The rapid outbreak of the COVID-19 has forged a new way of working. With the pandemic disrupting global business operations, commercial offices are bound to change drastically.
Here are 7 things that will change in workplaces as people return back to their offices:
1. Increased Hygiene
There will be a lot of focus on employee hygiene. For instance, offices will have increased signages, contactless facilities, increased automation, and technology. Hand sanitizing units and antibacterial wipe dispensers will be installed in mitigating the spread of infection. In addition, office designers will have to think about technology solutions integration and facilitation of the same within the building design.
2. Less Dense Office
Another major change that offices will experience post-COVID-19 will be a reduction in the number of employees in the office. With vast amounts of employees still working from home, there will be an increase in smart scheduling, rotational shifts and design that allows the office to function below maximum capacity. Rather, this will lead to the utilization, and revision of existing space will take prominence.
3. Distributed Offices
As businesses emerge from the socioeconomic effect of the pandemic, a single large headquarter may not be economically viable. This may lead to the rise of distributed offices, as many companies opt for coworking spaces or spreading out across many locations in order to managing occupancy and work post-COVID-19. Many organizations are already helping employees who prefer to work from home to set up a Work-From-Home office.
4. Better Air Circulation
Most offices and commercial buildings have heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems with filters on them. After this pandemic, air quality and circulation within offices will be revised for increased hygiene and circulation of fresh air.
HVAC professionals may need to check ASHRAE (formerly known as American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) for information on ventilation rates for different types of buildings.
5. Rise of Technology
Digital tools such as Zoom, Slack, Google, and Skype make it incredibly easy to collaborate. Ultimately, technology will be ever-present at meetings and conferences. It is expected that a fully integrated technology will help organizations save time which otherwise would have been spent commuting, or negotiating.
6. Better Surface Designs
There will be a shift towards antimicrobial surfaces and furnishings as organizations look for surfaces that will be easy and cheap to sanitize and maintain on a regular basis. Landlords will also be expected to. Tenants will also demand more from their landlords in terms of standards maintained and as well as common area maintenance.
7. High-performance Offices
As employees are returning, they expect their offices to be fully functional and efficient. High-performance offices will have all the components of the workspace required to boost productivity, efficiency, air quality, etc. responsible can range from touch-less entry and check-in, decreased elevator capacity, hand sanitizing stations all throughout common areas.
Whatever happens post-COVID-19, and even if a Covid-19 vaccine becomes available, it seems likely that the experience of living through a pandemic will alter the office space and how we will continue to work.
Here are a few other articles we think you'll enjoy:
The Importance of An Office Layout
Ways to Know It Might Be Time for New Office Space
8 Things to Be Aware of in Your Commercial Leases
Subscribe to our blog for more CRE tips!!
