Just as companies began welcoming employees back into the office, an incoming second wave of COVID-19 has led governments to walk back on reopening efforts.
Although offices have implemented new safety and healthy measures to keep workers safe, remote working remains the most reasonable choice for some. However, the fatigue of being home all the time could be weighing on people.
So what can organizations do to make sure that offices can still play a role in workplace operations?
For starters, avoiding hotdesking for the time being will be wise. Shared workstations in tight spaces are not the ideal choice now or even in the future. Assigning desks that are properly spaced out will be essential.
Additionally, office layouts will need to be reevaluated. While open office plans have grown in popularity in the last several years, companies should consider adding private rooms or zones to allow people to work in a safer environment.
One of the more obvious steps that organizations must make moving forward is increasing sanitation and ventilation. This means potentially installing new air filtration systems and even sanitation stations around the office. Encouraging employees to clean up after themselves will also help mitigate the risk of spreading any sort of virus.
For now, companies should advise employees to work from home when they can. If they must come into the office, only allow them to do so on a rotated schedule to keep occupancy levels low.
