5 Ways To Adapt Your Office To The ‘New Normal’
Both personally and professionally, COVID-19 has had an immense effect on our lives, creating a ‘new normal’ for which we all have to adapt. As businesses continue to navigate the pandemic, with new ways of working and communicating being a necessary change.
As many businesses begin the journey of returning their staff to the office, there are likely to be even more changes to adapt to. Many employees will have gotten used to working remotely and will now be asked to revert to office work, social distancing and increased hygiene measures will be introduced, even the layout of the office may need to be re-assessed.
We recognise that there is a lot of pressure on businesses to adapt efficiently and quickly to the limitations brought about by the pandemic and we are committed to supporting our clients in providing a safe and enjoyable environment for their staff.
We have put together 5 steps your business can take in order to adapt your office space to the ‘new normal’ and ensure your staff are kept as safe as possible.
Partitions and segregation
One of the simplest ways your business can create a safe environment for your employees is to establish a new, socially distanced layout to the office. This could include partitions and glass walls, or a more spaced out layout for desks. By safely spacing and dividing desks, a larger space can be created between employees, ensuring face-to-face contact is being limited as much as possible.
Clear Signage
Aside from planning your space to ensure maximum safety, it is equally important to communicate these changes to your employees. Clear signage and guidelines will help to manage the safety of your staff. This could be stickers on the floor to communicate social distancing measures, or banners and signs displayed throughout the office with health and safety instructions.
Space Planning
One of the most important ways to adapt the office will be to fully optimise the space available. With good space planning and project management, your business can provide an environment that not only reduces risk by creating open spaces, but improves team communication and creates focused work areas through conscious design choices and furnishing.
Sanitisation
Regular sanitiser stands/dispensers placed in prominent areas around the workplace are a great way to keep your employees safe and promote regular and thorough hand-washing. Our sanitiser stands are available in a number of designs, with the option to add your business’ logo to help compliment your brand.
Meeting rooms
Virtual meetings may be a part of the new normal, but eventually, face-to-face meetings will return and your business will need to consider whether the spaces available in your office are suitable.
Consider replacing enclosed meeting rooms with open meeting spaces that offer creative solutions to separate the space from the rest of the office. With the right design and management, these spaces can not only limit the risk of infection for your staff, but act as effective multi-use spaces for the office.
Where to start?
If your business is looking to make some changes in preparation for the ‘new normal’, our team at Office Options can take care of every aspect of your project. Whether it is a ‘back to work’ refresh to the office, or a complete re-evaluation of your workspace to create a safer and more responsible environment, we will work with you to provide a complete package service and total peace of mind.
You can reach us on 0800 342 3179 Monday to Friday or email us any time at sales@officeoptionsuk.com