infection.
Offer remote work options for sick employees. Gone are the days when employees could come into work with a light sniffle or slight cough. If an employee feels even slightly under the weather, it’s extremely important for them to stay home as a preventative measure. Therefore, making employee tasks easily remotely accessible will allow sick employees to maintain normal output levels without potentially putting themselves or others at risk. If your company was already operating remotely before returning to in-person work, this shouldn’t be too difficult of a transition.
Use shields between interfacing employees or between employees and clients. Depending on the business, remaining 6 feet apart isn’t always feasible. If your employees need to collaborate face to face on projects or need to meet with clients in person, installing transparent glass or plastic panels can shield both parties while still allowing them to interact in real time.
Provide personal devices for employees. One of the best ways to avoid the spread of sickness is to reduce the number of shared items within your workplace. If each employee has access to a personal laptop, tablet, or phone, they can limit contact with each other and in some cases even increase productivity when compared to the use of shared devices.
For all of your socially distant office furniture needs in the Portland area, contact Office Furniture Direct today.