Companies all over the world have successfully transitioned to operating remotely over the last several months, but this work arrangement has had a direct impact on productivity, collaboration and culture.

During this time, WeWork’s head of global corporate workplace transformation Lendy Krantz says the company has studied and taken the measures necessary to bring workers back into the office with new safety measures in place.

According to Krantz, business leaders and building managers should focus on two things when bringing workers back into the office — having an understanding of the CDC and local guidelines, and defining company philosophy when it comes to returning to the workplace.

“When we first started bringing our employees back, we wanted our approach to be phased, helping teams gradually transition. We wanted to make sure they had choices with how and when they returned,” said Krantz. “We achieved this by supporting them in using their nearest WeWork location. We knew from surveys that reducing commute time would make returning easier, especially if employees can walk or bike to their closest location.”

When companies begin drafting a plan to bring workers back into the office, leaders need to clearly communicate how these policies will happen in a safe and thoughtful manner. 

WeWork has reduced the flow of workers coming into the office by staggering check-in times. The company has also set up temperature checks and sanitization stations in high-touch areas, like elevators. Additionally, Krantz suggests companies to de-densify their spaces and implement distancing measures between workstations.