In March 2020 the UK went into effective lockdown as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, meaning that the majority of offices and businesses up and down the country had to close. As we pass the first full month of lockdown, the British workforce is beginning to acclimatise to working remotely at home.
Although we really have no idea when the lockdown will end, it’s an inevitability that businesses will be allowed to reopen offices as we slowly return to normality. However until we have a vaccine and the virus no longer poses a threat to people’s health, social distancing measures will continue to be a part of our lives and this poses some interesting questions.
How will the conventional office have to adapt to fit social distancing measures? What processes and procedures will you need to adopt to prioritise staff safety? Should the changes to your office be temporary or permanent? We’re going to use our experience in refurbishing and creating offices workspaces and popular modern trends and styles to provide some solutions.
Design and Layout
Most offices are made up of banked desking where staff work in their own space usually within close proximity to each other, however this really isn’t inline with social distancing rules. An important step to take before returning to your office is to consider tweaking the layout so staff are kept at least 2 metres apart, and try to adopt more modern and flexible practices.
It’s all about taking advantage of floorspace; try and move desks further apart to create a 2 metre gap between workspaces and remove any excess furniture like soft seating and unused storage. Create a clear walkway and move desking so staff can freely walk around without getting too close to others. Our sister company Dams Direct are currently selling a range of workplace shields and sneeze guards that protect staff from any viruses or illnesses, click here to shop now.
For smaller offices with Bench Desking systems it may be wise to only use every other desk, thus creating an effective buffer between staff. Hot Desking (non-allocated workspaces) may also be a beneficial as it allows staff to choose where they work and lets them decide a suitable distance from others.
You may also want to limit the use of meeting rooms/boardrooms as it involves a large group of people gathering in a smaller space. As an alternative encourage the use of technology like office-wide messaging systems and conference call software such as Zoom and Skype. In addition boardroom tables can be replaced with desks, allowing additional workspaces for staff.
Flexibility
Smaller businesses may not be able to completely revamp their office layout and design for a number of reasons including a lack of space, number of employed staff or financial restraints. However opening your office is definitely still an option, you’ll just need to be more flexible and accommodating.
When offices eventually reopen, it doesn’t mean that all of your workforce need to be at work straight away. It might be a good idea to introduce a temporary rota system managing how many people are in the office. For example, one half of your workforce could be in one day, the other half could be in the next day. This would help to introduce social distancing measures like moving workstations as you’d only have to accommodate for a smaller group of people, and additionally it would protect staff by reducing the amount of close quarters interaction.
It may also be an option to allow some people to continue working remotely. Depending on what their role is within the business, there’s a good chance that they’ve been able to continue productively at home and therefore it may be more beneficial to let them continue. This has benefits for both yourself and your staff; they’ll be able to work in a safe environment without having to commute and put their health in danger and you’ll be able to provide a safe working environment that adheres to social distancing measures for the staff that can’t work at home.
Hygiene
Good hygiene and cleaning protocols are an important factor in providing your staff with the perfect place to work at any time, but during the current coronavirus outbreak it moves to top priority. Reinforcing these practices and rules will go a long way in protecting your staff from any illnesses, and will allow you to keep your office open with minimum risk.
Ensure that you are well stocked with soap, anti-bacterial gel and any products you may need to keep the office clean and tidy. It may also be required to clean more regularly than usual so every surface and touched areas such as dining rooms and door handles are safe. Encourage staff to wash their hands regularly and in accordance with government guidelines (wash for 20 seconds with warm water and soap) and to avoid any sort of contact with colleagues. As an extra step, take the temperature of staff every day to ensure anyone who is not feeling well stays at home and self isolates as a precaution.
In terms of the office itself discouraging the use of breakout and dining areas and instead asking staff to remain at their workstations (unless absolutely necessary) will help to enforce the 2-metre distancing rules. Alternatively, these areas should be disinfected and cleaned thoroughly every day to ensure all bacteria is killed. Leaving as many doors open as possible will also reduce the amount of contact with door handles and surfaces that are regularly touched by staff, but will also bring fresh air into the sometimes stuffy and confined office.
There is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we all work, and the changes you make today may need to stay in place for a prolonged period of time. However once this is all over and the world returns to normal you may find that the alterations made to your office have actually had a positive effect on staff productivity and morale. This is a good opportunity to use the current circumstances to mould a modern office environment that will be successful for years to come.
If you have any questions or need further advice on how to implement social distancing in your office please contact us on 0800 6347 415 or sales@4sws.co.uk, we’re happy to help!