Planning an Office Seating Chart with Social Distancing Measures in Mind
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the formats and protocols of businesses around the globe. Though many companies are choosing to remain in a work-from-home format for the time being, many are making the slow but steady transition back to office work.
Even if your company is making the switch back to business as usual, office life is going to look very different for a while. With social distancing protocols in full effect in the workplace, your team may be having trouble figuring out how to bring employees back safely while still keeping office work productive and efficient.
Planning Office Seating Charts According to Social Distance Protocols
Though the workplace may look and feel different than it did at the beginning of 2020, your team doesn’t have to sacrifice functionality or employee safety. Here are some of the best ways to plan your seating chart with social distancing in mind:
Be aware of high-traffic areas. One of the most important factors when it comes to office safety during COVID-19 is keeping workspaces away from busy walkways or areas where people tend to gather.
Whether you establish new direction-specific walkway protocols or keep your walkways as they are, make sure that no employees are sitting at a workstation within 6 feet of potential passersby.
Know the measurements of your office. In order to keep desks far enough apart for safety, you’ll need to know the exact measurements of boundary walls, pillars and doorways. Additionally, take note of available power outlets to make sure any employee that needs one will have access.
Provide visual cues for employees and visitors. Creating visual markers that remind your office’s inhabitants to follow one-way paths or stay 6 feet away from workstations will only make it that much easier for guidelines to be diligently followed. Plus, you can turn your visual markers into an opportunity for unique interior design with bright colors and individualistic signage.
If you need to group desks or use conference tables, organize it by department. Avoiding close workspaces is ideal; however, if your business requires face-to-face interactions between employees in order to complete tasks, make sure that only the necessary personnel are included.
Whether or not workstations need to be close together, keeping departments clustered can help to prevent excessive travel throughout the office, reducing risk of airborne pathogens.
Use transparent partitions when needed. Many companies cannot do their work without interfacing directly with clients or other employees. When this is necessary, a transparent partition between seats can greatly reduce risk of infection.
Contact Office Furniture Direct for more information regarding COVID-safe office furniture.