As workplaces across the world have been forced to shut down due to the pandemic, business leaders have started to reevaluate what the office will look like in the coming years.
While some have claimed that the office is dead, research has indicated there is still a need for a physical workspace.
So how do organizations design their offices to accommodate the new normal and keep employees safe?
For starters, if your office typically accommodates 500 desks prior to the pandemic, it makes sense to decrease this number to meet distancing guidelines. Along with this, businesses need to prioritize sanitation and hygiene by increasing cleaning routines, as well as installing touchless technology.
Additionally, meeting rooms should be equipped with audio-visual equipment to support the increased use of video conferencing.
The new normal also goes beyond workplace design — it also means making adjustments to every day operations. Now that millions of workers have experimented with remote and flexible working policies, many have expressed wanting these arrangements permanently.
This means the office will play a different role in the near future. Instead of a place where employees come in 40 hours a week, offices will serve as a hub for all-hands meetings and collaborative opportunities.
